The San Francisco call., 1910-05-27
OBSTACLES To
Tunnel PLANS
ARE REMOVED
Deed of Stringham Franchise to
City Displaces Last Object
of Difficulty
Troy Gets in Line and Super.
visOrs Will Pass Ordinance
to Print Shortly

Without one voice of protest the
Stockton street tunnel project plans
and specifications were thrashed out
before the street committee of the
board of supervisors yesterday after
noon, with the result that next Thurs
day the committee will recommend to
the board as a whole that the resolu-
tion of intention, which the committee
will have prepared in the meantime.
be adopted and passed to print. This
means that within the next two weeks
the assessment district for the tunnel
will be drawn and notices sent hutter
ing over the entire territory.
All that has been hoped for by the
proponents has practically been ac-
complished, and every vestige OF oppo-
sition has been eradicated.
TROY CHANGES POSITION
A feature of the meeting yesterday
was the complete change of position
which e. p. Z. Troy, who filed a pro-
test a week ago, took before the COM
mittee. This was occasioned some
what by the fact that Attorney Theo-
dore Savage, spokesman and counsel
for the Mob hill tunnel association. pre-
sented the committee with the quit
claim deed to any right acquired by
Frank d. Stringham and his interests
In a franchise over Stockton street and
board While Troy indorsed the tunnel
and declared that the quitclaim deed
ended any dispute he might have had
with the people who advocated the
tunnel. he asked that it be referred to
the city attorney, who will be asked TO
pass upon 1t as legal document. This
Will be done while the resolution of
intention and the assessment district
maps are being prepared.
ACCEPTED BY CITY
When the matter was called by the
clerk. Attorney Savage made the argu-
ment on behalf of the property owners
and the tunnel association and urged
upon the committee immediate action.
He referred to TrOy's communication,
which was intended as a protest. as "a
note of warming" and then produced
the quitclaim and reconveyance or
Stringham's rights, and presented il
back to the city. 1t was formally ac-
cepted In a resolution drawn by the
clerk. He reviewed the history of the
project and quoted federal citations
and also from the city charter to show
the power of the board to change
grades and dig tunnels. In speaking
of the rights which Troy had insisted
Stringham had to a franchise over
Stockton street, Savage said:
This franchise was granted October
Is, 1909, and under it's conditions work
had to be started within 100 days. AS
a matter of fact absolutely nothing was
done to perfect the grant and automati-
cally and according to the conditions
within the time limited the franchise
terminated This was a self-operating
matter and the franchise has been dead
a fong time. However. we can regard
this protest which has been filed on be-
half of some person as a note of warn
ing. If the ghost of any right stalked
in the neighborhood of the proposed
tunnel site we had best remove IL and
in this deed 1 am sure the last precau-
tionary measure has been observed. In
fact the reconveyance has been de-
signed on such broad lines that the
grantee, Stringharl, is now afraid that
he has even signed away his right to
walk in Stockton street"
METHOD is FOUND
Savage explained that under section
II of article 1 of the charter the board
is permitted TO build tunnels. but no
method is outlined. This is found in
article under the subject of street i'm
provements.