The morning call., 1891-04-07
NO OVERHEAD WIRES.
A Serious Check Proposed to
Electric Power.
The Supervisors Considering Bill to Fix
Limits Within Which the Electric Motor
Cannot Be Used.

Supervisors Taber and Evans are still
struggling with illness, and were both
absent from the meeting of the board last
night.
Among the important measures proposed
was an order by Supervisor jackson, aim
ing TO limit the right of street railway cor
porations TO propel ears by electricity in
certain portions of the city. The limit is as
follows: Commencing at the west line of
Van Ness avenue and the bay, thence
direct te Market street and across to
Eleventh. thence to Bryant, to Tenth, to
Channel, to Potrero avenue, to Alameda
street, easterly to Eighth, to Channel,
thence along Channel to the water front,
along and around the water front to the
point of beginning. The order, if it be-
comes a law, will prohibit the use of
dummies or overhead wires or any system
requiring the erection of poles in the public
streets.
When a vote was called Ebert, who alone
had opposed the measure by seeking to
have it referred to the Street Committee,
asked 20 be excused, and the order was
passed to print with nine votes.
STREET PAVING.
The trouble experienced by the Street
Committee for months in their en-
deavor to frame suitable street paving
order is not yet over. When the bill passed
to print last week and supposedly as near
perfect as the peculiar conditions of San
Francisco would admit of came up for
final passage, Wilkinson objected and
moved that it be again referred TO the Street
Committee.
Il think it premature" said he. SIT pro-
vldeS for the acceptance OF certain pave
ments that have never been tested here and
TO Us are an unknown quantity. We don't
know where this might land US. and until
we do l am opposed tG it. Give that block
pavement a good trial. If it stands the
test, all right. Ii il don't, we should
know it."
COMPETITION NEEDED.
Burling said that as one Of the Street
Committee he had labored with tireless
energy to get that order in shape, and he
was sure no amount Of care and labor
could improve it. The block pavement Oh
jected to had been successfully tested IN all
the large cities III the East. What is needed
in this city is competition in pavement.
The company that manufactures these
blocks refuses TO eXpend $4,000 in estab-
fishing a plant here aud starting competi-
ton unless 1t has some assurance that its
pavement will be accepted after all that
has been claimed for II has been demon
sand base for baSalt blocks because prop
erty-owners would not 90 to the expense of
a concrete base and won d defeat all kinds OF
pavement Indefinitely by protesting.
The whole matter pertaining to pavements
was again relegated to the committee, Bur
ling alone voting against it.
EXPERIMENTAL TESTS.
The resolution proposing TO let Colt, Bar
ton IL COwles pave Sansome street, between
California and Sacramento, with stradamant
asphaltir pavement as a test was opposed
by Ebert, who declared he didn't believe in
the city paving for experiments. A wordy
wrangle followed, Burling trying to explain
the justice of the proposition by showing
that the city only pays half down upon
completion, ana receives a bond from the
company that the pavement shall be in all
respects satisfactory for five years.
The proposition to grant similar permit
to the Pacific Paving Company TO pave
Front street from California to Pine, as an
experiment. was also opposed and sent back
to the committee. But the offer OF the Cal
ifornia Steel Rail Com pany to put down
sample of its pavement free in front Of the
Academy OF Sciences, on Market street, was
allowed to pass.
CITY ORDINANCES.
The proposed amendments 10 orders pro-
hibiting carrying concealed weapons, visit
ing lottery dens, houses CT ill-fame and the
like were referred gain to the Judiciary
Committee in the hope If getting more light
from lawyers familiar with city ordinances.
The necessity Of getting this work done as
soon as possible was urged on the committee
in view of the fact that as the matter now
stands the police courts can impose 10 pea
allies for municipal 0ffenses and the city is
losing at the rate of $4,000 or $4,000 a
year.
In reply TO the communication from the
Grand Jury asking the board to have the
Grand Jury reports published in the NUM-
pIDal rpnDrtE the f,OmmittAn Printing
ported as follows:
I'VE are of the opinion that whilst the re-
ports Of grand juries may contain much of
interest from an historical point of view,
still there are many matters contained
therein aud reported upon of 10 material in-
terest in connection with municipal matters,
and therefore recommend that the clerk be
directed 10 publish only so much thereof as
may be deemed pertinent to the municipal
ity when ordered by the board.
PILLOWS FOR PATIENTS.
At the last meeting of The board petition
was read from the Daughters of the Good
Shepherd that a new outfit of pillows be
provided the patients at the County Hos
pital. DR.. Aver, Chairman of the Hospital
Committee, replied by reporting: while
we respect the earDesinpSs and purity of the
motives OF the petitioners, to add TO the
comfort of the sick ana relieve human
suffering, we also realize that the possibili-
ties Of the present civilization are not such
as 10 furnish the ability 10 accomplish
something with nothing" The doctor also
adds significantly that the Hospital Fund is
already $1,000 OveTdraWn."
The HowaTd-street Improvement Club re-
minds the beard that it promised in the
early part OF January to appropriate suff-
cient funds for the Improvement of Holly
Park, since which time no attention has
been paid to the matter. The board has,
however, passed resolution declaring its
intention Ia provide Tor the improvement of
Lafayette and Alamo squares, and the Holly
Park champions desiIe to be recognized in
the same manner.
MISCELLANEOUS.
A long list of residents in the neighbor-
hood of Larkin street and Golden Gate
avenue put in protest against the rebuild
ing Of the carpct-beating establishment, de-
str0yed by fire on Saturday morning last,
on the ground that 1t is fire-trap and
nuisance.
Interested property-owners petitioned for
the grading of Dolores street from Liberty
to Twenty-h first streets
Preparatory TO paving and curbing the
walks in Union Square the clerk of the
board was directed to advertise for bids to
do the work.
Alfred Clarke made proposition to the
board to furnish hose-house on the west
side of COrbett road If the city would fur
nish cart and hose.
The PooI-koona Ordinance.
The legality of the ordinance closing the
dad