The San Francisco call., 1907-06-12
sCHWER|N WANTS MORE
MONEY FOR BOULEVARD
Increased Price of Labor and
Material Is Advancing
Cost Of Road
BY r. r. l'fIon,n1edieu

r. P. Schwerin, president OF the au-
tomobile club of California, has re-
turned to the city from the east and
will assume control of that organfza-
ton. He will also begin active work
In the committee that Is building the
new boulevard.
Schwerin, when asked when the
boulevard out of the city would be
finished. said that that was matter
which could not be answered at the
present time. He feels that the pub
lie and those who should be interested
In the boulevard are not showing the
proper spirit.
under the supervision OF the automo-
bile club of California he said. 1T
is not part of the clubs work. but the
work of a committee that includes
some Of its members. 1t Is not an
automobile boulevard alone, but a
boulevard that will be open to all
kinds Of vehicles except those used in
trade. At the present time there Is no
way to get out of the city except over
road that never could be kept in con-
dition for private vehicles.
THE road Is not completed at the
present time because we have always
been lacking enough money. When
the scheme was first started bids
were put in costing about SAL
600. BY hard work we raised this
up to almost the desired amount
necessary. Up to that time we
had understood from the supervisors
that they would look out for the city
end of the road. But what did they do?
They only gave US $17.50o. The city
engineer figured out that 1t would cost
at least $27,50o. Here we were again
short $4,000. Prior to this time the
committee had Nineteenth avenue de-
clared a boulevard. While we were try
ing to get more money to finish out the
oity end the Parkside people came along
and wanted the boulevard changed to
Twentieth avenue
This the committee objected to and
a compromise was made by which the
Parkside people promised to build the
main boulevard from the great high
way south to the county line II the
change was made on Nineteenth ave-
nue.. They were to take over the
$17.500 from the city and build the
from that which ran in the hollow
toward Ingleside to the top OF the
ridge along tho edge Of the Parkside
property. From the conditions in the
city at the present time / cannot say
just what the Parkside people are 60
ing to do. They have graded off the
surface and must shortly, commence to
lay In the road. or else all they have
done will be lost
plete our end of the road even If we
had enough money, for we would not
have an outlet in the city.
About the time the Parkside people
took up the proposition the big fire
took place. When things Strengthened
out we found what could have been
done for $4,000 would cost at least
. A
original plans there was to be a bridge.
The original estimate for the bridge
was a little over $4,000. After the fire
1t could not be built for less than $1O,-
600. To fill In this place and make 1t
permanent would cost about $4,000.
I'VE could not make contract any
time after the fire. We could not get
any Of the contractors even to make a
bid. The contractor we had been count
ing upon advised us not to begin work
until winter, pointing out that with the
rains we would be able to get It done
cheaper. This we did. but we got too
much rain. 1t rained so hard. In fact,
that the contractor had to walt until
spring to resume operations.
1.-The contractor has been working on
the road for some time. He is filling
in the cut and doing much other work.
The roadway has been cleared OF to a
certain extent and rock Is about to be
brought over a spur track that had
to be built. But how do we find our
selves at the present time? The road !
cannot be finished with the money we
have on hand. The cost of materially
and labor has gone up and 1t Is figured
that it will take 100000 to finish
things. We have SAL, 1000 In bank and
need at least $4,000 more. Every one
who travels in and out of the city
should be on the subscription list. Per-
sons in the city who should be IN
terested in the building of this road,
however, have not given US the slight
est bit of help. The other day In Dem
yer they raised $4,000 for a boule-
ward in less than "a hours.
There is one thing I want to go on
record about, and that is the boule-
ward is going to be built, IL It has to
be done in sections which will be con-
structed .nve years apart. There has
been q lot Of knocking of the scheme
when there should have been boosting.
The money we have Is In two banks.
drawing interest. 1t is going to be
spent to build the road as far as It will
go. Then we will stop until we raise
more and put in another section.