The San Francisco call., 1908-10-23
WHARVFS MUST BE
BUILT SOUTHWARK
San Francisco Must Rely on
San MateO Shore for Fu-
ture Development
Only Narrow Strip Remains Be-
tween Hunters Point and
the County Line


economic considerations call for the
union OF san Francisco county and the
northern part OF San Mateo county
The commercial advantages have been
referred TO broadly. but closer IN
spection Of the subject shows that Ger
tain basic el,mencs cOnspire TO bind
upper san Mateo county and san
Francisco into a commercial entity
Tie most important phase of this
division Of the subject is the question
Of transportation-Ir8n both
by land and by water. Iron rails gird
q continuous shore line and big ships
crowd for berthing room at the mad
equate docks A look at the map viii
AIRY conviction tRst the commercial
union OF the two sections is at hand
Tie completion of the Dumbarton
bridge viii throw the heavy freight
shipments for the Pacific slope and the
orient into san Mateo county. To be
distributed TO the local factories and
wholessI Iers. TO De reshipped 10 other
points on the coast, or loaded on TO lin
crs TO be carried to the orient or South
America. The greater part Of this traf-
f. viii pass through the new Southern
Pacific freight Yards. lying partly in
San Mateo county and partly in san
Francisco. The commerce is all part Of
the commerce Of san Francisco, but un-
der the present arrangement is subject
10 the double jurisdiction Of Two coun-
ties
The most important feature of the
transportation situation. however, ap-
pears in the problems offered on the
harbor frontage. The bay OF San
Francisco reaches below the limits OF
san Mateo county and the shore line
presents engineering problems that
must be considered and solved long be-
fore the hour arrives FOR the projected
Improvements. Already the port prob
lens have reached as FAR south as In
dia basin. A narrow strip remains be-
tween Hunters point and the San Ma
teo line. Then san Francisco must rely
for its future development. for its
growth and for the expansion OF its
commerce upon the utilization of the
harbor possibilities along the San Ma
teo shore.
ISSUE Is PRESSING
The contingency is not a remote
one tt is for the future but at the
present rate Of growth the question
VIII DE a pressing issue in the next
decade if not before The subject has
already been discussed in the report
0f The engineers for the federated har-
bor committee. IT is true these engi-
ncers were mindful of the big prob
lens involved. but the bi gger the prob
lem the greater the time needed in
preparation. At the very outset Of
their report the engineers. Luther
Wagner and Colonel William II.
Heuer pointed out the harbor posi-
bilities and in figuring that which was
capable Of development included the
san Mateo shore all the way TO Dunn
barton To quote the engineers:
At San Francisco nature has sup
piled a deep. safe. commodiOus water
va
world san Francisco, with San Pablo
bay. its northern extension, covers an
area OF 2f0 square miles. The shore
line of san Francisco bay alone, leav-
ing out Of consideration for the time
its numerous naviga BILE inlets, measures
100 miles IN length From the south
ern portal of the Golden gate at Fort
Point. along the bay shore of San
Francisco and San Mateo counties 10
Dumbarton point, thence across the
narrows and along the shores of Ala
media. Contra Costa and Marin counties
to Lime point, every mile is suita BILE
and available for commercial and in
dustrial USE"
The engineers take up the question
of the san Mateo shore and point ont
that fits development would not only
prove expensive, but add that ii could
not be done advantageously until
much OF the land shoreward had been
reclaimed The process OF reclaiminS
has already begun, although not yet
on a large scale Plans are now on
foot for further enterprises of this
sort. The growth of the manufactur-
ing interests At South City and other
points in upper San Mateo county has
made IL imperative that the problem
or dockage facilities for this part or
the bay shore receive immediate atten-
ti0n.
MIST ACCOMMODATE SHIPPING
All the way through the report the
engineers point out that the commerce
OF thee port is growing with such
raDidity that improvements must be
made 10 accommodate the shipping or
the future. The Panama canal will
be completed in a few years and its
opening VIII give the port the great
est stimulus that it has yet received
Lines VIII be operated direct from Eu-
rope. the South American trade will
expand 10 large proportions and the
natural increase in coastwise trans
portation viii force the improvements
down the peninsula. IN this connec-
tion the comments or the engineers
on the general situation are of inter
est They say:
Three factors determine the com
mercial supremacy OF a city by the sea:
First. its potential tributary commerce:
second. the size and accessibility Of its
harbors, and. third. the development of
its docks TO meet the requirements and
accelerate the increase Of its commerce.
'Of the three. the volume of the com
merce. actual and potential. is funda-
mental. Good harbors on barren coasts
do not make great seaports But
where a tributary interior territory
exists rich in agricultural and mineral
possibilities and capable Of supporting
a large population, it is sufficient to
transform shallow inlets into deep and
commodious harbors at the points
where the lines OF Intercourse OF its
maritime ard Interior trade converge.
Whore the hinterland is rich in re-
sources and a natural narbor already
exists capable of receiving the COM
merce Of the world. it IS evident that
the acceieration OF the growth OF the
port viii depend on tie remaining of
the three factors-that is. the develop
nent OF its docks
Such are the conditions. at San
Francisco. Its natural harbor is un-
surpassed and there are no shysicai
limitations to its tributary trade. Its
ultimate ascendency Will therefore, be
=. orusIuaT q lo..era MO-, es,re H.,