The San Francisco call., 1897-09-12
PRECITA VALLEY zeal.
The Club Indorses The Calls !"
Stand Regarding the
Zoo Plat.
J." Put the Taxpayers Money Where
It Belongs-to Improve the
Streets"

The Precita Valley Improvement Club,
at its meeting on Friday night at Graham
Hall. once more indorsed the stand taken
by THE CALL as against the Squirrel HoI-
low scheme. Mr. Devlin, in speaking on
the subject. denounced the promoters OF
the zoo job as a body of men having their
own sc nsh ends in view instead of that OF
benedting the great ma jority of the people.
He cited the instance of Bernal Park,
which had been permitted to lie in q dis
graceful condition for number of years
without any attempt having been made
to i'm prove it. On this same subject Mr..
o Brien, secretary of the club followed,
and stated that if there was any money
TO spare i should be used in building an
engine house in the Precita Valley. which
section is wholly unprotected in that re-
spect. The absence of such ection
was the cause OF the insurance com mpanies
charging higher rate of interest than in
other portions OF the City.
John McCallan approved OF Secretary
O'Brien's views and said he observed a
populous district steaIily growing, for
there was no question that that portion Of
the city would be the manufacturing dis
trict, and ii was without tire protection
He said the fire insurance companies
would certainly not make any reductions
in rates, as is contem plated by the under
writer's of the Pacific Coast, if there is no
fire protection. He paid a high tribute to
The CALL in its protests against the Zoo
and referred to the Magnificent home of
The CALL on Third and Market streets,
which he said stood as monument to the
zeal and enterprise of its owner
Mr.. Goggin stated that the City should
use some of the money intended 1or a zoo
in purchasing right OF way for some OF
the streets in this district, that the resi-
dents may have an outlet for proper
sewer system.
Mr.. Wizard, vico- president, said that
THE CALL action should be indorsed by
every honest and ia. r minded taxpayer in
the City, and the money intended for the
zoo spent i'll repairing and improving the
streets.
Stephen A. Byrne, president of the club,
spoke strongly against the City purchas-
ing Squirrel Hollow Tor zoo until such
time as the City had done something with
the parks it already owns. He stated that
the condition OF Bernal Park was some
thing that warranted the immediate at
tention of the Supervisors, ii being
twenty-five feet below the grade on the
easterly end.
He said why spend $500. 600 on any piece
of ground while such conditions exist at
the present time. There were many chill
uiSu III ieCitd dliey tHab were uudD! e
to attend any school, there being no ac-
commod ations in the primary grades OF
either the Colum bia or Bernal.
Just look" said he, sat the condition
OF the land bordering on Army street, be-
tween Bryant and San Bruno road.
There, standing like a sentinel, is the
sewer from the City and County Hospital,
emptying into vacant lots in the rear Of
Colum bia lGrammar school, endangering
the lives OF the little children that are
obliged to attend. Remedy l say some of
these conditions before talking of buving
a monkey ranch. Give the Board OF Edu-
cation money for new school in Preclt ia
Valley. Grade Bernal Park or turn il
over TO the Fish Com missioners for "a
hatchery.
Give THE CALL the support 1t d. serves
in endeavuring to protect the City tax
payers from the hands of few lend
schemers that do not represent the prop
erty owners of the Nilsson"
The following communication was or
dered forwarded to Mayor Phelan:
SAN FRANCISCO Sept. 10, 1897.
To James D. Phetan, Mayor City and County OF
San Frdncisco-HoN. SIR: II it is within your