The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1906-06-01
OPPOSITION TO
TIVE 8URNHlM PLAN
DOWNTOWN BUSINESS MEMS AS
ISOLATION OBJECTS TO TOO
MUCH STREET WIDENING

MUCH STREET WIDENING.
SAN FRANCISCO May --23.-The
Burnham plans will find a powerful OPP
position from the Downtown Property
owners Association ere the dreams Of
a beautiful San Francisco are fairly be-
gun. Ever since the Burnham commit
tee has made-public its conclusions the
downtown business mcn have complain
ed Yesterday, i'm regular session,
Chairman NJ. II. de Young of the assoc
citation arose when the topic came up
for discussion and denounced the wild
ening Of Geary street as impracticable
and valueless and gave notice that 9TH
ed improvements planned would not
meet with his approval.
From the manner i'm which De
Youngs remarks We're received it
would appear that every member Of
the association shares his views i'm the
matter. A motion was made condemn
ing many of the proposed beautifica-
ton plans and it was carried without a
dissenting voice. This probably sounds
the keynote of a bitter war.
1t was near the end of the session of
the Downtown Property Owners Assoc
citation that De Young made known
his feelings toward the Burnham plans
After the insurance outlook had been
discussed at length and minor details
brought to the attention of the organ
ization the building committee was
asked to report and Chairman A. A.
Moore Jr told of his address to the
Burnham plans committee last Thurs
day afternoon. The conclusion of his
address was the signal for De Young
to explain his position.
"A portion of the Burnham plans, es-
peoially those relating to the business
district, are ridiculous and absolutely
out of the question" said he. I'VE
want the Supervisors to get to work
without delay and give us details re-
garding the plans to rebuild the burn
ed section of the city. we have wait
ed long enough in my estimation and
think we are entitled to some satisfac-
ton.
Il notice that in the Burnham plans
it is suggested that Geary street be
widened. This is absolutely unneces-
sary and to my way of thinking nearly
criminal. We all know that Geary
street is wide enough FOR commercial
use at the present time. 1t is a bust
ness street and destined to remain such.
We must do our best to defeat this
measure at all events. for such a pro-
ceeding would be runous to many of
us and of benefit to none.
II am not prepared to go further into
details regarding other changes sug-
gested i'm the Burnha--i pans, but l will
say that as a whole many of the rec
concentrations are ridiculous to bust
ness men. They may look all right on
paper to those men who simply sit down
and work on theory, out to us practical
business men they are out of the uues-
ton and not at all what we desire
The plans as a whole for the bust
ness district would mean the loss of too
much land to suit most OF us. We have
lost enough already by fire and earth
quake and for opeyam not in favor of
parting with any more of my holdings
We must take action at once"
Upon delivering this speech De Young
proposed a resolution which in sub
stance stated that the Downtown Prop
erty-owners' Association condemns the
incomplete report of the Burnham
plans committee and demands that i'm
mediate and definite action be taken
regarding that clause which sets aside
certain property to be improved within
the next five years According to the
resolution. this property is very valu-
able commercially in some districts and
it would be both wasteful and imprac-
teal on the part of authorities to hold
it up for so long a period.
When this motion was put to vote
it was carried unanimously. Every
man in the room seemed to voice the
sentiments of De Young and all ex-
pressed themselves heartily in favor of
securing permits to- reconstruct thei.
damaged buildings without further de-
lay.
The meeting hailed with glee the res
olutions from the Realty Board urging
that all business men wholesale and
retail, move downtown as rapidly
as possible.
A committee of three was appointed
from the Property-owners' Association
to assist the Realty Board i'm it's en-
deavors to induce the big merchants,
manufacturers and office holders to
move back to the central part of the
city. A personal canvass will be made
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