The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-04

L
The Smallpox Hospital.
| The location of the smallpox hospital has
| been source of great discomfort to the res
idents and property-owners in its vicinity.
| 1t has been a barrier to improvements
being made and a depreciation Of the value
| OF property contiguous thereto.
| To these sufferers we owe our best SER
| vice, the gre attest care and comforts should
| be afforded them, q suitable building and
| warm and convenient rooms constructed,
| with competent nurses to attend upou and
! minister to their wants, and no other course
| will be credtable.
The situation of building for this pur-
| pose can be located on the Almshouse
| tract wholly remote ana separate from all
other property, and buildings can be erected
| TO serve this purpose at moderate ex-
penditure to last for the next ten years, so
| that if unfortunately smallpox should APP
| pear and be more or less prevalent the per-
sons afflicted can be humanity provided for.
| Police and Dives.
| The question of police service and the
regulation and employment of the force is
an important factor to be considered IN
securing the highest efficiency. The present
mode Of making the appointments of police
| officers is commendable In this, that it re-
| moves the service from political changes,
| and while the commission appointed under
State authority has given fine intelligent
| body OF men to perform police service, 1t
| may be proper TO infer that if this board,
by its proper standing committee, made
| the police service special function, the
| effect In strengthening and supervising the
| disposition Of men and their employment
| would have most beneficial effect.
The appointment of standing committee
| on police and public morals would inaugu-
| rate reformation by increasing the eff
cheney of the police force, and remedy
many existing evils.
| There are many nefarious places of resort
| In this city which fiaunt their mertricous
| attractions to the unwaTy and are pitfalls TO
| the young, debauehng their minds, blot
| ting out all the finer sensibilities and drag
| ging in time their votaries down step by
step. until they are moral and physical
| wrecks. With efficient police service and
| judges in accord with the public sentiment
no such places can or ought to be main
| tanned.
| The axiom that "what Is everybody's
| business is nobody's business" in this eon-
nection is true. DISCOUNTED efforts ON the
| part of the departments amount to nothing.
| What is wanted Is a united and determined
| persistent effort on the part Of all to secure
| the results desired. The responsibility de-
| volving upon these branches Of Jour govern
ment IS safely entrusted to your honorable
board to see that the laws are properly ad-
ministered and enforced. and that all the
| officers have thorough appreciation of and
| perform their respective functions.
The platform on which, with two excep-
| tons. the members of this board were
| pledged, is significant as evidenolng the
| popular demand. for it pronOunees "the
dives public nuisance. a school OF vice aud
menace to the growing generation. They
| must and we believe can be suppressed with
| the aid Of laws and ordinances now in force,
| and we pledge our nominees for Mayor and
| SUI ervisors 10 see that these laws are en-
| forced"
This is unmistakable language. These
places must be stamped out and our duty
to our constituents well done will cause
| these dens to disappear from our midst,
| however potent and however Powerful any
| influence may be that claims to defend this
| open shame and immortality.
Police StatiOns-POlice Patrol.
| The prerequisite to receive the best re-
| suits from an economic point of view is for
| the city and county TO own her own police
stations on suitable lots. with permanent
| buildings to accommodate the officers and
| TO house police patrols and ambulance
wagons, as recommended by the Chief OF
| Police.
While the city and county is extending its
| police telegraph system progress should be
made to keep pace Herewith by making
/ such permanent Improvements as will rem
| der the police and ambulance service eff
| bulance wagons should, In addition TO other
qualifications, be trained and taught how
best to treat. care for and convey citizen
whom accident has incapacitated and to
whose temporary care and removal from the
| street to the Receiving Hospital the citizen
| has TO be entrusted.
| Without intelligence and technical kn6wl-
| edge great injury TO the citizen may result,
| and it would be an act of inhumanity 10
| entrust any person not so qualified with
1 oh aois driv IF I'm,
lance wagon should have this knowledge
| and be specially charged with the duties of
| directing how any citizen to whom an aeci-
| dent occurs shall be moved and placed 10
| such ambulance to be conveyed TO the City
| Receiving Hospital.
| Public Park.
There is no place upon this peninsula
that is so gratifying TO our people as Golden
| Gate Park. Every improvement and addi-
| ton made to beautify and afford pleasure
| to our citizens, old and young, is hailed
with delight, and its surprising progress In
| affording attractions, amusements and con-
| veniences for the publie-rich and poor
| atike-is universally acknowledged.
All lines aspire 10 reach the park, know
| Ing that the travel will be compensatory
| and profitable, and considerable emulation
| in competitive lines has been shown to OBJ
| tain this privilege. This fact alone should
| have some bearing upon the propriety of
making the park the recipient Of some OF
| tile revenue which will accrue 10 tile city
and county in time from the percentage of
the gross receipts of the street railroads.
In lieu of making this percentage payable
to the Street Department fund. it might
with more justice be paid into the park inn
prOvement fuEd at least in all future fran
chises or renewals.
This revenue would enable the Park
Commissioners to reclaim, beautisy and
maintain In the highest efficiency all the
parks under their control for the benefit Of
those from whom the same was derived.
Street Railways.
There can be no question that the con-
struction of our numerous lines of street
railways has added greatly to the pros
perity OF this city and county by making
points heretofore remote accessible and
affording all classes facilities to acquire
bones within their resources. They have
also greatly added to the valuation OF our
| outside property and have stimulated bust
ness by the expenditure OF large sums OF
money In their construction and operation.
The most Of the railways now In opera
tion under general laws have to contribute
| per cent Of their gross annual earnings to
| the city, while all are required to keep in
| good order and condition the principal
| portion of the roadway over which their
franchise extends. There are, In addition
| to other obligations, licenses on cars and
I taxes upon their property.
While 1t Is proper that the city should
| benefit proportioDately 10 the value of the
| franchise. based upon the revenue to be de-
| rived. proper consideration should be paid
| 10 our citizens who have embarked in these
| enterprises and expended their means to
| afford these facilities
Appropriations.
| One of the important functions which
| this board is called upon to perform is to
| lot in ho q mt inf pria %
| to be made for the maintenance and sup
| port OF the various municipal departments
| and in so far as practicable to conform to
| the annual amount provided. AS in some
| cases the decisions of our courts nullify
| this effort the supervision over these ex