The San Francisco call., 1907-02-24
PROSPECTS FOR IsLA|s
HARBOR PROJECT BRIGHT
Senate Committees Favor
Issuance of 81, 100000
in Bonds
WATER GAINS VALUE
Owners Want to Dredge
Out Lands That Have
Been Filled In

At Joint meeting of the finance
committee and the committee on COM
merce and navigation OF the upper
house, called by Senator Welsh in Sac
ramento Friday night the bill submit
ting to vote of the people the propo-
sition to issue 81 100000 Of bonds for
the purchase of land in lslais Creek
basin to provide a locked haroor was
unanimously indorsed.
At a caucus Of San Francisoos dele-
cations in both branches of the Legis-
lature the project was given unquaii-
fed support and the local advocates OF
the measure declare themselves en-
tire1y satisfied with the progress being
made.
This success is the result of work
done by the committee of allied COM
mercial bodies Of the city, which re-
Gently visited Sacramento in the In
terest of the bill.
T. p Andrews of the Potrero Asso-
citation, which organization started the
1slais Creek movement, said last night
that he and his associates, although
they believed absolutely in the merits
of the proposition, had not expected
such favorable results in so short
time. Promotion bodies and business
associations of all kinds, including the
Labor Council have adopted resolutions
| indorsing the bond issue and at the
election two years hence it is expected
| that the people generally Will IaVor
| it with their votes.
| The plan is to condemn and purchase
sixty-four blocks bounded by Islais
| Creek on the north, by the India Basin
! on the south. by First avenue on the
west and the bay on the east. This
would provide a harbor OF 2OS acres,
which would be converted into mag
| nifcent system of docks and wharves
/ 90 foe nc hA for the WORK
! could be procured. 1t would necessi-
| tate the employment of thousands or
| workmen. The railroads have ap-
peared to be favorable to the project
| and have promised to run their tracks
| to the basin. so that cars could be
| loaded and unloaded at the sides OK
! ships.
! Another proposition which has been
/ discussed in connection with the land
| locked harbor is the building of an ele-
waited railroad from North Beach TO
| Central avenue, along the water front,
] for the relief OF traffic. 1t is proposed
that the State build this road. but II
| 1t cannot q group of Eastern. Los An
geles and local capitalists is ready to
! snap up the proposition. 1t is said that
Henry Huntington is one OF the men
who would be glad of the opportunity
| to spend his money on such a. road.
! Harbor Improvement had been recog-
nized as a crying need for some years,
| said Andrews. When Thomas Magee,
chairman of the committee which rep
! resented the allied commercial bodies
| at Sacramento, discussed the matter
] with the Governor recently he ex-
planned that as the San Francisco rep
resentative of Mrs. Oelrichs and Mrs
| Vanderbilt he would like to see all the
land which had been filled In by their
| father at great expense dredged out
! again and used for docks and wharves
He said that he could make more money
| for his clients in month with the
water on this land than the rent from
the filled-in land would amount to In a
year.
George Senter, the Mission million
aire, also Is a firm believer in increased
harbor facilities. He remarked recently
to some OF his friends who were fill
ing in their property on the water
front that they were spelling good
water with mighty poor dirt
| .>~~~~.~~.S~>>~~~~~~~>~> ~>~~>~>~S-~~~~.~~~S~~~>>
forty-one years, then stepped forward
and presented WE'LL with a beautiful
silver smoking set, bearing the inscrip-
tion. From the employees Of the White
House, 1S37-190T, to Raphael WE'LL.
Clarum ct venerable nomen.".
Well was deeply moved and 1t was
with difficulty he could control his voice
sufficiently to express his thanks