The San Francisco call., 1910-04-02
CITY DEVELOPMENT
REQUIRES TUNNELS
Twin Peaks Project Declared
Essential to San Francis
co.'s Expansion
By LAWRENCE V. RIDDLE,
Sales Manager Parkside Realty Com
pany

pany
San Francisco now has two great
questions before it. One is the worlds
fair, which we are proving ourselves
able to provide for and big enough ITO
make the greatest exposition the world
has ever known. The other which by
far is a greater and bigger question for
the future welfare of the city, is that
question of providing tunnels and other
improvements necessary TO afford ade-
quate means of travel from one portion
of the city to another.
Every growing city has made provi-
sions to cross the natural barriers with
in its boundaries that stand in the way
of progress New York was not a great
deal larger than San Francisco when 1t
was found necessary TO cross the East
river by a quicker and more modern
way than by ferry boats. This was ac-
complished by building the Brooklyn
bridge Within a short time after its
completion the world famous Brooklyn
bridge was found inadequate. sec
ond and larger bridge has recently been
completed. This work was rapidly fol-
lowed by an elevated and underground
system the entire length of the city.
and in addition TO all this it was found
necessary to spend more than 100000
600 for constructing tunnels under the
Hudson river to provide for the ever
growing population
Many years ago Chicago found it
must build tunnels under the river to
connect the portions of the city divided
by natural barriers. The growing pop
ulation soon made this work inadequate
and Chicago has since spent millions of
dollars to provide other means Of cross
ing this barrier.
uT-1y,rErT : ur1pnT-cu uTTIS
Before Los Angeles was one-f1fth the
size of San Francisco she had tunneled
the hills to provide rapid transporta-
ton to its most desirable residence sec
ton.
Seattle. which we must consider a
competitor for Pacific coast trade, is,
like San Francisco, situated on many
hills. but her wideawake businessmen
realizing that they must have room for
business and growth, have tackled the
subject in earnest and during the last
five years Seattle has spent $12 600, 600
in leVeling the hills and establishing
more satisfactory street grades, and in
addition TO this work they are now
planning to raise the money to con
struct tunnels so as to connect the resi-
dence and business portions of the city
at an expense of S10,000,000.
San Francisco has it's natural bar
riers that are now standing in the way
of progress. The area Of the city is
almost divided in half by the range OF
hills which include the Twin peaks
The natural growth of the city has
/ pushed our residences UP the side OF
1 these hills as far as they can go. We
have spread out around the hills to the
south, to Ingleside and Ocean view We
have climbed UP the north side of these
hills on the Ashbury and Parnassus
/ heights district as far as water can be
supplied and to a limit of endurance in
! climbing steps to reach the homes. The
/ Sunset district has extended beyond
these hills. and on the north and to the
west of these barriers some hundred
| homes are now occupied.
NEIGHBoRs SET PACE
! Our neighbor cities across the bay
have set pace for development thai
/ San Francisco must meet. This has beer
brought about solely by reason of the
1 fact that their transportation facilitie.
have been rapidly extended into new
districts. The assessment rolls in Ala
media county in 1905 show a total as
sessed valuation of real estate OF $5S,
SO9,576 During 1904 and 1905 a mum
ber of new lines of railroad were con
structed in Oakland and Berkeley. ant
in five years since the completion o
! these lines the assessed valuation o
real property has increased 11S pc
cent, the 1909 assessment rolls showinl
a valuation of sI06,403, 925. During tn,
same period the population of Alameda
Oakland and Berkeley increased from
10000 in 1905 to over $4,000 in 1908
The area OF territory developed
through the medium of extension o
electric car lines was more than 500
acres. This vast territory of vacan
Z land that was assessed at from 500 t,
$500 per acre is now almost wholly i'm
proved and covered with attractivi
homes today, equal to $1,000 to $1,000
per acre. This vast development is en-
tirely due to the transportation facili
ties afforded by the building OF nev
lines.
If San Francisco is to continue t
grow and is to retain prestige as TIL
leading city on the Pacific coast, w
must now meet the question of provid
ing additional area for those desirin,
to live in San Francisco and be within
easy access of their business. This cal
only be accomplished by system O
tunnels under the hills of San Fran
cisco, the first and most important O
which is the tunnel under Twin peaks
Beyond these hills lie 5000 acres With
the city and county Of San Francisco