The San Francisco call., 1909-11-13
BELT LINE SERVES
IMPORTANT SECTION
Six Miles of Railroad Along
the Water Front Carries
100000 Cars a Year


independent agencies, which is sup
posed 10 be the ideal condition for the
promotion Of commercial enterprises, is
Illustrating the advantage arising from
mat happy combination Of facilities.
This section begins north Of the ferry
1epot, follows the seawan around along
re entire extent Of the water front
uortherly from the ferries until IL turns
and Joins the nOrtherly shore OF San
Francisco on the bay. Totally devas-
lated by FIRE, and being a neighborhood
which depended entirely on the estab-
lishment snd operation OF large enter
prises to give it its proper Importance.
III is one Of the most interesting parts
of this city.
There are large blocks Of land in
cIuded IN the area that are offered for
sale by leading real estate firms of
san Francisco. There is a large hold
ing OF territory that is owned by the
Southern Pacific company. and opposite
this lies Richardson's bay and the
water front OF Marin county.
There are manufacturing establish
ments in The sections occupying an en-
lire block of land each and one thriV-
ing industry that requires the greater
part Of TWO entire blocks for the ac-
commodation OF its buildings and
works.
There are lumber Yards which seem
iagly hold enough lumber at any one
line TO provide for the construction OF
a large town or even a modern sized
city. one and all the establishments
that represent capital north Of the fer
lies in East street and around to where
tae fort al Black Point terminates the
course Of the belt railway are due
pua uacucalIy to the union Of ships and
rails.
DONE FOR THE PUBLIC
What the transcontinentaI railroads
a-e striving TO accomplish for them
selves on the southern and perhaps the
eastern bay shore Of san Francisco
thar is the creation OF terminals on
their own holdings. where the ships
I'D cars may provide business, the
state has practically accomplished on
he north side OF the ferry for the
uIblic.
There are splendid terminal facilities
I the North beach section to that
point where q passenger run from Sau-
s2iitO could be made in a few min
utes; and the freight service of the
southern Pacific company, over its ac-
quired lines that do business via Tfb-
u-on could be made to reach North
each directly, or by means of the belt
railway from Lombard street. in a
short passage by wafer.
Underlying the situation at North
beach and elsewhere along the east
en- and northern water front OF San
francisco is the fact that the state
provides opportunities for all shippe
"a move their goods back and forth.
without corporate restrictions The
bolt railway was originally planned to
extend around the entire water front.
lf has never reached as far south as
TIE ferry building. When its construc-
iion was in progress the Southern Pa
lhc company. which then owned the
lies which now compose the greater
pc RI Of the holdings Of the United Rail-
roads, brought its lines along Howard
Mission and Folsom streets TO their
present terminal just south of Market
street. and no attempt has since been
made 10 extend the belt railway south
erly.
GOOD TERMINAL SITE
There is AT least one good terminal
site west Of the fort al Black point. the
site Of the Fulton iron works. which
has been offered for sale This and the
holdings OF the Southern Pacific near
an Ness avenue may contain much
more of promise to the northern part
of the city than now may appear to be
the fact Even in the absence of anv
use Of these water front holdings bv
railroad corporations at this time, the
section north of the ferry building and
westerly from the grain sheds on the
water front is doing so remarka bly,
wcll that It's efforts and accomplish
ments are worthy OF a chapter of local
Industrial history
There the pluck OF San Francisco
ard its collective enterprise have been
doubly manifest; perhaps trebly mani
fest would be a better phrase. In that
section, or adjacent thereto, the city Of
San Francisco. the state Of California
and the government of the United
States have taken steps to make the
region always prominent as a CONNER
cial factor in San Francisco.
IN the first place. the city created
ail the land. or practically all. that
now exists east Of Montgomery street
and north of Clay to Telegraph HILL
and that section has been for years one
Of the most important commercially in
an the length and breadth of San
Francisco.
The state, by construction or a per-
manent seawau that fronts the entire
area. and BY extending wharves into
deep water. has provided sufficient
wharfs &c and dOckage to accommo-
date very Aarge volume of sea com
merce II thr Whsrfage facilities are
eqaitably distributed.
These conditions have been supple
mcnted by the creation Of the belt rail-
way and tile establishment of pier
and ferr. at Lombard street, which
feeds the belt railway with freight
-After the city and state had made a
great water front the government Of
the United States did it's part of the
good work by clearing the harbor way
leading from the Golden gate into the
bay Of San Francisco OF dangerous
rocks and other obstacles.
From the date Of the opening of the
belt railway for traffic the advantages
offered by that part of the city now
under discussion for business purposes
were obvious. In reasonable time fac
tories began TO rise, and after a period
the wholesale business OF San Francisco,
or at least those lines that deal more
directly with shipping. secured a foot
hold on the water front on East street,
while all the adjacent territory, run
n'ng as far back as the old water line
on montgomery street already devel-
oped by the erection of banks and in
Vulnerable business houses, looked on
with interest and appreciation.
NORTH BEACH A CENTER
Prior to April. 1906, North beach be-
came the center of much interest to
j.lrge concerns in San Francisco that
we're dealing in realty. Eastern capi-