The San Francisco call., 1909-10-30
railroad purposes. present or prospect

railroad purposes. present or prospect
Ten vars ago the Southern Pacific
company, when c. P. Huntington was
its president, bought the site of the old
Risdon iron works in Howard street.
Since then other properties have been
purchased for the same corporation
In the southeastern part of the city.
Recently few pieces of land have been
purchased by others. who are supposed
TO have been acting for the Southern
Pacific company
Including the great holdings of the
Southern Pacific at Third and Towns
end and extending southerly and west
erly from that junction.. and also in
cluding the blocks just acquired from
the Cogswell polytechnic college trus-
tees, and the lands known to belong
to the same corporation not far from
the old Risdon iron works site, several
millions of dollars in land values are
represented. In addition to this the
Southern Pacific has lands near Van
Ness avenue at North beach.
To acquire continuous right of way
TO Market street or close to Market in
the eastern part of the city is neces-
sarily a big task for any transporta-
tion company. This was illustrated
some four years ago when the firm of
in buying for the Southern Pacific
After some land had been secured,
owners of other lands stiffened their
prices so that the company would not
listen TO paying any such price as was
asked. Baldwin & Howell are sup
posed 10 be acting for the Southern
Pacific now. This is neither affirmed
nor denied by the members of that
brokerage firm
Several uses that might be made of
land in or close to Market street by
the Southern Pacific are MENTIONED.
For some years, in fact since the de-
struction of the old structure at Fourth
and Townsend streets, where the exec
utive Offices of the company were for
term Of years. there has been no South
ern Pacific Office building in San Fran
cisco. For a time nine floors Of the
Merchants exchange building were
rented by the company. Since the fire
the general Offices of the executive
departments have been in the Flood
building.
Some brokers believe that the South
ern Pacific company has in view the
construction of depot near the east
ern water front of San Francisco into
which it can run trains ultimately, thus
doing away with the inconvenience to
passengers Of being compelled to cross
a good part of the city to reach Third
and Townsend streets. In connection
with a depot. or without connection
with it, large office building might
be erected that would save a great
amount OF money that is annually paid
out for rents by the company and also
centralize all the company's interests
near the great future scene of San
Francisco's greatest activity, the water
front.
Another idea is that the Southern
Pacific company has in view the con-.
struction OF a freight depot near the
city front on the east, because the vast
volume of Ireights to be moved VIII
come over the wharves. and nearness
to the front would obyiate a large
share of the carriage and delays that
now occur.
WOULD CUT DOWN HILL
At one time Telegraph hill was dis
cussed as the site of a railway termi-
nal The matter was taken up with a
transportation line and was presented
by broker, who urged that the hill
could well be dispensed with in view
Of the commercial advantage that
would result
The hill, so 1t was argued. could be
sold for rock for a sum sufficient to
pay for the cost Of cutting down to a
proper level. and the base of the hill
would be Sufncientiy large TO give ac-
cemmodations TO large yards, shops.
trackage. freight depot and all other
accessories that would be required for
terminal.
The centering OF the passenger travel
of the Northwestern system OF roads
through Marin and Sonoma counties at
Ssusalito and the beginning of the ex-
tension of the line TO Eureka, which
will be completed. in all probability. in
the next two years, promises a much
greater amount of business concentra-
fion at Sa usalito. This all may, lead to
the early use OF the Southern Pacific
property al North beach for the estab-
lfshment OF a ferry
The property of the Fulton iron
works at Harbora View. which was used
as a ship yard. is for sale, and interest
has been attracted to that site as a
terminal on the bay front. 1t is un-
derstood that the property is held at
something like half a million dollars.
Terminal sites are supposed TO be linz
tied to the comparatively level lands OF
the city. and the advisability of bring
ing ship and rail together makes the
water front the chosen place for termi-
nails in San Francisco.