Polk's Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda city directory, 1927, Part 3

Author: R.L. Polk & Co
Publication date: 1927
Publisher: Oakland, Cal. : R.L. Polk & Co.
Number of Pages: 2152

USA > California > Alameda County > Alameda > Polk's Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda city directory, 1927 > Part 3
USA > California > Alameda County > Alameda > Polk's Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda city directory, 1927 > Part 3
USA > California > Alameda County > Berkeley > Polk's Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda city directory, 1927 > Part 3
USA > California > Alameda County > Berkeley > Polk's Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda city directory, 1927 > Part 3
USA > California > Alameda County > Oakland > Polk's Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda city directory, 1927 > Part 3
USA > California > Alameda County > Oakland > Polk's Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda city directory, 1927 > Part 3

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

One of the most important of the sewer projects is that of Yerba Buena Avenue, the contract on which has been let. When completed, this will elimi- nate the nuisance which for many years has existed on our northern and west- ern harbor fronts. Industries adjacent to the Judson Iron Works and all commuters using the Key System ferries will particularly welcome this con- struction.

In addition to this, the present fiscal year includes the completion of the Elmhurst sewer outlet, at a cost of $150,000; $17,000 to complete the drainage system on Lerida avenue, which, it is hoped, will eliminate further slides in that locality ; and $30,000 for various sewer outlets in all parts of Oakland.

For the purposes of making a general survey of the drainage situation in Oakland, the Council appointed in the latter part of 1926 a Sewer Commis- sion. Much in the way of organized and constructive development in this work can be expected from this plan, with better and more coordinated facilities afforded the city as a whole, and far greater economy resulting.

HARBOR IMPROVEMENT

In my 1924 Message to Council, I recommended a harbor bond issue, out- lined a plan for the development of our western waterfront, and recommended the purchase of 3000 acres of land on Bay Farm Island. In November, 1925, the people of this city, in general election, authorized the expenditure of $9,960,000 for harbor improvement.

At the time of the election, however. I expressed myself as opposed to certain measures included in the program submitted by the Board of Engineers previously appointed by the Council. Government Island, in Brooklyn Basin, was and still is beyond Oakland's control, while it is a well known fact that the entire Estuary frontage from Webster Street easterly to the Park Street bridge, is held by private interests with leases that extend for many years. These same private interests have erected improvements on much of this land, and are collecting and keeping dockage and tolls which rightfully should go into the city treasury ; and they pay no taxes on these holdings. The leases themselves are of tremendous value to their holders, and undoubtedly, before

MAYOR'S MESSAGE, 1927

harbor construction can begin on them, a large part of the nearly $4,000,000 expected to be spent in that vicinity must go to buying them back from the private interests holding them.

I had also previously recommended construction, at a cost of $3,000,000, of a solid-fill mole on the western waterfront, a harbor feature that alone could accommodate twelve of the largest ocean-going merchantmen at one time. I presented to the honorable Council plans for this improvement, indi- cating at the time how such construction on the western harbor frontage would

COLST

GRAND

CRANE

Theatres Recently Added to the West Coast Circuit

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA

Oakland Harbor

link up with the three transcontinental railroads already holding franchises in that section of the city. I also recommended construction of proper docking facilities west of Albers Mills to accommodate the Sacramento and San Joaquin river steamers. Most of the latter's tremendous volume of river traffic now goes directly to San Francisco-but were proper facilities available on our own waterfront, this traffic could be landed directly in Oakland, saving our local commission merchants the time and expense of having it freighted back across the bay after having been brought down to San Francisco from river ports. This recommendation was also almost completely ignored in the pro- gram sponsored by bond proponents.

I still stand, as I have always stood, for harbor improvement-but I want proper harbor improvement that will give the greatest returns to Oakland. I do not want the people's money spent largely in the repurchase of leases given many years ago to private interests, nor do I want it wasted on projects other than those that do the city the most good in the present and the future. Fully half of the harbor bond money should be spent on the western water- front, where transcontinental railroads meet deep water.

Now, by charter amendment adopted last December, the entire harbor development of the City of Oakland is to be placed in the hands of a Harbor

Oakland Harbor

MAYOR'S MESSAGE, 1927

Commission appointed by the Commissioner of Public Works. This commis- sion will control the entire waterfront, have full charge of the expenditure of harbor bond money and other related funds, and be empowered to levy taxes for harbor work.

PARK PURCHASES

A decision was rendered during the year by the Appellate Court which may result very seriously on certain land purchase projects. Over my oppo- sition, this Council voted the purchase of the MacDermott property in West Oakland, on the installment plan, at a price of $90,000; the Sanborn property on Fruitvale avenue, two acres, $36,000; the Mandana boulevard property, $70,000; Leona Heights property, $27,000; totaling in all $223,000 for pur- chases on installment basis. These items do not include the amount of money which the city will be obliged to pay for transforming them from real estate tracts into parks and for maintenance. I estimate it will cost another $225,000 to carry out this work, or a total of $450,000 approximately for backyard and hillside parks, the validity of which purchase the court shows to be a matter of question.

I had previously recommended that the Council purchase the five hundred acre Durant property in East Oakland, at a price of $350,000. This recommen- dation was rejected. The property has since been sold at a price of $1,000,000, and the opportunity to purchase it for a city park lost forever.

The decision of the Appellate Court, referred to above, invalidates all pro- cedure of installment park purchases. It is my intention to investigate the agreement under which these properties have been purchased, and see whether or not the expenditure of the $223,000, above referred to, is legal. I have been strongly opposed to backyard park purchases for the purpose of helping out real estate deals or speculations, and I consider the items above referred to, to be entirely of that class.

During the past year the Park Department has completed the moving of the Zoo from the edge of the Lake to permanent location in Sequoia Park. New cages and accommodations have been provided, and it makes an ideal place for this feature of our park system.

Lakeside Park

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA

RECREATION DEPARTMENT

Our Recreation Department during the past year has continued to carry out its progressive program. The former Superintendent of Recreation resigned, effective July 1st, and the Playground Department appointed Mr. R. W. Robert- son, for several years assistant superintendent, as his successor. Mr. Robertson is carrying on the department's forward-looking policies, directing his efforts towards maintaining Oakland's high position in civic recreational activity. In this work he has the able support of a progressive and active Board of Direc- tors headed by Dr. J. E. Zales, who recently was elected president.

The activities of this department are many, but perhaps the most recent outstanding achievement was the Christmas pageant in December. It even outdid the unusually successful one of 1925. Held in the Municipal Auditorium during the holiday season, this production, in which thousands of Oakland school children participated, was produced before packed audiences with many thousands of parents and friends unable to gain admittance. I believe that additional presentations should be given, if they can be arranged, so that our people may have an even fuller opportunity of seeing and enjoying the Recrea- tion Department's efforts in behalf of Oakland.

This Christmas demonstration is largely the result of work in Oakland's many outdoor playgrounds. In this phase of the department's endeavor, the program of using vacation-time directors on public playgrounds, adopted in 1925, was again successfully used in the past year. This keeps the children off the streets during the days school is closed, and affords them healthy play under proper supervision.

To give still greater service in this regard I have in past years recommended the filling and reclamation of 100 acres of land lying behind our Municipal Auditorium, recommending its ultimate use as a tremendous city recreation field, with football and baseball grounds, running and race tracks, and every facility for complete athletic and recreational development sufficiently ample to provide accommodations for the Olympic games of the world. The filling has been completed and the land has been taken over and is being used by the Playground Department. Additional appropriations are needed, however, to properly complete it.

The Municipal Golf Links is another outdoor feature well worth while, and during the past year has become a profitable enterprise from all stand- points. The year's report shows that its income has reached a point where it is

Municipal Auditorium

MAYOR'S MESSAGE, 1927

turning funds back into the city treasury, so that as well as furnishing us with a much-needed recreative facility, it will eventually pay off its cost.

Our summer camps in Tuolumne and Plumas Counties were this year again filled to capacity. Much praise must be given to those directing these camps' operation and activities, for enthusiastic commendation has come from all citizens attending them, and no single complaint. Oakland is one of the few cities in the country with such establishments for providing mountain vaca- tions to its citizens at a price all can afford. Estimates indicate that 6000 peo- ple had availed themselves of this Recreation Department service at the close of this year's camps.

Lake Merritt has also become increasingly popular. But I wish again to call the Council's attention to the necessity of improving its condition. I have repeatedly recommended the development of a plan to bring water in from the western waterfront via high pressure pipe line and deliver it to the Lake through ornamental fountains. By setting up an artificial flow in this manner the present "settling basin" condition of the Lake could be eliminated and the water made healthy and safe enough to become a swimming place for our people.

Prevention of pollution is another vital necessity. Last spring a Southern California motion picture company made a film with Oakland and the Univer- sity of California as its setting. Scenes on Lake Merritt were included, and when some of the actors emerged from the water they were covered with a coating of oil and filth difficult to describe. More recently than this I have made several investigations, aided by an inspector from the State Board of Health, and measures have been taken to avoid pollution to some extent. The ultimate solution, however, I believe lies in bringing a clean supply of sea water, as above mentioned, and arranging for the Lake to drain out only through the estuary.

The storm conditions which have caused such serious flooding of the busi- ness district at Lake Park and Grand Avenues could have been prevented had

Oakland's Changing Downtown Skyline

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA

this estuary drain been previously installed, and a set of tide gates at First Avenue installed to control it. Such gates have now been built at Eighth Street and are expected to accomplish this purpose. The merchants, business men and home owners of this district should never again be subject to flood damage every time there is a heavy rain-proper control of the Lake's water would permanently avoid this.

We have in Lake Merritt an opportunity to develop a magnificent central water park, and with the city's growth greater and greater demands are being made for more recreative facilities upon it and its shores. The calls for boats and canoes are ever increasing, and our people are entitled also to have the Lake so developed that they may enjoy swimming along with these other healthful outdoor sports. I have had estimates made as to the cost of providing clean salt water, and believe that this matter is urgent and should have immedi- ate consideration from the Council.

DOWNTOWN COMFORT STATIONS

For several years I have included sums aggregating $250,000 in my budgets submitted to the Council, recommending the appropriation for providing down- town comfort station facilities. Each year has seen my recommendation disre- garded and the money diverted and used for some other purpose. With our increased growth and the development of our downtown business and retail center, the need for these facilities has increased tremendously, and I again recommend that this Council consider an appropriation sufficient to provide such stations in convenient and central locations.

LIBRARY

When the last vacancies occurred on the Board of Library Directors, I appointed as members Mr. Claud Gatch and Mrs. Minna McGauley. They have now served some time in that capacity, rendering excellent service. We are fortunate, also, in having two members of the board who have been very suc- cessful in commercial life, Mr. Gatch and Mr. Lowry; while Mrs. McGauley brings to the library board the valuable experience of her work among women's activities.

Due to the retirement of Librarian Charles S. Greene, a gentleman of high honor and great ability in his profession, under whose auspices the Oakland Free Library system made tremendous growth and achieved great usefulness, the board chose John B. Kaiser, director of the University of Iowa Library, as his successor. The selection of a new librarian will permit the installation of many proposed changes, at the same time continuing the many activities inaug- urated for the benefit of Oakland readers by Mr. Greene, and adding others.

MUSEUM

For years I have advocated the construction of a Museum building more befitting the metropolitan era this city is entering. At one time I made a budget appropriation of $100.000 to start this work, and allowed for two more annual appropriations of $100,000 each to complete the project. At the same time I appointed a committee of thirty representative citizens, headed by ex-Congressman Joseph R. Knowland, to make comprehensive and forward- looking plans for the construction. But when the committee made its report after two months' study, the $100,000 appropriation had been shifted by the Council to other uses.

Our present Museum housing is a shame to this city. We have exhibits that any city in the country might be proud of, and the Henry Snow African and Arctic collections are without rival in the entire world. They are one of the greatest assets the Oakland School Department has available for the general

MAYOR'S MESSAGE, 1927

education and culture of its youth-but they are housed in antiquated residence buildings entirely inadequate from the standpoints of setting, exhibition, light- ing and fire protection. I urge again that the Honorable Council see to it that in the coming year's budget an appropriation is made to start immediate con- struction of a modern Museum building, one not only sufficient to house and and exhibit the collections now on hand, but also adequate enough to care for future collections sure to come to the city when private individuals see that they will be well cared for and prop- erly exhibited.

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POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS

During the past year our police and fire departments have main- tained the high record of efficiency they have made in previous years. The administrative personnel of the departments has remained practical- ly the same, with the exception of the change in the office of Captain of Inspectors. Captain McSorley re- tired after having completed many years of fine service in the Police Department, and was succeeded by another excellent officer, Captain Wallman.

The present year's budget con- Hotel Coit Fifteenth and Harrison Streets tains provisions for additions to both departments. There is considerable need for more police, and an ordinance effective December 1st provided for four additional inspectors, two lieutenants, one sergeant, and twenty patrolmen. An appropriation was also provided for a new ambulance for eastern police station to meet requirements of that rapidly growing territory.

For the Fire Department the same budget appropriates $40,000 for equip- ment. This is in addition to the $60,000 appropriation for erection of a new central fire station, and two additional firehouses in the residential districts. With this equipment being provided in the police and fire departments, I feel sure that the coming year will see them maintained at their present excellent standard.

At present extensive experiments are being made for the efficient control of downtown traffic. A "light-and-bell" signal system has been installed at june- tions of main downtown business arteries under supervision of the Police De- partment, and though slight changes in timing and synchronization may be necessary as experience in its use comes about, it apparently is most successful. Use of such a system, controlled at a central headquarters, is of vital need if the streets of this rapidly growing city are to be freed from slow motion and congestion. Its adoption here is indicative of the progressive and forward- looking spirit of the Police Department.

AIR PORT

As noted before, in my annual message of 1924, I recommended the pur- chase of the 3000-acre tract on Bay Farm Island, lying within our city limits. This magnificent property offered room for an additional golf links, for avia- tion fields and for harbor improvement on San Leandro Bay. It also was the

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA

last available possibility for a terminal site should other transcontinental rail- roads consider coming to Oakland, while the industrial sites available on it would have enabled the city to bring many additional industries here. I am certain that the Ford plant would have located in Oakland and not in Rich- mond, had the Council taken my recommendation of that time.

TRACTION COMPANY PAVING

In the early part of the year I sent a peremptory letter to the officials of the Key System Transit Company demanding improvement of the paving between their tracks on various city streets. Among those I mentioned were Broadway from Fourteenth to Twenty-second Streets, Thirteenth, from Webster to Wash- ington ; East Fourteenth from Fiftieth Avenue to San Leandro, and from First to Thirteenth Avenue; Grove, from San Pablo Avenue to Fortieth; Grand Ave- nue, from Harrison to the Piedmont line, and others. I am now pleased to advise the Council that the traction company has completed the rebuilding and repaving of several of those streets-Broadway, Thirteenth Street, Grand Avenue and East Fourteenth Street-and that the balance is now under way. I am informed by traction company officials that work on other streets I men- tioned in my communication will be undertaken as soon as some of the present work is completed.

The charter charges me with the duty of seeing that public utility com- panies comply with the terms of their franchises, and I shall continue to keep in close touch with this important work of track rebuilding and street repair until it has been brought up to the proper condition and in a satisfactory manner.

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WEST SEVENTH STREET CROSSING

There is now before the city the matter of properly solving the grade crossing prob- lem on West Seventh Street, where the State Railroad Commission has ordered a separa- tion of grades to eliminate automobile traffic hazard over the lines of the Southern Pacific Railroad. A most interesting situation exists in this connection. Practically all of the traffic on West Seventh Street and crossing the tracks of the Southern Pacific Company is Southern Pacific auto ferry business. Oak- land thus faces a situation where our people are forced to pay from twenty-five to fifty per cent of the cost of this separation for traffic, the movement of which actually pays for the ferry lines of the Southern Pacific Company.

A proposal was made to this Council that New Elks Club Building Twentieth and Broadway a subway be constructed at Goss Street, one block north of Seventh Street, under the lines of the Southern Pacific. I expressed my strenuous opposition to this. It violated every principle of traffic engineering and city planning, the trend of which is to eliminate, so far as possible, curves and right-angle turns-and yet here was a spectacle of engineers of the rail- road, the automobile association and the city, recommending an improvement which would add dangerous turns and curves rather than eliminate them. Another disadvantage of the proposed Goss Street subway was that it would have diverted traffic off Seventh Street, and would result in a demand for widening Eighth Street at the expense of both city and property owners.

MAYOR'S MESSAGE, 1927

As an alternative plan, I recommended an overhead crossing to be built on Seventh street to permit the flow of traffic on a straight line, and the con- iinued use of the one hundred-foot width of Seventh Street, as against the forty-foot width of Goss Street and the consequent compression of traffic into a narrow eighteen-story subway bore.

Competent engineers confirmed my opinion, and the only reason they can give for the former subway recommendation was that it would abandon a large portion of West Seventh Street to be taken over and used as a freight yard by the railroad company. The Railroad Commission, following several hearings on the subject, realized the inconsistency of the Goss Street subway, and recommended the installation of an overhead crossing similar to that I recommended. Construction work should commence on this improvement at once, and be pushed to rapid conclusion.

UNION TERMINAL STATION

Five years ago, in my annual message to the Council, I recommended con- sideration of construction of a Municipal Union Passenger Terminal to be used by all the railroads entering our city. In that same message I recom- mended the location of this terminal in the area bounded by Wood or Willow Streets on the east, Eighteenth Street on the south, Thirty-second Street on the north, and extending down past the present tracks of the Southern Pacific along the western harbor front. The Western Pacific Railroads holds an old fran- chise for lines along Wood Street ; the Santa Fe has its lines along Wood Street, which now terminates at Twentieth and Adeline; the Southern Pacific tracks parallel the western harbor front. Such a terminal would be convenient of access by all railroads entering Oakland, and there is room in this location for the construction of a Union 'Terminal that would satisfy traffic problems for all railroads entering Oakland for many years to come.

I have noted before how this would link up with proper development of our western waterfront. In my former message I said as follows:

"This terminal should be constructed by the City of Oakland, and operated entirely as a municipal utility. This would eliminate any possibility of discrim- mation against any carrier entering Oakland, and the railroad companies would be charged rental for their use of the terminal equipment in propor- tion to the trattic each railway has. The revenues derived from this rental would amply repay the cost of the terminal and provide the city with a profitable source of future revenue.

"It is but a short distance from this location to the municipal property on our western harbor front, and I recommend that sufficient space be reserved by the city at the foot of West Fourteenth Street to provide for ferry slip construction in connection with the terminal. The ferry slip and improvements, like the terminal, should be a municipal utility, giving equal accommodations to all lines making use of it."

I again submit this matter for the serious consideration of the Council. Removal of the Fourteenth and Franklin Street depot of the Southern Pacific should provide additional reason for hastening the construction of a Union Terminal in this location.

SAN FRANCISCO BAY BRIDGE

Another matter of importance in this some consideration is that of a bridge across San Francisco Bay. During the past year a large number of such proj- ects have been given wide publicity, and during the early fall a series of hearings was held in San Francisco to determine what might be the best loca- tion for such a bridge. I have filed communications with the proper authorities at Washington and with their San Francisco offices, stating my opposition to any bridge planned for San Francisco Bay which would interfere with the

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA

proper development of our harbor frontage and which would have its eastern terminus on our western harbor front.

I believe it is possible for a bridge to be built across the Bay in such a location that its eastern terminus will be but a few blocks north of this pro- posed site for a union depot. A bridge having its terminus at such a location would be of tremendous advantage to Oakland and to the Eastbay territory, and would harmonize with the general plans for a union railroad terminal in the same general locality.

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Polk's Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda city directory, 1927, Part 3

Author: R.L. Polk & Co Publication date: 1927 Publisher: Oakland, Cal. : R.L. Polk & Co. Number of Pages: 2152

Author: R.L. Polk & Co
Publication date: 1927
Publisher: Oakland, Cal. : R.L. Polk & Co.
Number of Pages: 2152