The San Francisco call., 1907-03-11
OAKLAND WILL FIGHT
PROPOSED HARBOR BILL
Officials Say the Measure Is
Inir1ical to Interests of
the City
BENEFIT RAILROADS
Mayor Mott Goes to Sacra-
mento to Lead Opposi-
ton Forces
BENEFIT RAILROADS

OAKLAND. March 10.-With the final
decision that the proposed harbOr COM
bill is inimical to the interests
of the city of Oakland and the State
of California Mayor Mott and City
McElroy went to Sacramento
tonight armed with documents and
protests to fight the passage Of the
bill. The conference between the citys
representatives and those of the West
ern Pacific and Southern Pacific COM
panies, after three days work, closed
tonight. The last point of disagree
ment was the refusal of the railroad
attorneys to consent that the Mayor
City Attorney and City Engineer
should be the harbor commission The
City Council made a fiat stand on this.
and the long session closed by the
withdrawal of w. S. Palmer and P F.
Dunno Of the Southern Pacific Com
pany. Immediately afterWaTd con-
sultation was held between the Mayor
City Attorney and Attorneys William
R. Davis and II. A. Powell The City
Council was notified to assemble. and
telegram reading as follows was
sent to every member Of the Legisla-
ture:
committee substitute for Senate bin No. sOl.
requests that you vote against It and all meas
ures pertaining TO Oakland water front
h
J. E. McELROY, City Attorney.
GEORGE FITZGERALD,
President Oakland City Council
Before he left Mayor Mott said: we
believed that II was only reasonable
the Mayor City Attorney and City En-
gineer should be named, in view OF the
fact that the city charter names them
as City HarbOr Board. This was
fatty refused by the Southern Pacific
people, though the Western Pacific at
torneys were inclined TO agree TO it.
But even if that had been conceded it
is doubtful whether we would have IA
vored the bill"
Before the City Council William r.
Davis presented in detail the reasons
why the city's representatives opposed
the bill. He said that the measure was
framed to- give the two railroads the
exclusive control for fifty years of the
land between the north training wall
and line fifty feet north OF Long
wharf at nominal rental Of 81 a year
front foot He declared that every
effort Of the city's counsel TO incor-
pOrate amendments that would break
into that exclusive control had failed
that the railroad attorneys frankly ad-
mitted the purpose of the bill was TO
get such control; that they had gone
at it by way Of a harbor commission
instead of by getting a straight grant
from the state because OF lack OF time
to get the latter legislation through:
that the companies would not give way
at any place where this exclusive con-
troll was menaced.
Attorney Davis also said that both
the Western Pacific and Southern Pa
cifie intended to construct a basin be-
tween their terminals which would be
used for their own ocean steamships
and vessels. In short the bill was the
means by which the companies should
partition the land in question between
them, thus settling the terminal bat
tie. The Council adopted the following
resolutions;
Whereas The Council OF the city OF Oakland
has carefully considered the proposed haroOr
commission bill known as Senate committee sub
stitute bill No. sol, relating to the Oakland
water 'front.' and
Whereas Said Council believes that said bill
is detrimental TO the best interests OF the city
and will retard its future progress; and
Whereas Among many serious and vital OBJ
jections it takes away rights with reference 70
the control Of shipping. wharves, docks and the
like now vested in the city Of Oakland and trans
fers them to another and different board than
the board provided for in the charter OF the
city OF Oakland. and also takes away such
rights adjudged TO belong to this city
by the United States Circuit Court OF Appeals
in a recent decision; now. therefore, be il
Resolved. That the City Council OF the city
of Oakland hereby protests against the passage
of said bill. and the representatives OF Alameda
County in the Assembly and Senate hereby
petitioned to endeayor to have said bill not
passed. and to vote against the passage OF the
same