The morning call., 1894-10-19
BETTER METHODS.
The Merchants Meet to
Discuss Them.
PURER POLITICAL LIFE
Is What Is Wanted in San
Francisco.
GRUNSKY'S VERY ABLE TALK.
He Described the Filthy Condition
of the Sewers and Other
Glaring Evils.

| The first regular quarterly meeting OF
| the Merchants Association was held al
the old Young Mems Association Hall on
Suffer street last night. President DOhr-
| mann called the meeting to order. He re-
| marked that it gave the members great
! pleasure to see so many Of San Francisco S
| citizens out to such meeting. 1t signified
that the people are beginning TO take an
active interest in the needed municipal re-
| forms of the city. He thanked the ladies
| for their presence. Mr. DohImann declar ed
that it was a favorable omen when the
women were beginning to turn out to such
! gatherings and their influence upon their
husbands would no doubt be for the good.
He remarked that the work of the or
ganization since its foundation was open
for public investigation. The street
| sweeping experiment, as 10 its success, we
! leave it for you to judge," he said. "We
have not followed out any one particular
| line of Improvement, but as the opportun-
tiles have presented themselves we have
branched out in various directions. We
are endeavoring to give to the people OF
San Francisco better pavements This work
is in its infancy. Our attention was called
first to the work on KearDy street, but as
this street Is not finished L Will not speak
at length on this work"
| At the conclusion of Mr.. Dohrmann's
| remarks an outline Of the work accom-
| plished since the organization OF the ass
| citation was read by Frank A, Val, the
| secretary.
| The report gave a brief survey Of the
| reforms already put into operation, and
also suggested some improvements which
| the association Is intending to take up.
the Of the association In
see that all rubbish left over from the con-
| S'ruction nf buildings is Immediately re-
| moved. Under the present system OF
| things the sidewalks are blockaded with
rubbage for days after building or a
street contract is finished.
The report stated that the board is In
| consultation with the street railway C NJ
panieS with view 10 the substitution OF
a different style Of rail for street roads.
| The rails now used offer considerable OBJ
structioD TO the passage Of vehicles by
| their projection above the pavements.
| The merchants are planning 10 make a
raid on carriages, express wagons and
peddlers' carts that crowd upon the
streets and alleys for the purpose Of dis
| posing of their wares. Signs, merchan-
disc, empty boxes and other hindrances
upon the streets will also be removed.
These reforms will be taken up in the
order Of their importance. The assocla-
ton deems clean streets of paramount in.
! terest, and is therefore bending all its en-
ergies in that direction.
A very able paper was read by G. E.
| Grunsky, candidate on the Non-Parlisan
ticket for the office of Street Superin len-
| dent. His paper was entitled "SuDervl-
sion aud Management of Public Works
in American Cities"
The article took on q decided nOn-par
tisan coloring. The writer declared tha,
great municipal reforms were best carried
out under n0n-partlsan government. He
| said that IL was Just such organizations as
the Merchants Association, scattered
throughout the land. that were bringing
about municipal reform.
THE growing demand for better govern.
ment, for honest administration of munich.
pal affairs on business principles" said
Mr.. Grunsky, has induced the honest
taxpayers and property-owners to feel tn al
good citizenship does not terminate with
| the payment of the annual taxes, anu has
compelled an attention to municipal affairs
and TO the ethics OF government. This at
ten tion is the result of constantly increas-
ing menace to the health aud pocketbook
of the people, in the rapid growing cities OF
our commonwealth, in which prim itive
methods in the administration of public
affairs hold sway.
| "lt is the function of every govern ment,
national, State or municipal, to protect
the lives, the liberties, the rights and the
property of the people to the end that
civilization may be advanced. and the In-
dividual may have placed within his
reach the necessaries of life and a due
! share of comfort and happiness.
'To this end Governments have been
charged, not only with lice duty, but we
look to them for the direction Of many OF
he affairs that are Of general benefit
They are to protect the health of the neo-
pie, educate the children and facilitate
the trade and development of local re.
| sources
Mr.. Grupsky declared that the cause
of the many failures 10 municl pal manage
ment in American cities was due to the
fact that the machinery was run by poll
ticlans who have little regard for their
city's welfare. The better element OF
society fails to take part in elections and
| consequently the worse element assumes
charge OF affairs and conduct things with
| a pecuniary end in view.
The writer very forcibly illustrated the
benefits derived by taking out of politics
many of the municipal depar tments, such
as the police, fire. street and water He
cited the progress that New York. Chicago,
Philadelphia and st. Louis had made with
these several departments under the man.
agement of competent officials. selected re-.
gardess of their party affiliations. He
held that it was of supreme importance
that trained men should be put 10 charge
of public works.
In alludipg to needed reforms in San
Francisco, Mr.. Grunsky said: 'Here IN
| this city the need for reform In The matter
of administering public affairs is evi-
denced by The existence of The Merchants
| Association, and thai San Francisco has
not advanced beyond the village system is
| shown by her systemleSs sewers, the filth
accummuatiOnS on the Mission fats. the
polluted water of Mission Creek and the
disgracefui method of garbage disposal.
''The public spirit already shown by the
Merchants Association, the earnestness
| OF its efforts la behalf of the comforts and
the health of the people of San Francisco
are most gratifying"
In conclusion Mr. Grunsky exhorted the
merchants to continue in their good work
and the time would not be far distan,
| when San Francisco would stand forth
among the most heaithful, prosperous and
best governed cities in America.
MIR. Grunsky illustrated his address
with a number of stereopticou views
showing the miserable and filthy condi.
| tions OF the sewers of the city.
A number of gentlemen from the audi
ence were called upon for addresses and
they all concided with the views of Mr.
| Grunsky.
Mr.. Schussler particularly was very en-
phatic in stating that only well-trainet
men should be put in command of publ,
works, and the best way to accomplish
| This end is to select them as the Non
Partisans have chosen their ticket.