The morning call., 1893-03-21

Francisco wanted to be put in good order,
streets, lights and all, ahead OF every other
section.
This proved a good excuse for the delay of
action upon the part OF the ely fathers aud
they got out of many tight place by pttlnE
one improvement club against another and
then refusing to decide between them. II
was as stated, in January, 1890, one rainy
Saturday night, that i. A HAYWARD, presi-
dent of the san Bruno Road Improvement
Club. called meeting TO discuss plans
whereby coGcert OF action among property
owners might be obtained. John Reynolds
offered a resolution that the presidents and
secretaries of all improvement clubs in the
city be requested to attend meeting at
some appointed time and place and there
discuss the matter. The resolution was
carried and the Market-street Improvement
Club, without wasting any time, at once
issued invitations for the convention, to be
held at parlOr a OF the Palace Hotel.
On the afternoon of the meeting every
improvement club in tie city was repre-
sented by delegates, and the federation was
formed. constitution and bylaws we're
drawn up, conforming in the main to the
essential features Of the constitutions of
the various clubs. A rule was adopted that
each cub should discuss in its meeting The
measures it desired advocated, and If a
majority of the members wanted the meas
urc pushed then it should be reported to
the federation, and if, upon investigation,
cial to the portion Of the city from which it
was proposed, the federation would under
take to see 1t was made a law.
The federation was composed of the pres
idents aud secretaries and three delegates
from each of tile Improvement clubs, and
held its first meeting in the last week OF
January, 1890, electing j. II. Bartlett of
the MaTket-sireet club president, and c. II.
Sykes secretary.
The meetings at first were stormy because
a afr
trying TO force the federation to champion
their, pet schemes regardless of clubs.
When three months had passed only the
San Bruno road, Market, Seventeenth
street, Point L0bos road, Golden Gate,
Mission Howard and North Beach In
iiou. Another election was held. and
President Parker OF the Point LobOs club
was made president Of the federation, n
Wiuants being ELECTED secretary. Il was
about this time that the federation began to
make Itself felt. Contractors who were
doing street work were surprised to find
that a committee FROM the federation had
visited the scenes Of their laOOTs, whether
on streets, sewers or public buildings,
noticed the manner in which the work was
being done and reported the same to the
Supervisors with not the request, but q
demand that the work be done according
to contract.
At first the Supervisors were inclined to
pay but little attention to the federation,
but when the executive committee of thai
body warned them that unless they did
theic duty the matters complained of would
be taken to the courts, the Supervisors
weakened. The next move was to bring
political pressure 10 bear, and while sue
cesslul in causing ono or two clubs to with
draw from the federation, it did not stop its
onward march. Not until then did the
ofice-holders, politicians and contractors
realize that they had determined business
men TO deal with who cared nothing for
party or politics so far as San Francisco
was concerned.
The famous declaration of the federation
to the effect that contracts for public work
were being let al su h figures as would ruin
the contractor If he did the work according
10 the specifications and that the federation
favored paying better prices and demanding
the best work n return, won for it the
hearty support of nearly all the contractors
who had been fighting It,
During this time the FUlsom-street. South
ern Heights. Park lane, South San Fran
cisco, POtreTO avenue, and several other
clubs had iuined the federation. Mr. Parker
resigned the presidency, and 4. Ruef was
selected TO I'LL the uneXpired term, at the
close Of which l.. a. Hayward was chosen
president, and for more than two years has
continued in Office, with Mr.. Winants as
secretary.
With The incoming Of the new regime. the
widened, and having grown and gained
strength, IL was decided 10 adopt an aggres-
siye campaign against the Southern Pacific
railways encroaChment and disregard Of
law. 1t twas also decided TO assume a distinct
lire in working fOT,the TeformatiOns needed ;
that no toadying was to DE done, not a
Scent piece paid 10 boss, or any other
politician, and that when it came to elect
men to the Offices in San Francisco, the
federation would select candidates accord
ing TO their records and regardless of their
politics. IL was also decided that the various
clubs should report any violations of con-
tracts at once 10 the secretary Of the feder-
alton, he 10 report The same Immediately to
the executive committee, who would first
investigate matters and then proceed as
they thought best
The decree of the federation was laughed
at and consequently they concluded to
tackle the worst job on hand first but keep
ing an eye on the smaller matters as we'll
They went after the Southern Pacific Rail-
road and astonished that Company by pre-
venting the closing of Bosworth street as
the railroad desired. They followed II up
by demanding safety-gates at all street
crossings from Valencia TO Army street
where the railroad crossed the street and
got the law passed. Several gates have
already been put in and more are being
erected. Still they kept on and once more
the Southern Pacific Railroad was defeated
when the federation had the law creating
the drawbrldge at Fourth and Channel
streets passed and saw to 1t that the bridge
was built.
About this time it occurred to numerous
people who were in Office or wanted office
that there were COCO great big votes behind
the Federation of Improvement Clubs, and
they began 10 try to cOnciiate the Organi-
zation. The federation, in the slang of the
day, was ION to the move" and took full
advantage Of it, but promising nothing in
return.
The sewer on Mission street, from
Twenty sixth to CORTLAND, was completed
China avenue was graded, cnrbed and
macadamzed an appropriation Of S12,C00
for repairing San Bruno road, then I'M.
passabe ID winter. was secured; the
original names Of the streets and avenues
Of South san Francisco were restored and
hundreds of dollars and hours. yes, years
Of work in abstractng property saved
electric lights and police were secured for
Mission road, San Bruno road, Noe valley
and South San Francisco; Kentucky street
was paved; various streets were opened
and graded and an order to water certain
streets In summer so as 10 preserve the road
bed was secured.
Then Uncle sam heard Of the federation
and asked 1t to take M the question Of
correctly numbering the houses on streets
so as to facilitate the delivery of mali, and
they secured the DHssage OF such law.
All ms ana much more has the Fedora
tlon oil Improvement Clubs accomplished II
three years, and 1t is to-day stronger than
ever aud much more aggressive
10 write its history is to write the history
OF the suburbs of San francisco since it has
been in existence.
When the question Of selecting officers