The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-30
MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION.
The Directors Give an Account
of Their First Years
Work.
THEIR FINANCIAL AFFAIRS.
Resolutions Passed That the City
Carry on Their Street.
Sweeping System.

About a year ago a number of merchants
and business men organized the Merchants
Association for the purpose of giving en-
ployment to the destitute, improving the
condition OF the streets and exercising a
general unofficial supervision over all mu-
nlclpal matters. How well they have per-
formed their mission may be more fully
judged by the reports submitted last even
ing at the first annual meeting of the or
ganization. 1t was held in Beethoven Hall
in the Hotel Savoy. President F. w.
Dohrmann presided. In the course of his
address he said:
When, about year ago, had the privilege,
for the first time, to address you as presiding
officer, asked for this association the good will
OF all, and expressed the hope that 1t would
soon have the confidence of this community
We have had not only the good will, but the
full sympathy of our leading citizens. When
we came to the people for money we found CO.
opera ton for our work and confidence in our
ability to expend their subscriptions satisfac-
torily to them and for the good of all.
The cooperation of older and more influential
organizations in carrying out a general plan
for municipal improvement was solicited early
last year, and while our advances were cor
daily met, assistance did not crystaiiZe into
organized action. However, many new clubs
and organizations have sprung into existence
and are working hand in hand with this asso-
ton.
In our local efforts for greater Improvements,
/ particularly welcome the members of the
Bicycle League and the bicyclists in general,
mostly young men and women of energy and
life. They are much Inconvenience by poor
streets and are directly interested in the i'm
provement of them.
This association was organized to healthify
and beautify San Francisco. Let us now add,
to unity all its latent and active forces in a
broad spirit of civic pride, for the purpose of
general municipal reform and Improvement
No 6cy-n Nv
lection of our employees for the regular work
of the association. as well as those who have
had supervision OF the STRENGTHENING depart
ment.
The report of the retiring board of direc-
tors was very interesting. 1t stated that:
The first regular meeting and election of
officers was held on June 81, 1894, with
membership of 40 members, since which time
there have been elected 104 new members;
making total of 234; withdrawn during the
year 20; leaving membership on May / of
214 members.
The following named directors have resigned
as members of the board during the year: NJ.
Fredericks, P. F. Nolan, ]. ]. OBrien, A. w.
Wilson. In their places were elected: A. S.
Baldwin, William Doxey, Frank Swain, Van
derlynn Stow.
The finances during the year have been as
follows: Dues collected to May L, $1706 SO;
outstanding dues, $42S; total, $2I34 so. Ex-
$6I7 r. ~ ~ D''-'-'e u AiiaOie oi
The first practical work done by this associa-
ton was street cleaning by hand labor paid
tor by the merchants before whose stores the
experimental work was done. After more than
$4,000 had been paid by voluntary contribu-
tons for hand-sweeping, the excellent results
was a general demand that the association
should take experimental contract for the
entire work from the City.
To do this it was necessary to obtain more
money than had been appropriated by the City
or than could be drawn from the public treas
ury for the current year. Under the old sys-
tenn only little more than $4,000 per month
was available, sum far too small for the re-
suit desired.
To carry into effect the hand-sweeplng sys-
tenn an appeal to the business community was
made, and resulted in obtaining subscriptions
amounting to $685. 36 65, which sum, less ex-
pense OF collection, cost of canvassing and de-
fault OF pledges, left sufficient money to justify
the association in contracting for an expert
mental term OF eight months, ending June so,
1895.
Street sprinkling can only become effective
and general when it is done by the munich
paEty, and it is only Just that all taxpayers
should contribute to this necessary expense.
and as this is done in nearly all other large
cities your board of directors has petitioned
the Board of Supervisors to inaugurate this
much needed improvement during the coming
fiscal year
During the first year of the existence of the
Merchants Association the following work has
been done: The streets of San Francisco have
been kept clean since November l. 1894. Work
has thereby been given to an average of $50
men, their families kept from want and deliy-
cred of the necessity of seeking charity.
The actual cost OF effective street-sweeping
has been ascertained, and the fact that this
work can be done by hand labor practically
established, with every indication that the
system will be permanently adopted by the
City.
Kearny street, from Suffer to California, has
been paved with bituminous rock. The Bush.
street franchise, held by the Sutter-street
Railroad Company has been brought before
the courts to determine ii a charter can still
be held where no actual service, as contem-
plated by it, is performed: The location of
fre-alarm boxes throughout the City has been
made familiar and easily found by painting
the lamp-post nearest them and lettering them
| so as to indicate where the key may be found
| At the request OF members of the association.
| who considered it of benefit to the children
| enabling them to take advantage of a more adj
| vanced season for vacation, and an advantage
| to the business man, your association suc
| ceeded in getting the Board of Education to
| postpone the summer school vacation to the
| first week in June. Measures have been taken
| to abate the nuisance caused by hackstands
and other vehicles crowding the principal
thoroughfares. Littering the streets with cir
| cuars and the stringing OF banners has been
discontinued. A great number of minor mi
| sances, brought to the attention of the associa
ton by its members and Others have been
| abated through the action of this organiza.
| ton.
| At the request of the Richmond Improve-
ment Club efforts are being made to relieve
First avenue, which connects the fort and the
park. of all railroad franchises and to meke a
| boulevard OF that avenue, which will no doubt
| be successful.
| All classes of residents are being gradus,lv
educated up to the necessity and ADVANTAGE III
abstaining from the practices which render
our thoroughfares dirty and objectionable. and
are taking deeper interest in observing tho
ordinances for the general cleanliness Of the
City.
In concluding the report the directors
mentioned the nature of the work thew have
in hand and what they have laid out for
the benefit of the City, all of which have
been published in thesecoumns.
The following board of directors was
elected for the ensuing year: A. s. Raid
win, Milton G. Doane, William Doxev A
G. j. Fusenot, NJ. S. Kohlberg, r. +. Os.
born, Vanderlynn Stow, John w. Car.
many, f. w. Dohrmann, ]. R. Friend
Hugo D. Kell. Kenneth Melrose. Josenb,
Simonson, Frank Swain and. Josenb r
Terry.
The following resolutions were passed bv
the association:
WHEREAS, The cost misunderstanding in San
Francisco has always been borne by the mer.
chants, which, manifestly an injustice in both
principle and practice; and whereas, the cost
of sprinking the streets in other large cities is
almost universally paid by the municipal gov
eminent thereof; therefore be it
PpeoIued TIL eft the Roar d of c,,Dary;,o.c