The morning call., 1894-09-09

OAKLAND.-The mass-meeting of citi-
zens tu be held in the Council chamber
on the evening Of the 20lh OF this month
will, unless all the signs fail, result in the
final and thorough awakening of the busi-
ness men Of this city from their Rip Van
Winkle-ibe sleep. The meeting will
probably have the effect of opening the
eyes of the citizens in general to the ne
cessity OF keeping in the van Of the head
long rush OF modern progress, so that it
may not forever pass and leave behind a
stun bering, quaint community to talk Of
what might have been"
The object of the promoters of the meet
ing, in the fewest possible words, is to
bring the most energetic business men in
the citv together 10 discuss and devise
ways and means of making Oakland what
it should be by the making of extensive
improvements in all its departments.
Within the scope of thB contemplated
movement on the opening of the streets to
the water front, and the erection of
wharveS and warehouses; the disposal of
the property on which is now situated The
City Hal, and from the proceeds of the
sale the purchase OF a rew site ana the
erection of new City Hall and Library
building and the purchase of a public
park the extension OF Washington street
TO San Pablo avenue; the continuation of
Lake Shore avenue. and the construction
of a new wharf at North oakland, with
view to the establishing of a new ferrv
and terminus for the tTaUsc0ntineEtal rail-
way.
The present City Hall and Library are
entirely inadequate for the purposes for
which they are used, having been out
stripped by the growth Of the city. and the
consequent growth of all departments of
In do
from the fact that The structures would
disgrace any progressive city, the Hall
stands directly in the way Of the opening
OF Washington street 10 San Pablo avenue.
WITH req ri to the disposition Of this
property, part of which Is known as the
City Park, the views Of Councilman Bar
nard, one of the OrigiualoTS of the mass
meeting plan, are most interesting. He
said yesterday tnat a certain party, who
he was quite sure is q. w. MrNear, the
grain king" is willing to pay $750,OO0 for
the entire property in question. While
Mr.. McNear, it appears, dues not own any
Washing tOn-StTeet properly. he does own
considerable on San Pablo avenue, which
would be vastly benefited by the opening
Of the frst-named street Besides, the ex-
tension II Washington street through the
park Will allow for the erection of large
business blocks On either side, one with
street frontage on every side, the other
with streets on a least two sides.
From the $4,000 thus obtained, Mr..
Barnard would purchase for about
100000 the cid Grand Central Hotel
block, OD which the Tabernacle now
stands. He would build city hall and
library building combined for $780, coo,
and With the S45O,000 then Remaining be
would buy a public park and build the
various wbarves proposed in the coutem-
plated improvements.
'In this way the city would be relieved
from the PmbarrassmenTs which would
certainly attend the raising of sufficient
money 10 build city hall and buv a park
slte," continued NT. Barnard. eve al.
ready have a large bonded indebtedness,
and annually we are experiencing greater
difficulty in getting the money necessary
tn carry on the municipal government.
But by the conversion of the City Hall
Park into money, we need not incur any
dett, and we will get long wanted park,
which some day may be MOI second even TO
Golden Gate Park.
Besides all this, we want to improve
our city thoroughfares which connect with
The cOunty'S main arteries of travel and
we want to beautify the region around
Lake Merritt. We also want a legitimate
competing ferry, which we can get by as
sisting f. N. Smith to finish the works he
started at Emeryville last year. This last,
perhaps, IS more Important to the future
OF Oakland than all the rest together"
Warm for Snow.
The advent OF City Assessor Snow into
the field for the Republican numina tion for
the County AsSessorship has stirred up the
Leckie camp to an intense pitch, and
brought down upon the head of Snow
wrath enough t. last him a lifetime.
Last week local paper accused Mr.
Snow of training under the banner of
George de Cola, a Republican "boss," and
ex-MayOr Chapman, and yesterday Mr.
Snow came out in card denying the ac-
II,
Mr.. Snow makes use Of the following
language:
L have, as City Assessor been student of
the revenue laws OF this SIaie. 1t has been nv
duty 10 examine copies OF the county assess
ment rolls each year for four years. The laws
OF this State relative TO the assessment of prop
erty is so violated annually in this county that
the poor and conscientious are supporting the
Stale and county governments, while the rich
and SOulless, 10 a large extent. escape taxation.
The Oakland Water Front Company, claim
ing 1000 acres of properly IN this city, has been
under-asSessed S16,000000 during Mr. Lee
kie's administration alone, and owners OF othe +
property have IN consequence paid into The
treasury ID four years 100000 more than
their proportion OF taxes. One million dollars
does not equal the total sum of this great four
years wrong in this county.
The State pays pTincely salary 10 the As
sessor striving that this may not be. And now
This man desires to be returned. Corporations
want him returned. Some OF my own political
associates have made combinations which II
successful. will return Mr.. Leckie to this office
and / am threat ened with political Ostracism
for my objections. But l still object 10 the
peTpetration of this wrong. This evil is far
worse than all the political misdeeds OF "the
gang" combined. Printing steals and the
like are nothing as compared with this million
dollar burden. The encouragement and un-
rest OF the honest poor Is tIaceable TO IL, and
the very State Is threatened.
The local paper in question, the En-
Quirer, gives place to Mr.. Shows card and
comes back at him with this declarati tion.
aud the citizens of Oakland who have been
assessed up to all their property would
stand are waiting 10 see what Mr. Snow
Will say in answer. The journal says:
Mr.. Snow says Mr. Leckie IN past years has
assessed the Oakland Waterfront COMPANY
for $4,000. 900 90 little. Mr.. Snow has been
CITY Assessor, and If he thought Mr.. Leckie
was assessing that corporation for too little il
was his duty TO recommend the City Council, as
a Board OF Equalization, TO raise 1t. Did he?
Never that any one has heard. He accepted
Mr.. LeckIe's valuation every year. and never
made a complaint until he (Mr. Snow) became
a candidate for the Office Mr.. Leckie holds and
then he turns upon him. nOunces his assess
ments, and commences talking about "tbe
honest poor.
The Life and Annuity Again.
A complaint was filed yesterday 10 the
office of the County Clerk relating to the
affairs of the Life and Annuity Associa-
tion formerly doing business in Oakland,
in which move will be made to have the
affairs of the defuDct corporation taken
out of the hands of the State Treasurer
and receiver appoin ted.
The title of the case is: The State OF
California, the Stats Treasurer, J. II. Nc
Donald and Attorney General W. II. Fl.