The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-11
The Leading Thoroughfares
Have the Improving
Spirit.
Business Men Are Moving for
Material Benefits and Will
Have Them.
Kearny, Powell and Larkin Streets and
Montgomery Avenue Raise the
Bsnner of Progress.

The spirit of improvement is abroad.
The merchants and property-owners are
vying with each other in the matter OF
getting their respective thoroughfares
into fine shape, first lighting and then
preparing to pave.
Since the pioneer movement on Polk
street has accomplished SO much in this
line, other business streets have followed,
and now the public are made aware that
Larkin, Ninth Fillmore, Sixth, Fourth,
Kearny, Stockton, Powell streets and
Montgomery avenue have all Joined in
the cyclone of progress and improvements
by a general illumination of their thor
oughfares and determination 20 have
better streets, better stores, and, in brief,
to have a general STRENGTHENING and a
wiping away of accumulated drowsiness
and lethargy which had been permitted to
oyershadow the City too long.
The hotel keepers and business men on
Powell street, from Market to Geary, have
also caught the influence of the progressive
wave and are now taxing steps to bring
this portion into the van OF improvement
by taking the initiative of forming a
Powell-stTeet club.
The prime movers in this scheme are j.
]. Gottlob and S. HI. Friedlander of the
Columbia Theater, Haub Brothers, Royal
Eagle Distillery Company, Columbia
Wooden Mills, Green Brothers. w. III.
Harrison. Hilbert Brothers. M. A. Steen,
Ortion & Gerharot, B. NJ. Stichmore,
Golden West Hotel and the proprietors of
the Bald win.
With those names as promoters others
cheerfulIy acquiesced on short notice until
the proposition assumed business shape
which will be carried into practical opera
ton within a few days.
The objects of the promoters are that
Powell street on the blocks covered by the
prospectus shall assume a business aspect
and be literally Illuminated by arc lights.
The members of the Larkin-street I'M
provement Club met at 1ol7 Larkin street,
President DIR. E. E. Hill in the chair.
Nathan Bibo and Secretary Dross from
the Polk-stree Club were present by invi-
tation, and expressed their views and
promised the hearty cooperation of their
club with the Larkin-street improvement
as now contemplated. w. T. Kibbler, J.
S. Jacobs, G. a. Bantel, the committee on
lights, reported that they appeared before
the Street Committee of the Supervisors
and presented joint petition with The
Polk-street CLUB Tor the privilege of put
ting up poles on the streets mentioned, by
which the Mutual Light Company might
be permitted to compete with other light
supplying companies.
The president appointed w. +. Kibbler,
Oscar Moses, M. Stern, +. F. Harris and
c. S. Jacobs on the executive com mittee.
Messrs. Maggarts and Riding made
strong plea for the removal of all wooden
sidewalks on Larkin street.
f. f. Harris stated that in an interview
with Greer Harrison of the Lurline Baths
that gentleman assured the club of his
hearty cooperation of the improvement
and would, he thought, have the rights
extended as far as Bush street.
The contemplated lighting of kearny
street has taken a new turn, and instead
OF its end being at Broadway change has
been made by the urgent request of the
business people on Montgomery avenue
from Kearny to Green street.
In order to afford this extension the pro-
motors of the Kearny-street i'm provement
scheme have called a halt in opening the
illumination, which was intended to be
held on tomorrow eyenin until Satur-
day, the 18Th. On this day the Grand
Lodge of Masons will lay the foundation
stone for the new Hall of Justice on
Kearny street. This, with the grand
demonstration at night, will mark this
day as one of considerable note in the
minds of those participating in the cere
monies.
Enthusiasm increases in the Stockton
street Improvement Club as the day for
us elecLrlC llSHG ceieDTatlOn apprOaCneS.
At meeting held last evening at 1903
Stockton street the light committee re-
ported that arrangements with the Mer-
chants Association had been completed
and the street would be lighted from Pa
cifc to Green, a distance of three blocks,
with seven lights suspended in the center
of the thoroughfare. The undertaken,
will be completed on the 1871 inst, and in
the evening a dem onstration will be held.
The canvassing com mittee reported sue
cess in obtaining subscriptions, and after
some discussion it was decided to make
the clubs members, forty-seven in num-
Der, committee to solicit subscriptions.
The fact that three lights more are neces-
sary to brilliantly light the street, seven
not being sufficient, led up to the consoli-
dation OF the club as soliciting comm IT.
tee, Considerable money TO purchase
fireworks, procure bands and decorate the
buildings on the Initiation of the new
light system was procured, a nd all are
anxious fo- the evening OF the 10th to
come round, that they may see the result
of their labor of weeks.