The San Francisco call., 1906-09-17
SOUTHERN PACIFIC
To SOON BUILD.
Viii Erect Large Office
Building at Fourteenth
and Franklin, Oakland
EILL OCCUPY BLOCK


OAKLAND, Sept 1s--To erect
arge. modern Office building for its
wn use and with .the aim to centralize
Il Of the railroad agents in this city
the pIan Of the Southern Pacific Com
any for the block bounded by Frank
H. webster. Fourteenth streets ana
7e F'ourteenth-str local station
Tx. property has been used for years
freight yard by the Southern Pa
nc Company for the old narrow gauge
ne. on a part OF the property wood
ard and a branch OF Gladding, Nc
can & Co.'S pottery works were
,eated. The companys tenants have
one and the land has been cleared
-eparatory to going ahead with the
uiI6ing project
Tentative plans for utilizing TINS cen
raj site have been in hand for some
me in the company's Offices, but the
-ecision as 10 the new Office building
-as hastened By the demand upon the
onpanv for room since the fire. Con-
stantIv increasing business on this side
the bav has cramped the facilities
oakland pier Many departments
18th large clerical forces are being
aaporarilv housed at the pier IN rent
4 buildings in this city, at Alameaa
Ter and. in short, wherever the COM
snv could find a nook or corner into
rhich q clerk could be duartered-
SELECTS ITS OWN PROPERTY.
This condition has compelled the Of
cials to look about, and as result
new have selected their own property
Fourteenth and Franklin streets
lore than that the company's main
refght and ticket Offices at II san
'ablo avenue VIII shortly have 10 oe
acated. as work Of tearing down the
,,i1ding TO make way for the new First
,ationaI Bank block viii soon be com
,enced. To locate these Offices in a
abroad building and to invite all of
se other railroad agencies to locate
mere. as the company has done with
ne James Flood building in san Fran
fsco. is the general scheme.
Much clerical work, as well as gen
raj railroad business, will be provided
Or in the new location. The decision
. erect q suitable Office structure at
'ourteenth and Franklin streets dis
oses of a bugbear that has long dis
lrbed property owners in the neigh
. orhood. namely, the maintenance Of
reight yards in the heart of the city,
nlv q block from Fourteenth and
roadway. across the way from the
llzs' Club, the Athenian Club, the Mac
enough Theater and the First Pres
yterian Church.
sECRETIVE CONCERNING PLANS.
For some reason not disclosed the
outhen Pacific Company has been
ecretive concerning its plans for the
4te since il was cleared. The officials
ave declined to confirm or deny the re-
Gated rumors that a larger freight
ard was 10 be installed. Quietly they
ave gone about their arrangements
Or the new building which viii be
rected within a short time. The move
one that makes for Improvement II
hat section OF the city.
Business men who have learned OF
he move are hopeful that it will be
ollowed by an order TO erect a first
lass station at Sixteenth street The
outhern Pacific Company has neglect
d Oakland in this particular for years
'hough a $4,000 structure for local
ervice only is in course Of erection
Berkeley, the main line station al
ixteenth street IS a mere shed and
7ould disgrace a tank siding. Public
filciaIs as well as business men have
etitioned for better facilities without
esult
With the building bee started in the
outhern Pacific Company Offices they
Til receive the attention the size oi
oakland and its railroad Importance
deserves. according to those who have
abored in vain for years TO impress the
ompany with their arguments.