The San Francisco call., 1907-03-04
Consider Plans to Improve
Berkeley'S Water Front
Elaborate SchemelS
Designed by Noted
Engineer

BERKELEY. March 3.-Business
men and town ohicials under the di-
rection OF Mayor Thomas Rickard'
made the first move this morning in
campaign which has for it's object the
Improvement Of Berkeley's water front
in accordance with comprehensive
scheme designed by A. Boschke, ma
rfne engineer Of national repute- Inc
Chamber Of Commerce has the oetalls
Of Engineer Boschke's plan, with draw
ings Of the various changes 10 De hauS
on the water front.
At meeting held this morning in
the Chamber Of Commerce headquar-
ters Boschke addressed the Town
Trustees and business men present eN-
planning the means necessary TO De
used TO procure the harbOr improve
ments he has planned He answered
numerous questions regarding the
scope and cost and practicability OF his
plan. and at the end OF the session
was accorded a vote OF thanks At
Mavor Richards suggestion. II was
decided TO hold a mass meeting OF citi-
zens in the Chamber of Commerce
rooms next Thursday night. when
plan of action viii be decided upon.
Engineer Boschke plans the con-
struction OF a score or more OF piers,
houses on each pier leaving space
between the warehouses that are on
either side for at least five railroad
tracks: also a track between the ware
house and the ship alongside the pier,
with overhead travelling cranes TO take
the freight directly from the ships
tackle TO warehouse. then TO be shipped
sway on made up trains. Boschke said
today:
-, will
duce the cost 20 3 minimum The slips between
the whsrves are 10 be 400 feet wide, excaTated
material 10 be used in the construction Of the
wharf, making il the most economical construc-
rion ~ a permanent pier and the nlling OF the
adjacent low water fats required Tor approaches
10 the wharves By the railroad.
The new-made water front property is Of par
amount importance % commerce, without con
demnation OF any persons private holdings. This
plan recommends itself, for IL utilities every foot
Of ground and every available space where ship
built only required by commerce. Berkeley
has voted q bond issue 10 construct pier. as
per this plan ct the foot Of University avenue
on the south side Of the Southern Pacific mole
an extensive filing should be made 10 permit
simple ground for through passenger traffic
utilizing their ferry facilities South Of this
filed land drydock basin is imperative for the
repairing OF incoming and outgoing fleets.
The soil Of the upper end of the basin is 50
favorable to building drydocks and marine rail-
WAYS that IL seems it made for that pur-
pose The space between the drydock basin and
the north training wall cannot be used 70 better
advantage 10 promote commerce than by this
plan, T. e.. by the construction Of q series OF
whgrves and slips parallel with the north train
ing wall for the Western Pacific Railroad. The
plan makes provision for the improvement Of
the estuary because the individual owners there
of have designs 70 meet the uses Of business;
however, the deepening Of the estuary and the
dredging Of the shore property TO connect with
the excavated Government channel can be re-
duced IN cost by using the dredged material
Tor rehling the adjacent marshes thereby in
creasnE their value manifold
To accommodate the expansion OF the grain
trade slips and whar~es with warehouses can
be constructed upon these marshes, on the Ala
me-s shore: also. hundreds Of acres OF these
marshes can be utilized railroad termina Is
after being filed and provided with wharfage
Engineer Boschke was chief engineer
OF New York harbor from 1850 TO 1856
and planned all the wharves and i'm
provements which helped to make that
port great He was the chief engineer
Of the Boston and the New England
harbors, and after their completion was
made assistant engineer to the Board
OF United States Engineers appointed
10 examine San Antonio Creek. in 1872.
and report regarding its feasibility as
a harbor.