History of Alameda County, California : including its geology, topography, soil, and productions, Part 80

Author: Munro-Fraser, J. P
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Oakland, Calif. : M.W. Wood
Number of Pages: 1206

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OAKLAND TOWNSHIP-CITY OF OAKLAND.

Street to the shore of the bay, and of Adeline Street to the northerly limits of the city, as matters of great public convenience. On August 27, 1862, the names of West Second, West Fourth, West Sixth, West Eighth, West Tenth, West Twelfth, West Fourteenth, West Sixteenth, West Eighteenth, West Twentieth, and West Twenty-second were given to the streets at right angles with and west of Market Street, and running to the " wire fence."

Of the thoroughfares in the city Mayor Bovee, in his message to the Council of March 12, 1863, remarks: "One of the questions which has afforded to the corpora- tion more trouble than any other is that of its streets, and although the new charter passed at the last session of the Legislature was designed to remedy the evils known to exist, yet some portions of it are so awkwardly drawn as to still leave great incon- venience and perplexity in dealing with the subject. Section fifty-seven of the Act referred to (Session Laws, 1862, p. 354) provides that notice of the application for opening streets shall be given to owners or applicants of the land through which the proposed street is to pass. In many cases, particularly where the property through which the street is to pass is unimproved, there are no occupants, and the owners can- not be found, and thereby the entire law is rendered inoperative. Would it not be well to seek such amendment as will provide for service of notice in the case referred to, by publications or placing notice upon the property ? And another objection to the present law is that the person petitioning cannot make any claim for the damage he may sustain by the opening of the street petitioned for. Now, as the Council can act only on petition, this enactment operates in many cases to delay much-needed improvements and deters parties interested from seeking them, because the cost may individually be more than the benefit to be derived. The subject of affording just compensation to parties whose property may be taken for public improvements has been at all times one of great perplexity, but I doubt not your wisdom will enable you to devise a mode of settling this difficulty. I would suggest, also, that such amendment be obtained to our charter as will provide for an equitable plan of assess- ing the damage of opening, streets upon the property benefited thereby, instead of as at present making such damage in effect a general charge on all the property of the city, by paying them from the General Fund. The present Act (Section fifty-seven) provides that parties aggrieved by the action of the Council respecting the amounts of damages allowed them shall have the right to appeal to the County Court, and also the right to appeal from the decision of the County Court. I would suggest that the Legislature be asked to amend this section so as to provide that such appeal shall not in any manner delay the opening or laying out of the proposed streets, but that the appeal shall be deemed to be only on the question of the sufficiency of damages awarded. The above, and all other amendments you may deem desirable, should be presented to the attention of our Legislative delegation as soon as practicable, to insure their passage at the present session.

" Some time since the Council adopted a map by Mr. Whitcher as the official map of the streets of the city, the western boundary being Market Street. Since that time a plan of streets has been laid out extending from Market Street to a line here- tofore known as the 'wire fence,' and now named Center Street, of which addition no map has yet been printed. As the city is now rapidly extending beyond the last-

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HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.

mentioned line, and as in all probability but a few years will elapse before all the property in that portion of the city will be built upon or otherwise improved, I would suggest that much trouble may be avoided by adopting a uniform system of streets extending to the bay of San Francisco, and that this be done before parties now improving lands in that neighborhood adopt particular thoroughfares. After improve- ments are once made and private routes of travel laid out, the damage of opening public streets is in many cases much enhanced. The first clause of Section fifty- seven of the charter looks to such action on the part of your Body."

On April 24, 1864, the City Council determined to macadamize Broadway, and on May 24th,

Resolved, That it is the intention of this Council to order the following street work, viz .: That all that por- tion of Broadway Street, forty feet in width, that is to say, that portion lying twenty feet on each side of the center line of said street, andl extending from Broalway Wharf to the north line of Fourteenth Street, be macadamized upon the established grade of said street, with rock from the quarry of H. M. Whitmore, near this city, or with rock of the same quality, broken into pieces not exceeding two inches square, and laid at a depth of six inches, said work to be done under the direction and supervision and to the satisfaction of the City Marshal.

The Council at the same time resolving that such work would not be proceeded with without consulting property-owners. The contract was awarded, August 6th, for the portion from Fifth to Fourteenth Street, to A. W. Hawkett, the price being five and one-half cents per square foot, in gold or silver coin, or fifteen cents in legal- tender notes. On November 10th the portion lying between Fourth and Tenth Streets was let to the same person.

On July 26, 1864, the following preamble and resolution were offered and laid upon the table :---

WHEREAS, It is desirable for all cities to have large parks, which greatly promote the health and the enjoy- ment of the inhabitants and ofer an inducement to settle in and to visit such cities; and

WHEREAS, Only one large an l well-woodled tract, at present known as the " Hardy Tract," is left intact in the city of Oakland, offering a site admirably adapted for the laying out of a park; and considering that the entire city will be much benefited by the possession of a fine park,

Resolved, That a committee of two be appointedl hy the Chair to ascertain on what terms the city could pur- chase the tract of land bounded by Market, West Sixth, McClellan, and West Fourteenth Streets, with a perfect title thereto.

So far nothing has been done towards obtaining a public park for the city, but this need has been effectually met by the establishment of such grounds as Badger's and other like places in and within easy access of the city; but perhaps no more suit- able location for such could be found than that of Adams' Point, jutting into Lake Merritt.

On October 25, 1864, an ordinance was passed directing the widening of side- walks on Broadway to twenty feet. It is curious, at this date, to notice who the peti- tioners were that presented this prayer, and how much property they represented: F. Delger, ten lots; J. E. Whitcher, three lots; C. Rooney, two lots; F. K. Shattuck & Co., nine lots; James J. Cadogan, two lots; I. Herzog, one lot; B. F. Ferris, five lots; P. Hayes, one lot; A. D. Eames, two lots; Edson Adams, twelve lots; S. B. McKee, two lots; Joseph Becht, four lots; S. Hirshberg, one lot; R. Heyman, one lot; Louis Meyer, three lots; Dr. de Taval, two lots; Frank Dufit - lots; W. S. Hurlburt, eight lots; W. W. Mckenzie, two lots; James Brown, four lots; S. H. Robinson, one lot;

Gray

Andrewones

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OAKLAND TOWNSHIP-CITY OF OAKLAND.

S. Harris, five lots; First Presbyterian Church, eight lots; H. Jahn, four lots; Geo. H. Fogg, seven lots; F. Figel, eleven lots; C. Reier, three lots; T. Manl. Valde, four lots; Joseph Mayers, two lots; Thomas Mahoney, two lots; A. Anderson, two lots; Thomas Dombrowski, two lots; E. P. Sanford, four lots. September 26, 1865, sidewalks were ordered for the following streets: Fourth Street, from Oak to Jefferson Street; Sixth Street, from Oak to Grove Street; Eighth Street, from Oak to Castro Street; Tenth Street, from Oak to Jefferson Street; and, on October 3d, Seventh Street, from Broad- way to Washington Street. January 16, 1866, the initial point of all surveys of the city was directed to be in accordance with the following resolution :-----

WHEREAS, It is shown that the building known as " A la Mariposa," situated at the southwest corner of Fourth Street and Broadway, is located in conformity with the original plan of the city by Julius Kellersberger;

Resolved, That the face of said building at the corner above mentioned be, and hereby is, established as the initial point for measure, and that all property be located by the City Engineer according to the said Kellersberger's plan

On July 18, 1866, the first sewer in the city was ordered to be constructed between Fourth Street and the water front on Broadway; but this subject will be treated separately further on. December 19th of the same year the name of McClellan Street was changed to Linden Street; and on December 2Ist Twelfth Street was ordered to be macadamized from Broadway to the Oakland bridge. On February 22, 1867, an appropriation of three thousand dollars for lighting streets for the year 1867-8 was made; while, on May 25th, Mr. Little, a resident of Oakland, made a formal tender to the city of that part of Webster Street opened north of Seventeenth Strect, through the old cemetery to the San Antonio Creek, eighty feet wide, a grant which, on motion of Mr. Barstow, was accepted by the Council.

Mayor Crane, in his message of September 28, 1867, says on the subject of streets, etc .: " As you are well aware, the Act touching street improvements, passed April 4, 1864, prohibits the Council from subjecting the city to any expense in the shape of compensation for opening new streets, I would suggest that the time has now arrived when this restriction can with safety be removed and that the incoming Legislature should be asked to confer upon the Council the power of awarding compensation; or, if it is deemed inexpedient, to ask for the power generally, to request it with reference to the opening of some centrally located street between Broadway and the Point. First Street has thus far proved to be of little or no practical, benefit to the city at large. Our increased population imperatively demands a thoroughfare more con- veniently situated. In my opinion, Eighth or Twelfth Streets should be opened through to the Point, and I do not believe that the city would be subjected to any very serious expense, as the benefits accruing to adjoining proprietors would, in most cases, overbalance the damages awarded. If this suggestion meets the views of the Council, it is advisable to have the proper bill prepared at an early date so as to present it to the Legislature as soon as it convenes in December."

On December 21, 1867, Tenth Street, from Broadway to Market Street, was ordered to be macadamized; while, March 28, 1868, similar work was directed on Eighth Street from Oak to Market Street. Like improvements were ordered, June 12th, on Fourteenth Street from Broadway to Market Street; and, on the 22d, on Washington Street from First to Eighth Street, and on Market Street, from Four-

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HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.

teenth to First Street. On the 12th October, Adeline Street was directed to be mac- adamized.

In his message to the Council, dated March 15, 1869, Doctor Merritt, then Mayor, states: "Within the limits of the city surveyed into blocks and streets by Kellers- berger, seven blocks were set apart for public squares, and as such have been dedi- cated to public use. They are named as follows: Lafayette, Jefferson, Washington, Franklin, Oakland, Madison, and Caroline Squares. Having been informed that some question existed as to the validity of the city's title to these squares, with the approval of the members of the Council, I had five of them inclosed with a good, substantial picket fence. The whole cost of inclosing these five plazas was nine hundred and ninety dollars and seventeen cents. The remaining two, Washington and Franklin, Squares were in the possession of the city." His Honor further remarks: "Section Twenty of 'An Act authorizing the City Council of Oakland to improve Streets, Lanes, Alleys, Courts, and Places in said City' (approved April 4, 1864) reads as follows : 'When one street or portion of a street has been, or shall hereafter be, constructed to the satisfaction of the City Council and Marshal of said city, under such regulations as said Council shall adopt, the same shall be accepted by said Council, and thereafter shall be kept open and improved by the said city, and the expense thereof to be paid out of the Street Department Fund.' I would recommend that an ordinance be passed defining the improvements requisite for such acceptance, and I think the same should include grading, macadamizing, sewering, curbing, culverts, and sidewalks, and in all cases practicable the gas and water pipes should be laid before the streets are mac- adamized.

" I have heard various ideas expressed and suggestions made relating to the most feasible system to be adopted to connect existing irregularities in the location of streets and blocks. Some are for straight lines; some are for crooked lines; some are for new lines; and others are for no lines at all. I think that system should be adopted that most effectually harmonizes irregularities at the same time interferes the least with existing improvements. The diffculty has been the result of inaccurate surveys by Kellersberger, who laid out and surveyed the town originally. These surveys were made at a time when land was of but little value, and the future destiny of Oakland was not appreciated. All the blocks were intended to be [two hundred by three hun- "dred feet, and all the streets, with two or three exceptions, eighty feet in width. The surveys having been with a slack chain the most of the blocks and streets measured a few inches large. Now, by fixing an 'Initial Point' near the center of the city and running lines to the extreme limits of that part of the city originally laid out into blocks and streets, giving to each block and street the exact number of feet designed, the combined surplusage amounts to four or five feet at the extreme limits of the original survey. Had there been initial points established at the four sides of the city and the surplusage of streets and blocks fixed or equalized on the four sides of the city before the present system of accurate measurement from one initial point had been adopted, I think it would have been much better. The few inches more or less in a block or street could have done no harm, and by running short lines through the city, there could have been nothing objectionable to the eye."

On May 17, 1869, it was ordered that Broadway should be opened from its inter-

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OAKLAND TOWNSHIP-CITY OF OAKLAND.

section with Telegraph and San Pablo Roads to the charter line; and on July 12th, an ordinance was passed directing the numbering of houses. This, however, was repealed, July 26th, and left in abeyance for a time.

The extending of Broadway was accompanied with numerous legal difficulties and perplexities. The first step taken was the tearing down of the only fence in the proposed line by the Road Commissioner, armed with the proper authority from the Board of Supervisors, and then began the work of grading. The morning after this had been commenced that official found the fence restored to its original place, and in a short time an injunction was served upon him, ordering him to suspend operations. He thereupon entered suit in the County Court against the party obstructing.

On January 3, 1870, it was

Resolved, That a special Committee of three be appointed to prepare the draft of a bill to be forwarded to our Legislative delegation for an Act authorizing the city of Oakland to dispose of Washington and Franklin Squares, the proceeds to be applied to the payment of the indebtedness of the city, and that such Committee report the same to the Council at its next meeting.

To this Mr. Miller offered a substitute resolution, providing for the sale of the City Hall and lot, which was lost; the original motion was carried, and Messrs. Van Dyke, Spaulding, and Folger appointed a committee to report. On the 14th February the building of a bridge across San Antonio Creek was recommended and the follow- ing resolution passed :-

Resolved, That we approve the bill to authorize the construction of a swing or draw bridge across San Anto- nio Creek, in the county of Alameda, the draft of which has been submitted for our consideration; provided, the following amendment be made thereto, to wit: That when the road and bridge shall be completed they be turned over to the county, and thereafter be under the charge and control of the Board of Supervisors and subject to the same provisions as other county roads; and that being so amended we recommend to our Legislative delegation the passage of said bill.

On September 12th the bridge between Adeline and Peralta Streets on First Street was ordered to be rebuilt; while, on the 19th, Fourteenth Street, from San Pablo Road to the west line of the city, was ordered to be macadamized. On Nov- ember 28th, in accordance with the petitions of certain citizens, an ordinance entitled "An Ordinance granting permission to certain persons to construct a bridge from the intersection of Jackson Street with the shore of the lake across the lake to Adams Point" was framed and referred to the Committee on Ordinances and Judiciary, who reported, "that the Council had no right to authorize the construction of such bridge across the waters of the lake."

Of the subject of streets, Mayor Spaulding, in his semi-annual message, stated : " Your Honorable Body is doubtless aware of the difficulty that at one time existed respecting the lines and surveys in all that part of the city lying east of Market Street, which received the careful attention of the late Board of Engineers, and were by them so ably and satisfactorily adjusted. It was not known to the City Council at that time what condition the surveys were in, in the western part of the city, but more particularly that part lying west of Adeline Street. Recent investigation has devel- oped the fact that errors and inaccuracies exist to such an extent that only a thor- ough resurvey and the setting of a series of monuments at proper points can correct these irregularities ard harmonize these difficulties. To accomplish this I would sug-

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HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.

gest that a series of check-lines be run through every third or fourth street running east and west, north and south, and placing at their intersection iron monuments.

" These irregularities have arisen from a variety of causes. The surveys have been made by different engineers at various times since the organization of the city, starting from different points, and, in many instances, the streets have been located with reference to property lines and personal interests. In some instances there have been found to exist discrepancies in the measurements made by the same engineer at different times, which do not agree within themselves and cannot be made to connect. There has not yet been any systematic survey made so as to correct these several surveys or tie them together.

" This matter has already been delayed too long and should be adjusted with as little delay as possible, not only for the welfare of the city but for the interest of the property-owners who have of late become fully alive to the importance and necessity of opening, widening, and straightening the streets. These lines should be established while the streets are being laid out and opened and while there are comparatively but few improvements to be disturbed, and matters in this direction become more complicated.

"I would further recommend that a map be carefully prepared, showing the exact location of all improvements and indicating the position of the monuments, distances, etc., and to have the same filed in the office of the City Engineer for future reference. It is important that these should be done before the adoption of the city map, which is now before you for your inspection and approval."

The Mayor then draws the following picture : "Last, though not least, among the necessary improvements that ought to be made and which should claim a share of your attention is the construction of sidewalks upon our most thickly populated streets, but more especially those that have been graded and macadamized.

"The first noticeable feature that strikes the eye of a stranger when visiting our city is the crowd of straggling pedestrians as they diverge from the different stations along the route of the railroad, and wend their way hither and thither, some through weeds and sand where sidewalks ought to be; others, less brave, seek the middle of the streets, much to the annoyance and inconvenience of the travel of car- riages and carts, as well as to the risk of life and limb.

"We now have about fourteen miles of macadamized streets and only about two miles of these. streets have sidewalks in any manner improved for the convenience of foot travel, and the improvements that have been made were made regardless of any general system, and some of the intended improvements are but little better than none.

" As each property-holder has his own individual notion in regard to the best method of improvement, and has exercised the privilege of putting his plan into execution in front of his own premises, it follows that we have about as many kinds of sidewalks as we have property-owners on the streets where improvements have been made. I would therefore suggest that some general plan be adopted by you for improving the condition of our sidewalks in a uniform and economical manner. We have now had sufficient experience with the various kinds of material used, to be able to determine which is the best. Loose gravel or broken stone wherever exposed

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OAKLAND TOWNSHIP-CITY OF OAKLAND.

to foot travel is extremely unpleasant and difficult to walk upon and will require years to render it fit for use. The only macadam walks which have so far proved successful have been made from the decomposed rock taken from the Fowler Quarry and spread at a depth of about two inches, and well mixed with fine gravel, and rolled. This makes a good, serviceable walk, at a cost of about thirty cents per lineal foot; or, the white cement gravel found in the vicinity of Fruit Vale. The latter appears to be more preferable, because it becomes more solidified than any other material heretofore used, being less affected by the agencies of the weather. It has been used in some localities in this city for the last eighteen months. The peculiarities which recommend this cement gravel are that, when it is exposed to the elements it becomes adhesive and firm, is comparatively free from mud in winter and dust in summer. This makes it a complete and permanent improvement. Sidewalks made from this material are estimated to cost about thirty cents per lineal foot for walks eighteen feet wide. We have also had some experience with plank walks, laid four feet wide-two-inch plank; this makes a neat, commodious walk for temporary purposes, and recommends itself on account of its cheapness, and will probably be the most acceptable in localities where there are few improvements. This kind of sidewalk can be constructed for twenty-five cents per lineal foot."

From the foregoing it will be gathered that the thoroughfares of the city only little more than a dozen years ago were in what may be termed a state of nature. Such naturally acted as a determent against the progress of Oakland, and very properly was a source of anxiety to the head of. the city government.

On November 13, 1871, an ordinance was passed levying a tax in the matter of opening and widening Broadway from Fourteenth Street, northerly, to the charter line, the passage of the enactment being brought about by the issuance of a writ of mandamus from the County Court to the City Council commanding such levy; while, on December 4th, another ordinance was passed changing the names of Caroline Square to Lincoln Square, and Julia Street to Madison Street. An application from the land-owners on Ninth Street was received on January 2, 1872, to build a bridge connecting that thoroughfare with Franklin Street, Brooklyn.

His Honor, Mayor Spaulding, in his message to the Council under date April 15, 1872, tells them: "We now have the advantage of an experience which has put to the severest test the material used in macadamizing our streets. The experience of the past severe winter has to my mind fully demonstrated the correctness of the principle upon which the work has been constructed. The only correction I have to suggest and which this experience has proved to be necessary is the omission of clay or any like material which has hitherto in some instances been employed. It is important that a system of repair should be established. It seems to be extremely difficult to eradicate from the minds of those who are most interested the idea that when a street is received from the hands of the contractor that it is done for all time. Macadam- ized roadways require constant and unremitting attention, and this attention should commence from the moment the work is delivered by the contractor; no one thing will add more to their durability and improve their condition than the sprinkling of them during the summer season. I trust that you will inaugurate some system by which the streets that have been macadamized may be kept sprinkled; it will be a great saving to the property-owners as well as a convenience to the public.

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History of Alameda County, California : including its geology, topography, soil, and productions, Part 80

Author: Munro-Fraser, J. P Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Oakland, Calif. : M.W. Wood Number of Pages: 1206

Author: Munro-Fraser, J. P
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Oakland, Calif. : M.W. Wood
Number of Pages: 1206