The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-16
DARKNESS FLEES
BEFORE ELECTRICITY
An Era of General I'm.
provement Permeating
the City.
Next Saturday Night to Be One
of General Illumina.
ton.
From North to South the Electric
Ray Will Spread the Joyous
Things.

Provision of electric arc lights in all the
business streets of the City is now the in
dication of general desire to bring San
Francisco to the front as it never was IN
the past.
The benefits to trade in the drawing of
thousands of persons into Polk street dur
ing the evening hours since the merchants
of that thoroughfare had the arc lights
swung over the center of their street have
acted as an impetus to other merchants
and property owners on streets that are
practically business centers for their re-
spective localities, stirring them to en-
ulate this example; and as result San
Francisco will, before the winter months
pass, be illuminated by electric lights,
giving stores and dwellings midday in
stead of shadowy appearance, such as
they presented before the era of progress
and improvements set IN.
To accomplish this desirable end resi-
dents of several outside business streets
have moved in the matter, with the result
of forming improvement clubs.
Powell street, from Market to Geary, Ii
President Friedianders intentions are
carried out, will eclipse all others in the
uniqueness of the display which will greet
the public on Christmas eve. if not before.
At meeting OF the club of which Mr..
Friedlander is president, held yesterday
afternoon in the parlors of the Colum bia
Theater, A. L. Pyser of the wooden mills,
w. III. Harrison and G. G. Haub were
added to the executive com mittee.
Ninth street is not going to be left be-
hind in the general forward march, and
in this movement the foEdest hopes OF
John Hayden, the butcher, who was the
first to introduce electric lights In mis- shop
on is street will materiaiZe into reality.
At a meeting held in Hibernia Hail on
Monday evening a club was organized
with the following officers: President, M.
A.Owens; vice. president, John Haden sec
rotary, j. +. Renault; treasurer, II. M. d.
Meyer.
Itwas reported that there was sufficient
money in hand to guarantee the lighting
with arc lamps of the two blocks from
Market to Howard. The Merchants As
soclation has signed contract with the
electric light company for five lights over
each block, and the lights may possibly be
in position by Saturday.
A. H. Cousins stated that he had already
fourteen signatures signed Tor lighting the
block between Howard and Folsom, and
the prospects were good for securing the
additional names needed 10 guarantee the
necessary lamps to that street. which will
then swing from Marker to Folsom.
Stockton street will hitch on to the big
celebration to be held by the Kearny-
street and Nontgomery-a residents
on next Saturday night. The club recently
signed contract for year with the Edi-
son Light and Power Company 70 light
Stockton street from Green to Pacitlc.
Three arc lights will be placed in each
block. The company began stringing wire
through the street yesterday.
The executive committee, consisting OF
Albert Bear, L. A. Rea, D. Donovan, ].
Kitterman, }. VESSEL, w. Kuttner and
David LowensteiE, decided TO report in
favor OF making as large demonstration
Saturday evening as the funds in the treas
urer's hands will permit. The buildings
along the lighted portion of the street will
be decorated with flags and bunting.
The Fillmore-street improvement Club
are using every effort to get things in
shape for the illumination of their thor
oughfare next Saturday evening. Fire
works and music will form important
factors OF the programme which the club
has planned. Residents of the street are
taking an active part in the matter and
will illuminate and decorate their dwell
ing houses. The Fiimore-street I'M
provement Club has absorbed into its or
ganiZation the business men of California
street between Fillmore and Steiner, and
they propose to decorate Doth the bust
ness sections named.
Saturday night Will also be memora-
BILE night with the residents on Sixteenth
street from Guerrero TO Folsom, as this
street viii be lighted. The proceedings of
the residents of this locality, in meeting
Monday. are fully reported by The CALL.
A permanent organization has been ef-
fected by the Larkin-street Improvement
Club, with the following officers: Pres-
dent, DR.. E. e. Hill; vice-presdent, FL. III.
Harris; secretary c. S. Jacobs; treasurer,
w. B. Kibbler; executive committee-C.
A Bantel, A. Moses. J. Stern, L. Herrin-
ger and w. A. Coffee.
The M 4rchants Association is doing
everything in its power to assist those
clubs in their endeavors to beautify the
City.
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