Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-21
new san FRANCISCO
Plans OF Architectural Club Dis
cussed in Paris.

Special Cablesrsm to The Star
PARIS. May 2i.-Herman Schefsaner, vice
president of the San Francisco Arehitec-
tural Club. has Just been interviewed upon
the proposition for the identifying Of San
Francisco. Among other things he said:
1 know my feliow-citizens. and my faith
IN the future OF my birthplace remains as
firm as ever. Prohting through sad ex-
perience the San Franciscans will rear their
city as strongly proof against fire and earth
quake shock as human skill can make It.
I'm 1905 when never a thought Of the
present horror was present in the minds of
her citizens. plans on a monumental scale
had been prepared for still further beautify-
ing the Californian metropolis.
These plans were prepared by the famous
architect, Burnham of Chicago collaborat-
Ing with the foremost architects. artists.
sculptors and landscape gardeners of the
west.
THE project had been formed by the Civic
League for the beautifying of San Fran
cisco. an organization composed of the
most prominent and wealthy citizens under
the direction OF James Phelan, former
mayor of San Francisco, patron of arts
and multi-millonaire: Claus Spreckles the
sugar king, and Nathan Fohrmann, presi-
dent of the Merchants Association, who
had thoroughly examined the beauties OF
the worlds fairest cities.
These plans. which I propose to de-
scribe. have now vivid interest since 1t
is according to them that San Francisco Is
to be built.
Necessarily. the plans were forced to
conform to the already existing and per-
edIfices OF granite, marble and brick
abounded.
Impressive Conical Hills.
fho
tower patterned after that Of La Clralda, in
Seville. Market street extended southwest
erly. diagonally intersecting the streets to
the north and stopping at right angles the
streets to the south. At the far end OF this
main artery OF the city are two impressive
conical hills. the Twin Peaks.
The magnificent city hall was invisible
from Market street, hidden by rows of in
significant business buildings, which it was
intended to clear away.
Close by, at the junction OF Market
street with Van Ness avenue. a beautiful.
wide boulevard with fine residences, vast
circular colonnade was to be built, with
fountains and categorical groups OF statu
ary
hub from which many new streets will
radiate. much like those of Washington or
Vienna.
Golden Gate Park with its lawns. for
ests, flowers and drives, will be extended
by means of its panhandle for miles into
the city. close to this central point.
1t was proposed to SurmOunt the Twin
Peaks with colossal statues and tremen-
dous electric beacon lights. This idea was
suggested several years ago by the noted
Adolf Sutro. after he had erected a statue
Light Defeating Darkness" upol Mount
Olympus, a local hill.
THE various other comma nding heights
which give the city its impressive and pic
turesque aspect, and compared to which
Romes hillocks sink into. insignificance will
mr. ha IU q Ia cd II, oiroiio r
ner. so that San Francisco whether seen
from the Gay or the ocean, will lift her sky
line with undiminished grandeur.
Terraced With Sloping Walks.
Telegraph Hill was. 1t was proposed. to
be terraced with slopiRg walks and gardens
with marble steps and overhanging gal
leries and It's famous castle, medieval In
style, rebuilt In stone
THE eminences of Russian. Mob and Rim
con Hills, of Parnassus and Pacific Heights
it was designed to crown with imposing
masses, artistlcally reared to form one har-
,monious whole.
IAN streets will certainly be planted with
trees, and the more important thorough
fares lighted with large arc lamps swung
from ornamental standards.
"A wide driveway with rows Of trees and
Shaded walks will completely encircie the
city from Golden Gate Park to the water
front. to Black Point into the military
Presidio thence along the precipitous cliffs
by the Golden Gate to the famous Cliff
House. and to the boulevard along the
shores of the Pacific.
"a part of the Mission ESQ named from its
settlement by the Spanish Franciscan Faith
ers) Is. according to the 1905 plan. to be
embraced by this great loop, over twenty
five miles long. winding and rising and
falling. according to the ground. California
street where 1t rises steeply from the heart
Of the banking district In Montgomery
street-which formerly marked the shore OF
the bay-to the summit OF Mob Hill, 1t was
suggested should be covered with an eIab
crate structure of winding inclined planes,
beneath which tunnel was to run for the
cable cars that glide up and down these
soaring streets. where no vehicle dare VEN
ture
To Extend Fire Limits.
at was also decided to extend the fire
limits, beyond which no wooden houses
must be built, far over their present boun-
daries The wires of the electric trans,
which had so disigured the streets. were to
be placed underground, and their poles.
with those of the telephone and light serv-
ices. were to vanish; all eyesores were to
be removed from the general scheme.
THE board of harbor commissioners and
the board of public works were preparing
plans for other improvements. such as the
construction of new Quays and docks OF
granite to replace the wooden wharves.
1.-The building of q magnificent new opera
house was likewise assured. which was to
exceed in splendor and size anything in the
western hemisphere. new continental
railway line the Western Pacific. an enter
prise of the Goulds. is under way. its ter
minus being at San Francisco"