The San Francisco call., 1906-06-10
GOAT ISLAND
RAILROAD PLAN
SUITS SENATE
Meets With No Opposition
When Offered for
Discussion.
Time Limit on Proposed
Bond Issue Fixed at
IS Years.
SPECIAL DISPATCH TO THE CALL.


SACRAMENTO. June s.-Eioquent ar
gument in support of the joirt resolu-
tion calling upon the Federal Govern
ment to cede Yerba Buena island To
California. that the same NAV he nt,I-
1zed for a great union terminal for all
'ranscontinental roads. was advanced
IN the Senate this morning by Senator
Shortridge.
II may be- said Shortridge. "that
some Will be so thoughtless as to regard
TINS resolution as railroad scheme
II is railroad scheme. but in the his
tory of all such it is the first one with
which the railroads have nothing to do,
Ihe purpose of this measure is 10 plnc,
san francisco in close touch with the
mainland on the east and permit that
splendid city. now buried in her own
ashes, to- awaken in the possession of
the greatest terminal enjoyed by any
city in great America
Years ago scheme similar to this
was preached. but 1t was defeated on
the ground that the Southern Pacific
was seeking to shut out competitors
whether this was true Is of no moment
mere. for the clearness of this resolution
and Its manifest intention to treat all
railways alike must commend It, 1t is
time. for the people to cease all dema-
gos1c and partisan political acts and
support this plan, for it means a greater
city should our purpose be accom-
plfshed | ask that this resolution be
adopted and forthwith telegrapaed to
the President and to Congress-
Belshaw offered an amendment to the
effect that the resolution be mailed in
stead of telegraphed The amendment
was accepted and the resolution re-
turned to the printer. AS 1T met with
no opposition 1t is certain 1T will be
adopted and forwarded to Washington
Monday.
After a lengthy debate the Senate
amended the proposed constitutional
amendment allowing San Francisco and
San Jose to amend their charters tc
permit the issuance by them of 1O0-yea,
bonds to seventy-five years BeIshaw
Irish, Curtin. Rowell and others op-
posed the 100-year extension. sayina
that it would inf1ict too great a burden
on unborn generations. Shortridge de-
Tended the extension OF time on the
ground of public necessity. He said
San Francisco needed a water system
that would insure 1t against repetition
of the disaster that had been so costly
as well as other improvements that
would benefit future generations as
much If not more than the present Fu-
ture generations should be made to bear
this burden, he said, and he did not be-
lieve the time was one day too long
Mattos. however. offered as an amend
ment that the time be limited to sew
enty-five years, and as a compromise IL
was accepted. The bill then went back
to the printer and will be returned
Monday. There is no question but that
it will then pass.
A question as to whether the pro-
posed amendment authorizing the State
to make gifts and donations of money
in times of distress and confagration
is included in the Governors call, but
could not be settled, so it went over for
further consideration.
Savage opposed and succeeded in sus-
pending action on the bill aimed to au-
thorize the Board of Harbor Commits
sioners to place an additional toll of 5
cents a ton on merchandise coming
into the port of San Francisco. Savage
said the measure would work to the In
jury of the whole State, as it would
tend to drive shipping to other ports.
Lukens pointed out that since the dis
aster the tonnage by water and rail
coming into San Francisco had doubled.
and. pointed out that necessity would
compel ships to dock at San Francisco.
Savage said that even If this were true
the extra toll would fall on the people
as an indirect tax, as the merchants
would place a higher price on their
goods Discussion was continued until
Monday