The San Francisco call., 1906-06-30
WANT CAR
LINE FOR
VAN NESS
Retailers Association Of
Avenue Circulates a
Petition.
Board Of Supervisors Is
to Be Asked to Sell
Franchise.
Capitalists Are Figuring
Already on Likely
Project.

With the backing and approval of
the Van Ness Avenue Retailers Asso-
citation a petition is now being circu-
lated, which is ultimately to be filed
with the Board of Supervisors, asking
that bids be requested for street car
franchise along Van Ness avenue from
Fort Mason to Market street and pos.
sibly farther. The petition has met
with hearty responses on both sides of
Van Ness avenue, and, according to re-
ports, not the slightest opposition has
manifested itself during the week that
the petition has been in circulation
Under the charter the Board of Su-
pervisors would be required to adver-
tise for bids for such a franchise, and
the petition of property owners and
others who have located on Van Ness
is simply in the form of request that
the matter be taken under considera-
tion by the Supervisors and the ma
chinery started rolling so that some
action can be taken one way or the
other. Although the petition was start
ed a number of days ago and has been
signed freely by representatives of the
largest firms and business houses along
the avenue. there has been absolutely
no publicity of the intentions of the
association.
SEVERAL PARTIES FIGURING.
While it would naturally be sup
posed that the United Railroads Com
pany would be the one first interested
in such project, it is understood that
there are others who are aware of the
intention of the retailers association
and are building hopes on the associa-
tion's influence with the Board of Su-
pervisors. One of these promoters is
g. l.. Kennedy, who is interested in a
railroad line TO be constructed from
Boise to Sausalito. Mr.. Kennedy is
now figuring in a quiet way on not
stopping his line at Sausalito. but hav-
ing line of ferry boats with San Fran
cisco docks at the foot of Van Ness
avenue. He would in case such a fran
chise is to be put up for sale by
the city, have an electric line running
the length of Van Ness avenue and pos
sibly branching out to cover the terri
tory in South San Francisco. His
scheme is somewhat visionary as yet.
but he is known to have discussed the
matter with certain of the firms on
that avenue with the strict injunction
Of secrecy.
I'VE plan to make this avenue Pa
risian boulevard" said r. L. Radke,
who is engaged in putting up large
building on Van Ness. The old OBJ
lection against aa electric line should
largely have disappeared by this time
because this is no longer a residence
section.
WANT MODERN SYSTEM.
I'VE want a line that will be entirely
UP TO date and will be an ornament
instead of a detriment to the street 1t
is probable that the retailers asso-
citation will call a meeting for a full
discussion of the petition before it is
presented to the Board of Supervisors,
although there are fully 10 names at
tached already. One and all, the busi-
ness men realize the Importance of hav-
ing line along Van Ness, and IL we
can do anything to hasten 1t that is our
object"
From certain sources it has been
learned that the proposed line might
not necessarily stop at Van Ness ave-
nue. and Market street. but could be
continued down Mission and up Valen-
cia street.
Another petition was started yester-
day. by which the United States Gov
erpment will be asked to locate a
branch postoffice either at Bush and Van
Ness or at some other corner that will
be convenient for the use of the public