The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-20

The property owners of the South Side
do not propose to take the failure OF the
Board of Supervisors to provide for the
illuminating OF Folsom street as defeat.
They intend to show their teeth ana fight
from now on; and the fighting is to be
done in the courts as well as at the polls, If
necessary.
At the last big demonstration, namely,
that at Columbia Square, Attorney George
D. Shadburne let fall few observations
that, like the seed of the sower in the Bib
lical parable, have fallen upon some good
soil as well as by the wayside, and have
brought forth much fruit.
The dominant idea conveyed by Mr..
Shadburne's remarks at that time was
that the City could be compelled to keep
Folsom street in proper repalr-that such
was an obligation assumed by the City
when it accepted the thoroughfare. 1t is
this particular thought which has been
| fruitful of action.
This afternoon at o'clock the presidents
of the four Folsom-street improvement
Clubs and DR.. I. A. Rottanzi, president OF
! the South Side improvement CLUB, with
several other gentlemen prominently IN
terested in the movement for good roads,
will meet in Mr.. Shadburnes office and
discuss the legal phase CT the Folsom
street question. Besides DR.. Rottanzi
there are expected to be present A. b. Ma
guire, the originator OF the movement,
Secretary j. Schwartz of the South Side
| Club, and Messrs. George L. Center, Joseph
Kelly, Leon Samuels and John Rafferty,,
the presidents. respectively, OF the TOUR
| Folsom-street improvement Clubs.
| 1t is proposed to stand upon Supreme
Court decision rendered early IN the sew
entities. According to that decision the
streets should be properly kept In repair
from survey to survey which means not
only the streets but the sidewalks. 1t was
this position taken by the court which Mr..
| Shadburne had in mind when he addressed
! the Colum bia-square demonstration In the
particular strain alluded to.
What has served to precipitate this
course of action has been the step taken
by the Superintendent of Streets to COM
pei the property -owners to put the SIDE
walks in front of their property into such
shape as might enable pedestrians to per-
am bulate in safety. Notices to this effect
have been served upon Leon Samuels, Cap
tain Rafferty,. Patrick Heyfron and great
many others. These gentlemen have no
particular objection to spending few dol
lars on sidewalks, but they wonder why
they should be compelled to contribute to-
ward temporary makeshift of patchwork
recognizing it's Obligations to property
owners in the matter of desirable street
paving. So they have made up their minds
to have the law looked into and then. if it
is in their favor, to move in body. Said
President RottanZi of the South Side Club
yesterday afternoon:
The property-owners on this side of Market
street are becoming tired OF the treatment they
are receiving at the hands OF the City govern
ment, and they think it is about time to do
something more than TO hold meetings and
pass resolutions. 1t is getting to be a conun-
drum with us what we are paying taxes for
anyway.
Now, look at these streets Is there one good
street ON this side? VIII We ever in hundred
years get decent street?
Nature in one of her most benignant moods
bestowed her best favors upon US. Glance at
the topography of this section and see if this is
not so. 1t is all as level floor. Yet we
despair of having one continuous street that
an ordinary vehicle might roll over without
damage.
1t is crying disgrace, yet in the face of all
this slight and neglect, all this failure on the
part of the City government to keep moral
are insulted with notices ordering us to put
our sidewalks in repair at our own expense.
ask again: What do we pay taxes for?
Others conspicuously identified with
Southside progress speak in the same vein
and say that they will present solid front
of opposition if the City attempts to en-
force the sidewalk notices. In short, the
Southside is in revolt, and this afternoon
will determine the kind of fight it is 60
ing to make.