The San Francisco call., 1910-02-28
WOMAN MAY CAUSE
REMOVAL OF TOWN
Business Section of San AM
SelmO Included in Lease
Which Expires in May
Town hall and Firehouse Stand
on Land and Municipality
Is Worried
{ Special Dispatch 10 The Call

AN A-NoEL4Os Feb. 2f.-Prac ct ica lv
me entire business section OF san An
selmo is threatened with removal. The
rate Of eight real estate Offices. the
Town han. hrehouse. postofice. bank.
barber shop and half a dozen other
buildings depends on one womap.s de-
eision. Municipal officers and business
men are anxious and angry over their
predicsment.
MIS-. Caroline L. osgood of. Oakland
Is owner Of the Il acre tract upon which
Inc buildings are located. For seven
years she has leased the land to Mrs.
Il. Needham. who conducts merchan-
disc store on the premises, and Mrs.
Needham sublets it to the other ten
ants The lease expires in May.
Mrs. Needham and many of the other
tenants declare that they have repeat
edly consulted Mrs. Osgood regarding
an extension OF. the lease, but have re-
eeiNed no satisfactory answer. They
Tear that when May arrives they will
all be forced TO move. and a number
are already making preparations.
PRINCIPAL BUSINESS SECTION
We arc all at sea. said Mrs. Need
ham today Il have written 10 Mrs. os-
Good, but have received no definite an
swer- i sent for her. but her son came
instead. lie gave me no assurance that
my tenants would be permitted TO re-
main.
This land. directly opposite the de-
pot Is the principal business section.
around II has grown the town and the
real estate men are responsible for its
growth. They deserve better consider
alton al the hands OF Mrs Osgood. and
50 do J. We want to know what Will
happen 10 Us in May ] have been as
sured that I would be allowed TO re-
main on the land, but nothing has been
said about the rest Of the town.
Arthur ". Studlev. one Of the snx-
ious reaf estate men. made a similar
complaint 4 wrote 10 Mrs. Osgood and
saw her personals. he said. but
gained no satisfaction. From present
indications suppose we will all have
- move. The town jail is the only nau-
nIcipal building that is not on her land.
i Fortunately, il is just outside the fence.
OFFERS To BUY ARE MADE
We have offered to buy sections of
the property from Mrs Osgood. but she
win name no price. II is true that most
~ the buildings are not pretentious.
bur they are important It will be q
great hardship and loss TO citizens and
fhe municipality If ali the buildings
must be moved before MaE
one after another tho tenants have
gone 10 Mrs Osgood in an effort to
earn her Intentions regarding a re-
newa1 OF the lease. but all have re-
turned stiu perplesed and uneasy H
r Foote, an official OF the bank. which
is new building, also called upon her
bat with no better success.
Besides the postofilce bank, town
buildings and real estate Offices on the
leased land there are plumber and. car
nenter shops public garage paint
shop. lumber yard. hay and grain es-
Enlistment. vegetable and fruit store.
butcher shop. barber shop, merchandise
store and express Office.
MUNICIPAL OFFICERS WORRY
George a Martin, tax collector and
prominent in town affairs. stated tina I
the situation was serious and that Mrs.
0sgood should relieve the municipality
OF its anxiety at once.
1t is an embarrassing situation" he
said. when almost the entire business
section OF the town must rely upon the
viii OF woman for its existence. If
We must move the town hall and fire.
house before MAY. we should know it
now.
Meetings could not be carried on
with the town haIl on rollers in the
street. and the firehouse would be use-
less in similar position. We must
also have time to select new sites for
the buildings, and land in the center of
town is scarce.
Postmaster Frank Burrows is also
worried. How can people come for
their mail he asks, when there is no
place for the postofice?"