The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-23
FLORISTS AT WAR.
Park Commissioners Must Stop
Their Competition.
Trouble Over the Harrison Dsoorations-A
Claim That Flower-Peddlers Have
Got the Contract.

The florists Of the city are up in arms.
prepared to fight for their rights and expose
the wrong 10 high places where public
property is diverted fro In its proper uses
and public funds used to defray the ex-
penses of private courtesies.
The rnutterings of war drew the attention
Of a CALL reporter yesterday to few Of
tie prominent members Of the Floral Club
an association of recent growth, in which
the gardeners and florists of the city have
banded together for mutual prOtectlOn-and
from them received statement oil their
grievances.
Tine trouble is" said they. "that be-
tween the Park Commissioners ON one ha nd
aud.the Italian flOwer-peddlers on the other
our business is being so cut up that tn ere is
little OF nothing In the business. The park
authorities with the City Treasury for their
working capital are now and for years past
lave been supplying the clubs and their
private aud political friends with plants
aud flowers free Of charge, earting them
both ways with the park teams, and using
park labor to imprOVise floral pieces and
manufacture garlands and festOons.
\ PLAIN STATEMENT.
we claim that these flowers and plants are
Tor the benefit OF the people, 10 be used and ad-
mred within the park limits and not 10 be
brought into competition with the trade, though
certain public occasions where the city enter
Iains distinguished guest we are ready TO
admit the prOpriety OF drawing on them. But
The Commissioners do a wholesale trade 10 dis
tiUulng their floral fav0rs-of course, where It
Will do themselves the most gOOd-and II Is
against this indiscrnnate disposal OF the peO-
PIES property that we Kick, and our club intends
taking the matter In hand 10 devise remedy for
the trouble If possible.
Concerning The street-pedding business we
will ask Tie Supervisors to make these boys pay
license. Most Of them are in the employ OF
one establishment-a small Italian store on
Suffer street, near StoektOn-aud as they have
practically no expenses TO bear they make
serious inroads into The legitimate business
The imposition Of a license on The vendors, how
ever, VIII mitigate tie evil and keep Them within
bounds
THE FLORISTS POSITION.
Now look at our poslilOnl We have to maln-
tain extensive gardens, make heavy purchases
Of new plants, keep our downtown stores and
engage large number OF employees TO keep our
business going, while the park supplies the
wealthy residents and politicians with the How
ers they need and the peddlers, who own moth
ing. but buy blossoms from house to house when
tile opportunity OF carrying them on without
permission does not offer Itself also compete with
us"
Auguste Duhem prominent man in the bust
ness, Endorsed most OF the above. and though eX-
tremeiy conservative In the tone OF his remarks
ventilated his opinion Of tie Park Commission
ers without any reserve whatever.
- Why" he said. "those magnificent palm
and bananas IN the conservatory are the plan Is
that are mostly asked for and obtained, and
every tine they are moved their beauty and
value are seriously impaired. In Ihe eOuT Sc OF
my business l frequently see Them, and 1t is as
much an outrage on the public an Injustice TO
us 10 take them outside the park. What is the
use OF our raising and keeping similar plants II
the Commissioners will supply them for the ask
ing? That Is where the shoe piDebes US. while
The public have a right to complain against the
dish guremeut which beIalls the plants every
lime they are moved"
THE PROPOSALS.
Lean Bros. of Bush street were the most out
spokeu IN their denunciaLi0n OF the traffic, aud
. were tile first TO intimate that there WAS some
connection between the Commissioners the
Decoration Committee for the Presidents re-
reptiOn aud the Italian sIreet-peddlers who, they
say, are now engaged upon tile Paidce Hotel dec
Otaiions. According to their story, aferward
verified by the admissions OF tile competing
nrms. Colonel Andrews as Chairman Of the sub
committee having TIRE Palace Hotel decorations
In charge, some days ago submitted the following
rather indefinite plan TO florists aud requested
bids for the work:
Palm tree in each corner Of the ground floor of
.hc court.
in ca h corner OF the first floor facing court, an
Australian spreading palm.
Ia rear OF court tiye 4OfOot American flags to be
draped from the first floor down.
The seventy pillars OF the first floor to be wound
with shlilax.
trance 70 par0r.