The San Francisco call., 1910-07-30

BY the city in the western
water front ............. sSsO,OcO
BY the city in Oakland
tunry .................... 100000
BY the city in East Oakland
basin ........'............. 115.ooO
by the Southern Pacific,
western water 'front.'. 100000
BY Key Route interests,
western winter 'front.'. 100000
BY the Westeru Pacific,
western water 'front.'. 100000
Total Of immediate i'm
prOVements ...--.-.--.. .$IS,472,oo0
In addition the city has plans pre-
pared for the eventual expenditure OF
$4,000. 900 on the construction of
whsrves and piers.
OF incalculable value to the city Of
Oakland and to Alameda county are
the vast plans for the development of
the west coast Of San Francisco bay
by public enterprise and private capi-
tai with the municipality in absolute
control Of its water front destinies
The advent Of the Western Pacific rail-
way few years ago, which has more
than half completed its s6,OO0.O0O sys-
TEN Of piers and docks, made possible
the recovery of the peoples lost suzer-
sinty over the extensive shore prov
ince which girds this city on two sides.
Her water front control, defined in
courts and recognized by powerful cor
porations which came 10 her doors
seeking outlets TO the Pacific, Oakland
rose to her destiny and became a
leader in the work of improving the
hsrbor domain. Bonds were voted last
November for the expenditure of
al 7fc
land apprOac ches on which construction
viii be started this year and which viii
be the-nucleus Of a $25,00O,000 system
Of concrete piers. capable of receiving
the cargoes Of the deepest draft
vessels from the Panama canal or orr
entail trade.
BOND WORK UNDER WAY
This first bond work viii be COM
pleted in a year or so The preliminary
details have been nearly disposed of.
Bids viii be received next Wednesday
by the board OF public works for the
construction of the first section of the
proposed estuary quay wall to extend
1000 feet from Myrtle to Grove street
and 10 cost s35OO0O. Bids We're re-
ceiVed last week for the building of a
wharf at the foot of Livingston street,
which viii be the first city harbor work
done in the Bast Oakland basin. The
completion Of the city's first harbor
bond project viii follow rapidly.
When the municipal wharfing plans
have been fulfilled the city viii be the
largest owner OF docking facilities on
its waterfront. with SIS, 100000 in solid
concrete and steel work. But at pres
ent, though Oakland is preparing to
invest two and a half millions in its
initial enterprise, there are even larger
projects being completed or COM
menced.
Notable among them is that of the
Western Pacific railway, the first cor
poration TO recognize the principle that
the city Of Oakland is and of right
ought to be the sole arbiter of its
water front. That corporation, seeking
= franchise for wharfing out rights
from the city and opposed by the
Southern Pacific, whose long tenure on
the water front was fortified by no
right other than possession, through
litigation won the city's most import
ant fight on harbor matters The case
Of the Western Pacific versus the
Southern Pacific company, involving
the whole question Of water front con-
frol. reached the United States court
of appeal That tribunal handed down
2 decision confirming the contentious
of the Western Pacific counsel and
holding that the city of Oakland was in
absolute control OF wharfing out rights.
CTTY,S RIGHT ESTABLISHED
Thus bulwarked by law, the city
. council granted the so years franchise
applied for by the Western Pacific. For
the first time in Oakland's history the
city had a tenant on its water front
which was not a squatter; which recog-
rized the city's rights, and which paid
rental for the privilege of building and
operating wharves on the city's suffer-
ance. Then the city Of Oakland set
about making final its position.
The board Of public works began ne
szorfatfons with the Southern Pacific
company, even while the Western Pa
cf6c was building its $6,000,000 piers
and ferry slips, and the result has been
recognition of the city's control of the
water front by the ancient foe of that
principle. The Southern Pacific has
6led with the city council an applica-
ffon for franchise to build piers ad-
Joining it's Oakland mole, and asks at
The same time franchise for the Oak
land mole itself which the company
never before had recognized the city's
right TO grant. Inasmuch as the South
ern Pacific has conceded every point of
contention raised by the city; has
agreed to cede back Broadway wharf.
seized a decade ago; has agreed TO pay
rental for its proposed Wharhng faclll-
ties: has recognized the cftys right to
control the East Oakland basin despite
the Stratton patent claims. and has
rron1ised TO remove the obstruction
caused by long wharf, the granting
of the proposed franchise seems a cer-
tainty-
This means that within few months
the Southern Pacific company will be-
gin the expenditure of s6,000,0O0 ,ap-
rroxinately on the western water
front. The work will include the dedi-
cation of q water front street to the
CITY TO give access to proposed piers
10 and 20, which viii lie between the
southern Pacific and Western Pacific
piers. and which will be part OF the
Sitv's $4,000 600 harbor project
Dredging to provide a channel 10
she citv piers in that section will be
Sane by the Southern Pacific and the