The San Francisco call., 1896-12-25
DILIGENCE IN The
LINE OF REFORM
Comprehensive Programme
of the Panhandle Dis
trict Club.
A Special Meeting for Energetic
Action Called for Satur-
day Night.
Protest to Be Made Against the
Proposed Location of the
PeSthouse.

Now that the election is over and new
set of officials are coming into power, the
efforts of the members of the Panhandle
and Ashbury Heights Improvement Club
are to be in nowise abated. On the con-
trary, they intend to take up the work of
reform in public Improvements with re-
newed vigor.
With the evident purpose of impre ssing
the incoming administration with the
importance of the work they have under
taken, and also with their sincerity and
good faith in the matter, all the evils that
they have sought to abate or eliminate in
their district will be brought afresh to the
attention of the new Board of Supervisors.
Already special meeting has been called
for next Saturday, at which action is to be
taken in reference to some of the most
urgent Improvements desired by property
owners and residents alike.
At this meeting it is proposed to formu-
late remonstrance in the shape of petit
tion protesting against the building OF a
pesthouse on the Almshouse tract in ac-
cordance with the resolution passed by
| the Board OF Supervisors at its last meet
ing. The grading of the TreadwelI prop
pave the streets in the tract owned by the
Beard estate, and the removal of the un-
| slightly, unused slots and tracks on Oak
street and the high fence erected on
Stanyan street by the Market-street Rail-
way Company, will also receive attention.
1t will be argued in the protest TO be filed
with the Supervisors that the erection of
the Pesthouse on the Almshouse tract
would not only be a gross piece OF in
justice and cruelty to the inmates of the
county poorhouse, but would be a serious
menace to the health of all the surround
ing district.
In reference to the grading of the Tread
well property, resolution will probably
be adopted appealing to the owners of
shat tract to grade it, and thus keep in
line with the spirit of improvem ent SO
generally manifested in this district by all
other holders of large tracts, who realize
the value of having their tracts in shape
to tempt intending purchasers.
The BeaTd.estate proposition is an old
grievance with the people of this district.
Repeated appeals and overtures have been
made to Mrs. Beard, the exeeutrix of the
estate, and also TO her attorneys, to lay
sidewalks on the streets and pave the
roadways running through the property
OF the estate, but hitherto without avail.
The reason given for inaction has been
that there were no available funds for
this purpose. The property in question
embraces most of the land situat ted be-
tween Central avenue and Stanyan street
on the east and west, and Waller and Page
streets ON the south and north respec-
lively. On the part of the members of the
improvement club it is argued that q
proper application made to the Probate
Court will secure permission to sell suffi-
hr0DnftV a
needed funds. The court granted such an
application when it was necessary to
raise money to pay for street improve
ments ordered by the City, and it is
claimed that sidewalks and pavements
are equally important matters with sewers
and grading.
When the Market-street Railway Com
pany converted the cable line on Oak
street into an electric road it failed to re-
move either the rails or the slots used by
the old line between Baker and Stanyan
streets. This the residents thereabouts
view with Gispleasure, as they not only
make the street more or less unsightly,
but are also an element of danger to We
hicles, and a strong effort will be made to
have them removed at once.
They also look upon the high fence
erected by the same corporation along
Stanyan street, between Frederick and
Haight, as an obtrusive and unnecessary
precaution and will insist on its being
taken down. 1t is built on the sidewalk
and is serious obstruction to pedes-
trians along that thoroughfare.
Tie residents of all the section lying on
the south side of the park in the vicinity
of the Almshouse will be invited to Join
the club in its work of progress, and the
meeting on Saturday night promises to
be one of the largest and most important
ever held under the auspices of the club.