The San Francisco call., 1910-08-20
ANDREW M. DAVIS,
Past President Merchants
Association.
A. w. SCOTT R..
Chairman Publicity and Pro-
motion Committee. Mcr-
chants Association.

association came into the field most Of
| the streets in its district were notori-
onsly bad. N1t of the streets were
paved with co 6les, which were injuri-
Gus to horses, wagons, and goods in
course of transportation. Under these
conditions enterprises were slow to
locate in this district.
By incessant work the association
secured basalt pavements for practi-
cally all of this vast territory north OIL
Market street and east of Keary street.
This section has developed wonder
fully during the last 10 years as a
wholesale and business district fact
which is web known to every resident
of San Francisco
The association has insisted upon
basalt blocks being laid on founda-
tion of concrete and grouted with
asphaltic cement, instead of in the iold
and now obsolete manner of laying the
blocks upon foundation of sand.
WHARF IMPROVEMENTS
Through the efforts of the associa-
tion four new wharves and two new
car ferry slips were secured for the
northern section of the water front
1t also secured the removal of the
fiisherman's wharf to the North beach
district
This wharf was badly needed for
larger shipping. A less central location
would serve the purposes of the fisher
men just as well.
The association secured the extension
of the belt line railroad, thereby facili-
tating the loading and unloading of
vessels and the carriage to and from
factories and warehouses. Previous to
this time practically all the transporta
tion business was done south of Market
street.
One of the most successful accom-
plishments of the association, and one
distinctly It's own, was the establish
ment of the Montgomery and Sansome
street electric railway lines connecting
the financial and business portions of
the district with other sections of the
city where prior to that time there were
little or no street railway facilities.
The Sansome street line connects the
northern water front directly with the
Pacific Mail dock and the Southern Pa
cifc depot and freight department at
Third and Townsend streets, while the
Montgomery street line connects the
hall of justice with the new city hall
and the Mission.
SHIPPING FACILITIES
The association sent representative
to Washington who worked assiduously
for and secured from the United States
government the right to extend
wharves a distance of 500 feet into the
bay. instead of only COO feet, which was
the former limit. BY this extension the
wharves can now accommodate four
large, modern steamships, where for
merly the capacity of each wharf was
only two steamships.
Another Improvement along the water
front which the association has been
strongly advocating and which of ne
cessity must come, is the extension of
the belt line railroad across Market
ia fav~
front of the city. With the construction
of the south seawall and the new docks
at Bryant street and the Transformation
by the Southern Pacific of large part
of the area south of Market street and
east of Third into railroad Yards. this
extension will become absolutely neces-
sary. To carry out this plan it will
be necessary to construct a viaduct
across Market street.
FERRY vIADUCT
The association has contended for
such a viaduct for some time 1t so
far succeeded as to get the harbor com
missfoners to agree to bear one-half
the expense if the city would bear the
other half. The city also agreed to
the proposition, but found that there
was no money available for the pur-
pose, and the matter is now held in
.abeyance. 1t is estimated that this via
duct will cost $4,000. Besides extend
ing the belt line it will have the effect
of relieving Market street of traffic con-
gestion and leaving the street clear for
the electric cars.
To still further promote rapid transit
and safety it would. be an easy matter
to extend an ornamental viaduct from
the ferry building to the west line of
East street. This plan has in fact been
proposed and is urged by the Down
Town association.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS
The North Central association has
taken an active. part in securing ap-
nrnnriaf finnS for nIhlic huiIdinuse Il, q q