The San Francisco call., 1910-07-23
OEARY EXTENSION
CREATES PROBLEM
Engineer Manson Proposes to Provide for
Traffic by Big Tunnel From Foot of
Market Street

That the present is very opportune
time for beginning construction of a
comprehensive subway system IN San
Francisco is the belief Of City Engineer
Mersden Manson.
The reconstruction of the Geary
street car line is distinct step forward
Ia civic progress. The extension Of
this line from 1Iearny street down
Market to the ferry viii make If q
strong competitor of the other street
car lines.
It win have the effect, however, Of
adding TO the streetcar and traffic con-
Eestiou al the foot of Market street.
Various suggestions have been made
TO obviate this. One is TO extend the
Geary street line from Kearny and
Market street on elevated tracks on
either side Of Market street, with
loop in front Of the ferry building. An
other way would be 10 make it a sub
way from Kearny street TO the water
front.
But Engineer Manson says that
neither Of these plans is feasible under
the conditions that the construction
bonds are ISSUED He thinks that the
only practical way to carry the munich
fully is 10 follow the present plans OF
extending the Geary street line to the
ferry over the United Railroads tracks.
PLAN SUGGESTED
He proposes a plan he thinks Will
solve the congestion problem and pro-
vide for the future needs of the grow
ing city in a much better way than by
IN elevated loon structure at the foot
of Market street.
With the opening Of the Panama
canal and the turning Of the tide of
European emigration from New York
to this port il is predicted that San
Francisco viii have 100000 inhabi-
tants inside Of 10 years within the
present city limits. In the decade fol-
lowing that period il is estimated that
between 100000 and 100000 will
cluster around San Francisco and be
directly tributary TO this city. The
crowds Of people and vehicles that will
surge through the downtown streets
in the vicinity of the ferry would choke
up the present avenues.
Boston, New York and Chicago have
ali found il necessary during the last 10
or IS years to resort TO underground
systems Of transit To such a science
has subway construction been reduced
that il is carried on with the greatest
ease and ar q minimum Of expense.
The following statement by City En-
Fineer Manson sets forth his plan for
beginning a general subway system for
san Francisco:
BY MARSDEN MANSON
The whole modern tendency in
large cities is for underground or
subwag construction rather than =
for elevated roads.
san Francisco is in need Of sub
ways or tunnels in order to carry
traffic and transportation on level
5lnes or easy gradients beneath the p
hills that are now a hindrance to =
its growth and development
If this subway construction is
begun at once it can be done at
much less cost than if postponed
till 2 later date. / have outlined
q general plan for such q. system.
II would begin with widening
Commercial street from East street
10 Ssnsome. It should then be ex-
cavated and bridged over as a sub
Wav
Commercial street is now narrow
and not OF much Importance, but it g.
has strategic position. leading di-
TectlN toward the main entrance
Of the ferry building.
BY cutting a thoroughfare
through two blocks from Sansome
street TO Montgomery avenue a
new highway for traffic would be
opened up from the North beach to
the ferry. If the subway were
continued under Montgomery ave
nue. and westward to the Presidio
il would perform a great service
The subway could come out into
the open in the valleys, where sta
tions could be located. Rapid
transit through the tunnels would
naturally tend to fill up all that
region with pOpulation-and cover
III the hillsides.
Such line Of subways also
would be great advantage to the