The San Francisco call., 1909-02-22
ISLAIS PROJECT
DEBATED ON DECK
AssembIymen Inspect Scene of
Proposed Improvement
From Tug
Excursion Results in Clearer
View of Plan Under
Consideration

Debate on the Islais basin project
was yesterday held on the bobbing
deck OF the state tug Governor Mark
ham for the benefit of 9 assemblymen
who came from Sacramento to inspect
the scene of the proposed improve
ments which would give San Fran
cisco landlocked docking basin.
Both sides in the controversy were
represented A large delegation of
members of the Mission promotion and
Isiais creek inland harbor associations
We're on the tug and a vigorous lobby
representing the lumber interests that
have purchased the submerged lots in
the basin were on hand to expound
their views. The Ship Owners associa-
tion, which was the most conspicuous
factor in defeating the Islais creek
project at the last election, was also
represented
CRUISE ALONG WATER FRONT
President w. " Stafford of the state
board of harbor commissioners was in
charge of the excursion and took the
party along the entire stretch of the
San Francisco front, from the Fair lots
near the Preside to the San Mateo
county line south of Hunters point. A
stop was made at the new concrete
piers that are being constructed for
the Pacific mail company and an eX-
tended survey of the Islais basin was
made from the water side.
The trip was favorable to the sue
cess of the project when it comes to
vote in the assembly. OF the 1s as
semblymen on the tug Dominic Beban
was the only one who conveyed an i'm
preston antagonistic to the project
and IL were more or less outspoken in
their approval Three assemblymen.
p. +. Cogswell, A. NJ. Dean and w. ].
Weber. according to the proponents of
the basin project, were converted to
the improvement and favored uncom-
promisingly the requirement by the
state OF the full 63 blocks, in spite OF
the arguments of l.. ]. Scoofy and
George McRae. representing the Acme
lumber company, owners of the FIVE
blocks at the apex of the basin and in
terested in 10 other blocks. that those
blocks should be reserved for the pri-
vate interests that control them, and
the further argument of Harry Stod-
dard. secretary of the Ship Owners
Association of the Pacific, that the time
is not yet ripe for the enterprise to be
undertaken.
ANTAGONIST Is LOCAL
Senator Richard j. Welch. who in
troduced the Islais creek bill in the
senate, stated at the conclusion of the
trip that if it were not for the position
taken in the matter by several antago-
nistic senators and assemblymen from
San Francisco there would not be the
slightest doubt that the bill would
pass the assembly as it has passed the
senate without difficulty
Some fear was expressed that the
measure might be strangled in the San
Francisco delegation of the assembly
of which 8eban is chairman, or that ad-
verse tactics might be employed to ac-
complish its defeat. Beban has set the
bill for hearing in the delegation, on
Tuesday night. This has brought pro-
test from Assembiyman Charles a Nell
son, sponsor for the oill in the assem-
bly,, on the ground that prominent MEM
oers of the Mission promotion commit
tee can not attend on that evening. Be
ban has been requested to set the hear
ing for Wednesday evening.
LOBBYIST WOULD ENTERTAIN
When the tug returned to the state
berth at Mission street wharf George
McRea, chief lobbyist for the lumber
interests involved invited the assem-
blymen TO dine with him. Later in the
day the members denied that they We're
McRea's guests. However, McRea.
Scoofy. Assemblymen Al P Wheelan. II
Polsley and f. 3. Collier formed an
automobile party that maue a trip about
the city. Wheelan stated that he was
the host on the run: he did not explain
why he invited the lumber lobby to ac-
company him and his guests.
A peculiar feature of the San Fran
cisco delegation was that Nat Coghlan.
the assemblyman who first in the legfs-
lature urged the need of the bay trip to
Islais basin. was not present yesterday
and Assemblyman Gerdes. in whose dis
trict the basin is situated. and Assem-
blyman J. ]. McManus, chairman of tbe
committee of commerce and navigation.
which will also act on the bill. were
also absent.
MEMBERS OF THE PARTY
The assemblymen who made the trim
were H. N Beatty. D. J. Beban, z +