The San Francisco call., 1908-05-12
EXPERTS PLAN TEN
MILES OF WHARVES
Vast Scheme of Harbor Improves
ment Calls for Outlay of
s43,2S4,lS5

After two years of investigation into
the improved facilities of European
harbors. Luther Wagner and Colonel
w. H. Heuer. civil engineers, reported
yesterday to the federated harbor i'm
proYement associations. The report
was extensive and will Immediately be
published and distributed to interested
persons. 1t provides for a consistent
scheme of harbor improvements and
furnishes general plan upon which
sectional work may be based.
In order to bring the plans concretely
before the people the federation of
harbor Improvement clubs is planning
mass meeting in a large pavilion,
at which Wagner will deliver a lee
ture on the project, illustrated with a
series of stereopticon pictures showing
the modern docks of Europe and the
east and comparing them to the work
in San Francisco.
SCHEME is DISCUSSED
Thomas Magee. chairman of the fed
Grafton. called yesterdays meeting to
order in the rooms of the chamber of
commerce There were present James
D. Phe1an of the Society for the I'm
provement and Adornment of San Fran
CISCO, w. oOnTIHdHH anu IL. M. hllR
of the merchants association, T. Carey
Friedlander, secretary of the federation
and representative of the merchants
exchange; W. ]. Dutton of the Com
monwealth club. Captain Matson Of
the Ship Owners Association of the
Pacific, C. E. Edwords of the California
Promotion committee, and others of tho
federation, which is composed of civic
and commercial associations of the
city. Both Wagner and Heuer were
in attendance and took part in the dis
cussion.
Dr. Edwords presented and read q
synopsis of the lengthy report prepared
by Wagner and Heuer which synopsis
had been approved by the engineers.
At present, 1t is shown. there are 81
docks, occupying 1.S miles of water
front.
1t is pointed out that San Francisco
is a self sustaining harbor, but that
the charges here are higher than in
Europe, particularly in stevedoring
rates.
1t is shown by the report that at
fourth of the cost OF the Liverpool
harbor the San Francisco harbor could
be extended to accommodate twice the
business of the Liverpool harbor.
PLAN TEN MILES OF wHARFS
For the year ending June 80, 1907,
the commerce of San Francisco is given
as 6,S02,793 tons for foreign and coast
| points, and 1t is estimated in the report
that in 20 years the commerce will be
| Is, 100000 tons. The proper extension
of the docks and wharves would enable
the city to handle a commerce of 30,-
100000 tons annually That would mean
covering 10 miles of the water front
with wharves.
| Six plans for extension are proposed.
namely: (a) development of water
! front to boundary line of San Mateo
county, (b) in case of corporation of
greater San Francisco, including Oak
! lands water front In the scheme OF
] dockage; (c) cut down Ierba Buena
island and build up shoal; (d) form
inner basin between India basin and
Islais creek: te) build piers and docks
4 between Presidio and Fort Mason; f)
extend bulkhead line $50 feet into bay
and build extensive warehouses and
docks
The total cost of all these improve.
ments is estimated at s43,2S4,195. Sew
the best means of providing funds. The
bonds may be redeemed out of the earn
ings of the port.
| The federation Of harbor improve
4 ments has the cooperation of the har
Dor commission in its work and will
start a campaign for the passage o
the S2,000.000 bond issue, which Is I,
be submitted to the voters in Novem
Der. The s2,000,O00 is proposed to b.
expended in improvements betweel
Market and Channel streets and woul,
be spent in conformity with the Wag
oner-Heuer plans.