The San Francisco call., 1907-03-07
MAGEE DISCUSSES PLANs

MAGEE DISCUSSES PLANS
Thomas Magee told of the plans pro-
jected for the Improvement of the har-
Dor. 1T was with the intention Of
improving the harbor and bettering the
water facilities that q committee was
appointed and for which I was the rep
resentative of the Real Estate Board, "
said Thomas Magee. There was great
need OF some Improvement on the
water. We had lost some Of the trade
in the north and something had TO be
done The root OF the trouble lay in
the fact that we had boasted and
claimed without doing anything that
we had the best harbor in the world.
We did not for a moment believe that
Tacoma. Seattle or any other city
could compete with us.
We overlooked the fact that a har-
Dor without wharves belt railroads and
travelling cranes was no good We have
only nine miles of dockage. while New
York has over 400 miles. At the pres
ent time we have not over $50 feet of
space at which ships coming to the port
can be docked"
Magee went on to give figures to
show the need of more dockage and
water front facilities, and also related
In detail the results attained thus far
by the committee from the commercial
bodies in this city and at Sacramento.
He continued:
SO you that the harbor means much. Il
is the gateway TO the West. There are mil
lions of miles of Snd lands beyond and
millions OF people who need our goods. The
harbor Of San Francisco is the natural gate
way for ali this trade.
Willie we have boasted of our ane harbor
in 8 way. we shnve sat back and let nature
quake has in this and many ways been a
blessing, snd when ! look about this room and
see the $50 real estate dealers all gathered
here and hear the warm words bespeaklng co
operation for the betterment OF the city. 1 feel
sure thar the harm which came from the deyas-
fafiOn OF city IS more than Offset by the
good which has risen.
PRAISES TORRENs LAW
Robert T Devlin spoke of the Tor
rens system of registration. He said:
Bonds and stocks OF corporations. constituting
large part OF the wealth OF the State. are
sold every day and without danger. man can
buy a number OF shares Of the capital stock
Of a corporation in a moments time, also
luteiy sure that his title IS perfect. Why can
not be do the same with real estatef Because
when our laws relative TO real estate frst be-
came operative land rarely sod. Origi-
nally title was given by delivery of posses
sion and afterward a deed was given as eFl-
except IN q few counties. not recorded,
but delivered 10 purchaser as muniments
OF title.
In the United States registry laws prevail and
ell instruments affecting the title 10 real 90
tate should be recorded. When transactions In
real estate-ar few and simple this plan
works well enough. as any person can ex-
anime the few records affecting land But In a
large city where the transactions are nuner-
GUS where land Is commodity that is daily
bought and sold. the practice OF examining per
sonally the records is impossible, and this
work is left 10 those who engage IN the bus-
ness Of abstract making. and the result is ex-
penslve abstracts and long delays IN their prep
aartiOn and exafhination.
The object OF the Torrsns system IS TO abol-
ish this costly and tedious process, and when
title has once been declared by the court
TO be good, 10 allow IL TO be sold as easily and
a. quickly as shares of stock In a corporation
BY indorsing the certificate of title issued by
the registrar, as you would certificate Of stock
issued by the secretary OF corporation.
1t may be asked why this plan, so simple and
safe. is not in general use. The answer must be
because the community is slow TO change any
system that has once become firmly established
no matter how cumbersome ard costly IL may
business In anything relating to real property
and the change only be brought about BY the
concerted action of the real estate dealers OF
ings banks building and loan associations and
Others engaged In lending money on real es-
tate.
law has been the statute books of Califor-
MIA for many years, but no ono has desired
TO be a pioneer in ayailing himself of its pro-
visions. nor would II do him any good TO do so
unless the community as whole understood and
= the su, skss nae th an o Dl
perfume tine 10 put the law into operation 1t
VIII require some effort at first to the
people TO examine and understand the system.
1t is hard TO change old habits and especially
is IL hard TO change old habits in dealing with
real estate. But when this system is in general
use when land can be bought sold or mortgaged
easily as shares OF stock. we VIII wonder
why an enlightened age has borne our
wieldy and antiQuated system so long
COURAGE" SAYS HARRISON
William Greer Harrison, president of
the Olympic Club, was introduced and
greeted as the newest member of the
board. having been a member of the
organization but two weeks. He spoke
Francisco. DO unto others as you
would have them do unto you. and do
not do others as they do you is the
rule for success in business" declared
the well known leader of athletes. In
telling of the peculiar spirit and cour-
age which the people of the city have
shown, Harrison paid tribute to all
who passed through the scenes Of the
April disaster.
He told how the people stood on the
corners in calmness and watched the
dear, familiar landmarks and all that
was close to their hearts go UP in
flames. while I loved San Francisco
in all her glory and proudness." said
Harrison, 'I loved her more in her
ashes"
Harrison expressed the opinion
that while he was new at the real
estate business, he believed that If he
observed the motto which he has set
in other lines of business he would be
able TO learn the game
'The people make the risks and the
underwriters make the rates." said