The San Francisco call., 1910-01-27
STOCKTON STREET
TUNNEL ADVOCATED
Downtown Association Hears
Plan to Bring Outlying Dis
tricts in Closer Touch
Facts Pertaining to Fire Protec-
tion and Insurance Rates
Presented by Speakers

lection and insurance rates on the
one hand, and the need of bringing
outlying sections of San Francisco into
closer touch with the heart of the city
by means of tunnels through various
hills, were foreefully presented by
speakers who addressed the Downtown
association at It's luncheon yesterday
at the st, Francis hotel.
John r. Hillman, member of the
executive committee of the insurance
brokers' exchange, and Secretary Sam
uel P, Johnston of the Downtown as
sociation discussed the question of fire
protection, while the subject OF tun-
nels, with particular emphasis on the
proposed Stockton street bore were
taken up by DR.. Hartland Law and
Colonel d. s. Horn.
Hillman prefaced his talk on insur-
ance rates with a brief explanation
as to the methods used in weighing
and rating various risks. He showed
that preferred risks could be estab-
lished and large percentages taken on
the basic rates by the installation of
sprinkling systems in buildings, hrc-
proof construction and employment or
watchmen and time clocks. The basic
rate in, San Francisco, he said was Is
cents. with 81 cents added class A
buildings for city deficiency, thus CIV
ing AZ cents the key for the estab-
lishment of local insurance rates.
NOT UP TO STANDARD
San Francisco, according to the
speaker, is not UP to the standard,
chiefly because of it's lack of steady
high pressure water system insufficient
mains and hydrants, the absence of
tandard fire alarm system except in the
business district, and the improbability
of securing a good high pressure sys
ton wit N
man deplored the failure of the city
to authorize bonds for the purchase Of
the Spring Valley water plant, but paid
the fire department high compile
ment
In its residence sections" he said,
San Francisco is as unprepared to
f1ght dangerous fire as it was April
IS, 1906. There has peen provided no
better equipment in certain residential
districts, and yet these frame sections
have become more congested.
The defeat of the Spring Valley
water bonds makes 1t practically cer-
tain that there will be no Improvement
in the high pressure water system in
the next five years. When that comes
about there will be a material reduc-
tion of rates. but not in the meantime.
Another thing tending to keep rates
up at the present time is the present
agitation in regard to a change of
building laws in restricted districts,
and also rumored changes concern
ing the personnel of the fire depart
ment which are bound to demoralize
it by putting it back into politics. This
association can do no better than to
fight against these changes in the build
ing laws and department organization"
At Hillman's suggestion a committee
consisting of w. ID. Fennimore, Paul
t. Carroll and f. W. DohrInann was
appointed to confer with the executive
committee of the board of underwrit-
ers. Samuel P. Johnston read d report
showing the added protection given the
city by the construction of cisterns for
the auxiliary water supply and point
ing to other things that should be con-
sidered in the fixing of fire insurance
rates 49,
STOCKTON STREET TUNNEL
DIR. Hartland Law described the plans
for the proposed Stockton street tun-
mel and suggested others that should
be constructed TO bring the outlying
portions of the city into more direct
communication with the central sec
tions. The Stockton street tunnel he
said, was planned to be street wide,
extending from Sutter to California
street and to be lined with glazed
brick, making it light and artistic.
Following the plans made for the
fctOCklOH street lunnel, SAID DOCTOR
Law, another group of men proposed a
tunnel in Broadway from Powell to
Larkin street to open UP still another
section. / studied the matter and be-
came convinced that we should make
this tunnel digging general and bring
all parts of the city together"
The speaker produced a map showing
proposed tunnels and estimates of
their cost, all figured on having them
built as wide as the streets. yiadrrt
over East street, he said, would cost
$4,000; the Stockton street tunnel
would cost $375,000, the Broadway tun-
mel 100000; tunnel in Pierce street
from California to Green would cost
$722,o00; a tunnel from Eighteenth and
Danvers streets connecting the Mission
and park districts would cost $500. 200,
and a tunnel through Twin peaks from
the extension of Market street would
cost s1,800.000 This, he stated. would
bring 5000 acres of city land into di-
rect touch with the business section,
and the whole cost would be about
s5.000,0 900, or SAL a lot on every lot in
the affected districts
Colonel Dorm discussed the legal as
poets of the tunnel proposition. He
said that a general bond issue might
be feasible, but that the better way
would be to subdivide the affected dis
tricts into special assessment districts
He explained In some detail the steps
that would be necessary and said there
could be no doubt of the success of the