The morning call., 1893-03-22
IS FORGING AHEAD.
Noticeable Improvements
in Oakland.
CONTRACT FOR CITY LIGHTS.
Candidates Must File Accounts of
Honey Expended During
Election.

HSi Q nave OetN many HOllcehOie features
OF improvement in Oakland, uotwithsland-
ing the fact that her people have been ac-
eused Of 'siuriAnsm on numberess occa-
sions.
Buildings. streets. transportation facili-
ties, population-alI these testify that the
city is going steadily ahead. There is
complaint about the streets. bat compare
the mass Of them to San Franchises and
they are better. When the new school
buildings are finished there viii be no city
on the coast. large or small, that can rival
them. There is no city of the size that can
show greater mileage of stTeetcar lines,
and the best at that. The population is in
creasng rapidly. One of the signs OF the
decadence of old things and the coming of
the new is the disappearance of gaslamps
1t is noticeable that here are but few of
them left In Oakland. aud it is also notice
aole mat there are more electric arc lights,
high up and blazing all night, making day
out OF darkness, than there are ip any
other city approximating Oakland in size.
There is question as TO whether Oak
land. like the city of Alameda. shall own
its own electric light system. It will come
up, sooner or later. Before it, however,
VIII come the question nf the city owning
its own water works. In both an immense
saving can be made.
In January last there were 262 electric
street lights in the city. The increase since
then has been about thirteen. The cost of
maintaining these, for which the taxpayers
paid, was SI4 80 per month per lamp. or "A
total of about SS799 for one month.
N addition there were still left 37j gas
lamps at an expense of 1212 cents per night
for each lamp. These were not lighted
when the full moon shone and the cost for
one month approximated $500. The city
makes yearly contract with the Oakland
Gasllght and Heat Company for both gas
and electric lighting and when the gimmer-
Ing gas Jets at street corners are taken down
the company substitutes arc lights. losing
nothing by 1t because 1t made arrangements
for that when il realized that gas was
doomed
The contract Will expire early in the first
year OF the new Councils term. 1t will pos
s!6ly he removed, but the water company
VIII have hard work and whole lot of re-
forming to do If it makes another contract
with the city. The time for that will be
next February. The new N0n-Partisan
citv officials are committed in their platform
as tayorng water works owned by the city.
The cost at present for the city street
sprinkllng Is $1,000 per year; for flushing
sewers about $3.50 per year; for watering
TIE seven public plaZas about $3.50 each per
year; for supplying the scboolhouses about
$500 each per year, and for the engine
houses about $40 each per year.
The POlics aud Fire Commissioners yes
terday appointed Thomas F. Boyer. son-in-
law Of the late Officer Cashin, a special
policeman to take Cashln's former beat.
Officer Ely, who patrolled the beat with
Cashln on the stormy night that the latter
and the thief Touhill were killed, has asked
the Chief to assign him elsewhere. He
complains that when the lights 90 out and
all is silent he becomes unneryed, and fan
cles that he can again see the powder fash
ing and hear the bullets pinging past him,
and the cries of the ghosts of Cashin and
Touhll in pain.
Before the killing of Burglar Touhil at
West Oakland buTglaTies were of almost
nightly occurrence. Then there was sud-
den abatement till Monday afternoon,
when two were reported from East Oakland.
TIE houses of Professor Ii. Bretherick, 4l6
East Thirteenth street, and of Mrs c. w.
COldwell, 1911 Twenty-secOud avenue
were both robbed of jewelry and silver
ware during the absence of the occupants.
zone of the candidates recently elected to
Office have yet complied with the new law
requiring them TO file with the County
Recorder an itemiZed account of all campaign
expenses within fifteen days after election.
Each one Is holding of TO see what the
others do. Oae of the officers Of the
Municipal League stated recently that the
public will be surprised when the accounts
are filed and when il Is made known to what
uses, honorable though they were, money
had to be put TO combat with old-time
ringsters and political manipulat0rs. The
expenses for the hiring of detectives Will
form one of the biggest accounts.
The suit of Richard Phelan, book
agent, against j. +. Garthorne, a steno-
Rrapher, for S50O0 damages was on trial
yesterday before Judge Ogden in Depart
ment 4. Phe!an entered Garthurne's
premises to sell book and encountered
dog. Phelan's SCARED leg and INITIATED
trousers exhibited in court tell the rest.
He didn't sell the book.
This libel suit OF Mayor Chapman against
the Oakland Enquirer for 100000, which
has been pending ever since the local bond
election, was revived yesterday by the
fling of a motion by defendant for a dis
missal.
The congressional contest of W. B. Eng
llsh against s. b. Hilbnrn viii begin by the
taking of testimony in the Altamont Pre-
cinct tomorrow.
Deputy Sheriff kellogg has arrested w.
c. Bruster and f. Manhattan. two poriers,
for rohhing Charles Z. Troy. passenger
on the Fresno train. of S225. Mr.. kellogg
found the money in their possession.
DIR. Blood. the attending physician OF
County Clerk Crane, stated last evening
that the patient was sinking and that there
was very little hope OF surviving
The Alsip- Whitmore application for an
electric road has been granted by the Coun-
Gil. The Davie franchise was not acted
upon.