The San Francisco call., 1908-07-18
Pioneer History, Rapid Strides and Great
Prospects Of Cty's important Section
Story Of Progress From Day Of JohnCenter' S
Settlement to Present Busting Era
By HOratio F. StOH

Without a doubt the most interesting
section Of San Francisco today. from
the reconstruction and development
standpoint, is the Mission district. 1t
has enjoyed real estate boom during
the last two years that excels anything
recorded for San Francisco in the past
Even Los Angeles. at the time of its
greatest real estate activity, could
boast of no such substantial progress
as the Mission has experienced since
the great fire of April, 1906.
Today this section is a complete COM
munity in itself, with a population es-
timated at more than 100000 inhabi-
tants. It has its own schools, churches,
banks, theaters, halls. hospitals, libra
ries and parks; it has a busy retail CEN
ter and the most important manufac-
turing district on the Pacific coast; it
possesses remarkable transportation
facilities and excellent streetcar service.
and when the contemplated improve
ments along its water front are com
pleted. whereby an inland harbor add
ing eight and half miles of wharfage
viii be created, il VIII practically han
die the commerce Of san Francisco.
THE MISSION SIXTY YEARS AGO
No one realizes the wonderful growth
and development of this section of the
city better than John Center. now near
ly 80 years of age, who has come to be
known as the father of the Mission"
When he arrived in San Francisco, in
October, 1s4s. on his way TO the mines,
he decided that he could make his for
tune here in San Francisco without
joining the rush of excited gold seekers
TO the Sierras. Accordingly, he went
Into the country and took up land near
tne Slsslon Aloiores, Wnlch was a
small fertile plain, sprinkled with tiny
rivulets OF clear, sweet water, and
drained by the willow bordered Mission
creek, no trace Of which remains today.
Center at that time was only 81 years
of age and the beauty OF the Mission
hills and the valley appealed TO him
strongly. In the heart OF the warm
belt, which is never reached by the
fog, he cultivated one of the most
remarkable and at the same time
most profitable gardens Of which there
IS record in the history of any COM
munity- He continued to acquire land
until his holdings were sufficient to
meet his requirements. Then. in the
large territory, which is now bounded
by Folsom Mission. Fourteenth and
Seventeenth streets he set out his prin-
cipal garden. The profits of this piece
Of land in times when gold seekers
were paying as high as 2s cent apiece
for strawberries and $3.50 each for ap-
pies, with proportionately large prices
1or vegetables, can scarcely be appre-
ciated- One acre planted in onions, for
example brought him In single year
Recognizing early the advantages of
the Missions soil and climate, Mr.. Cen
ter also planted a considerable portion of
ms tract to orchard trees, principally
cherries and peaches Many of these
trees now remain having escane6 an
the Visltations that have come upon
San Francisco during the last half cen
tury. Some Of the old trees are TO be
seen on the Center property. in Shot
Wen street while in the grounds of the
Spreckels home IN Howard street many
more trees are still standing
When he landed nearly sixty years
ago the city was swept by a terrific
Winostorm which blew down many
shacks and tents. Accordingly, in
building his modest little home, Mr..
Center took every precaution to ward
against any future Windstorms that
might sweep over the bare country.
with bricks TO prevent the house from
topping over. This selfsame structure
IS embodied in the building that ad-
Joins the large Center home which
has been occupied since the seventies.
THE OLD PLANK ROADS
In the early ffties the cost of cart
age from the plaza-Rortsmout square
to the Mission, two and a quarter
lay, for instance, moved over this shift
ing sand and swamp land cost as much
ee $lb or $50 The same road like
wise led to San lose, then the caDital
OF the state. 1t was. therefore. of con-
siderable public Importance that this
road should be speedily improved In
the summer Of 1850 Colonel Charles
Wilson conceived the plan OF LAYING
the plank road from Kearny street to
the Mission and presented a PROPOSE
tion 10 that effect TO the common coun-
ell He offered to build the road
which at that time was considered a
tremendous enterprise in consequence
of the high price OF labor and lumber.
on condition that he be allowed TO
collect certain rates of toll from those
using II and that he should have the
exclusive right OF way for the term
Of 10 years, at the expiration OF which
time the entire improvements were to
revert to the city. After consider
able opposition from the mayor the
aldermen passed the ordinance over hts
veto. modifying Colonel Wilson's prop
ositfon by which only seven years were
allowed the protector for the use OF
the road and but five months were
granted for the completion OF the work.
Several well to do people who had