The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-09
Politics and Economy That
Are Unlike Political
Economy.
AGE OF SCHOOL TEACHERS.
Lake Merritt Boulevard Being
Quietly Carried Toward
Completion.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN Francisco CALL,
pr0oJuau Cont 3


that the levy will be unusually high, Oak
land is now being RECALLED with the usual
annual gossip about economy in the NUM-
clpal Government. 1t is apparent to every
citizen, and especially TO every taxpayer,
that there is more need of economy now
than at any time since 1852, when the city
was incorporated.
A glance at the cost of Oakland's Gov
eminent, independent of bond interest and
redemption, for 1887 and 1895, is all that is
necessary to prove that retrenchment is
not an element OF POLITICAL paoulum, but
necessity that is demanded on every hand.
In 1886 the expenses of the city Govern
ment were S426, $40. The estimate for next
year is $750,0O0. 4 few comparisons show
how the increase has been made. In 1886
street lighting cost $31, 800, in 1894 it cost
SOL 900: Police Department for 1886, SAL
200; 1895 (estim ated), $70,645; Fire Depart
ment, 1886, $34, 965; 1895, SIS, 1854; Health
Department, 1886, $500; 1895 -(esti-
mated), $20,643, and so on all the way
through.
In his estimates to the Council Auditor
Snow SAYS: Except that the valuation of
property increases faster than we have rea-
son to expect, the limit of taxation allowed
by the charter will be reached and necessi-
tate the invention of new schemes for in
creasing the revenue to meet the increas-
ing annual demands upon the city treas
nry."
The Board of Education declared yester-
day that if the appropriation for the
schools was cut down the schools would be
forced to close for awhile and the teachers
lose their salaries.
1t is proposed on Tuesday night to abol-
lsh the following offices: First assistant
of the Fire Department, License Inspector,
one assistant sanitary inspector, one cap
tain OF police one detective and the city
murderer. One hretruck company may
also be abolished and several of the extra
hremen are slated to go.
Now all this appears to be economy and
If Oakland's city officials talked as citizens
as they take in official sessions this at
tempt at economy might be commended.
But they do not and during the past week
enough has been said by the members of
the various bodies to show that the pro-
jected removal from office all originated
from political and personal motives, some
worthy and many unworthy. 1t is the in
evitabIe result of the tangle that exists at
the City Hall. The City Council, the
Board of Public Works, The Board of Edu-
cation and the Mayors office are all pull
ing IN different directions and the old-time
politicians, whose purposes are subserved
by dlscord, are doing their best and with
tent One more fact will show the utter
absence CT consistency of the whole mat
ter-the present Council has created more
offices and allowed more deputies than
the proposed retrenchments, if carried out,
will offset.
The sudden death of Mrs. Katherine B.
Fisher, which was partly due to the shock
caused by her not being reelected to the
position she had filled so long and so
ably at the High School, brought grief to
the hearts of thousands OF old pupils now
scattered all over the land. The departed
lady was ali that has been claimed for her,
and as Calvin B. Macdonald, Oakland's
veteran newspaperman, said on the day of
the funeral: lit remains now for her low
ing scholars and innumerable friends 10
convey the ashes of what was once noble
type of American womanhoOd to some
quiet spot which shall be hallowed by af-
feCtionate recollection; and to plant there
some beautiful flowers that shall be SYM
bollcal OF her Christian life. Then the in
nocent birds will come and sing over them,
and the memorial flowers Will continue to
bloom in her memory, and the gentle
winds Will come in from the south seas,
moan tender requiem through the golden
furze Of the acacias, and sweet-faced young
children will 60 there with their mothers
and ask to hear more about her dear old
teacher who there underlies."
But there is one point that cannot
justly be ignored. 1t is true that her death
was accelerated by her forced retirement
from active life and many charges have
been publicly hurled at the Board of Edu-
cation for failing to re-elect her.
There is but one thing to be said of this
unpleasant matter" said a School Director
yesterday. Mrs. Fisher was an able
and noble woman. She taught in the
High School over a score of years and was
universally. beloved. But public duty
cannot and must not be subjected to SYM
pathy and Mrs. Fisher had reached an
age-67 years-at which it was thought
best to retire her. She was not in need of
her salary, as all her family are grown up,
and if discretion is not used in the matter
of retired aged teachers what encourage
ment is offered to the younger teachers
who make sacrifices to graduate from the
normal schools with the expectation of
filling positions? None feel more genuine
sorrow at Mrs. Fishers death than the
Board of Education"
Beautiful Lake Merritt, until quite re-
Gently, has never been, with its picturesque
banks, as popular as it deserves to be, be-
cause it offered no attraction to the average
boulevardier. Within the past few weeks
this objection has been overcome, and one
of the finest public boulevards in the State
is now open. The finished portion COM
prises about one-fourth of the proposed
driveway around the lake, and if the city
is alive to its best interests the remainder
will be finished in short order. The i'm
provement is the result of united efforts
on the part of the property-ownersa and the
municipality, each paying one-half OF the
cost. The boulevard is public roadway,
but as ii must of necessity greatly enhance
the value of adjoining property compro-
mise was effected and the first two sections
of the handsome driveway have been COM
pleted, with a width of 200 feet. The first
section was constructed of mud pumped
from the lake. but the second section is
built entirely of land. The progress that has
been made toward the actual completion OF
the driveway has been done so quietly that
the extent OF the work has not been real
lied. Those who are actively interested IN
the undertaking expect to see the work go
on gradually till the whole lake is enclr-
cled If any of the landowners should de-
cline to meet their portion of the expense
the land necessary for the boulevard will
be condemned.
After twenty-eight years of active life
the Oldest paper in Alameda County, the
Oakland Times, has at last passed into the