The San Francisco call., 1909-09-08
GfARY ROAD KEY
TOC|TY'S CONTROL
Expert Mason Outlines Scheme
for Municipal Railway
Development
Advises Supervisors Route May
Be Used as Nucleus of
Great System

Wnen the Geary street railway Dond
issue proposition is put before the
people in December it is proposed by
the public utilities committee of the
board of supervisors to submit at the
same time, Is matter of informa tion
to the voters, a scheme of further
municipal railway construction which
In few years would gridiron the city
with roads owned by the people
The objection that the Geary street
road, If reconstructed, would be an iso-
lated line, the report will show con-
clusively to be untenable. Acting for
the committee, Expert H. A Mason has
pfrations of all the present street rail-
way franchises in the city, and on this
basis the committee will outline the
plan for the extensions proposed to the
nucleus Of the Geary street system.
Mason has further elaborated in his
report a plan for the use of streets
upon which no rails are now laid, which
would be available at once should the
city wish to prosecute the extensions
more rapidly than the expirations of
present franchises would allow over
thoroughfares now in use. The tun-
neiing or Twin peaks and a subway
up Market street from the ferry to
valencia street are among his other
suggestions to the committee.
FEASIBILITY OF PLAN
The feasibility of the plan lies in the
1act that the Geary street routes fran
1rAa
hlgnWay, extending from the heart of
the downtown section through the city
10 the ocean lies ready at hand, while
the lapsing of the franchise of the
Caniornia street system between First
and Thirty third avenues in 1911; of
portions OF the United Railroads CLAY
and sacramento streets lines in 1912.
and or the Presidio and Ferries line in
1913, provides populous thoroughfares
Tor the municipal extensions over the
"hole northern section of the city
Wilnlp the next three and four years.
The North Beach section beyond has
ALREADY been cared for in the condi-
tlons attached by the present board in
granting the Stockton street-Presidio
Iiancnlse this summer, the company
piedsing itself to enter into satisfac
tory transfer arrangements with any
and all municipal lines.
SUGGEST NEW LINES
Expert Mason will also sueres+ 70
the supervisors in his report the estab-
lisnment of municipal lines over Sew
ehth or other streets south of Market
making connection with the Southern
racine station at Townsend street and
the projected Western Pacific terminal
IN Brannan street. A Mission. mark
ana Pres1d1o line, crossing the present
Ieary street tracks at Scott street and
using the route proposed for the
Devisadero- -Crosstown" line, he points
out, as one of the first extensions to
be made.
chairman Johnston of the COMMITTEES
said yesterday that the supervisors
need not at this time outline with anv
precision what present unused streets
should be used in future additions
to the Geary street municipal line. as
the establishment of two or three main
hnes crossing the city from east to
west and north to south would give the
Key 10 the use Of any thoroughfare in
the municipality in the course of the
systems healty growth.
me committee has not even consid-
ereo choice of streets" said John
ston What we wish to put before the
people Is the fact that within the next
Tour years several important rights of
way now in use by the corporations
operating lines in the city will revert
10 the municipality. and that from the
start the city will be able to extend
lts Geary street system until the va
rious sections of the city will be COW
cred In a commemorative wav"