The San Francisco call., 1910-07-23

government in transporting sup
plies and munitions of war to the
Presidio
WOULD SOON PAY FOR ITSELF
The Commercial street end of such
subway line could be paid for in
a few years out of the increased
valuation of abutting property. AS
this would be an underground
street, with space for trucking and
car lines and side walks, the base
ments of all the warehouses along
il would open directly into the
subway.
Another natural extension of
such a subway would be due west
ward. probably along Sutter or
Bush street. This, like the Preside
line would come TO the surface in
the valleys, where stations could
be located.
I think it very desirable to have
subway under the whole length of
Market street and continued under
the Twin peaks to the open valley
beyond. When this is done the
gradient beyond Valencia street
should be reduced.
SUBWAY TO MISSION STREET
A new outlet to the foot of Mar
ket street ought to be made by
means of A subway from Fremont
and Howard streets. diagonally
across to the ferry building. There
is a good deal of unoccupied land
there now and the work could be
done easily. If the Southern Pacific
terminal is located there later on
1t will be ali the more desirable to
have such subway to compensate
for the streets that may be closed
10 traffic
subway construction in San
Francisco would be easier and
cheaper than in any of the other
large cities. Where the material
to be removed is sand it can be
handled with very little expense.
In going through the, hills it is
mostly cutting through the solid
rock, which makes a self-sustain-
ing tunnel that only needs con-
crete finish or surfacing.
The matter of subways has been
given considerable thought and
complete working plans could be
made in a short time if there
seemed to be way of carrying out
such a system.
This project. it will be observed, con
forms somewhat to the Burnham plaI
for street extensions and providing o
new avenues of traffic. Many promi
nent men were in favor of it when i
was urged so strongly just after th'
fire.
OF late there has been growing
sentiment in favor of some kind of tun
mel or subway system for the city. Thii
sentiment has crystallized in the Stock
ton street tunnel enterprise, which il
now under way.
AS to the advisability of a genera
underground system. there are various
opinions. DR.. Hartland Law. presiden
of the Twin Peaks tunnel convention
said recently:
Il am heartily in favor of a tunne
system that will connect the variou.
valleys of our city and bring each sec
tion in closer touch with all the rest
''One of the things we need most a
the present time and what we can ge'
if we all join together and work hare
enough is an extension of the bel
line railroad from Van Ness avenue
westward by a tunnel through the For
Mason hill and thence along .Beacf
street on a comparatively level line tC
the Presidio. This would facilitate th,
handling of 1,700 tons of freight
month. All this is now carted over the
hills. Such a condition at an impor-
tant military point like the Preside
is an anomaly that can not exist mucl
longer. This tunnel is a military a.
well as economic necessity, and must b,
built before long.
THE other tunnels that are urgentl,
needed now and are entirely practica
are the Broadway tunnel from Powell
street to Larkin, 5000 feet long an6
estimated to cost $750.000; the Pierce
street tunnel, beginning at Green stree
with a length of 2,400 feet. to cos
100000; the Twin peaks tunnel, s. .O0t
feet long, to cost $1,000, 600; the Noun
Olympus tunnel, from Eighteenth anf
Danvers streets to Cole, to afford a new
outlet from the Mission to Golden Gate
and Church street tunnels, to cos
81 100000