The San Francisco call., 1897-05-21
THE CITY
WILL Be
IMP PROVED
Merchants Plan for Light
ing the Streets by
Electricity.
DAYS OF GASLAMPS ARE
NEARLY RUN.
Some of the Thoroughfares
That Will Be First At.
tended To.
ANNUAL MEETING OF THE
ASSOCIATION.
ANNUAL MEETING OF THE
ASSOCIATION.
What Has Been Done in Three Years
Efforts 10 Create a College
of Commerce.

The third annual meeting of the Mer-
chants Association was held In Academy
of Sciences Hall last evening, and new
board OF directors was elected. 1t was
largely attended, for an Invitation nad
been extended to the general public as
well as to the memb bers. The work Of the
association for the past year was reviewed,
and plans of propCs sed improvements were
outlined.
T. W. Dohrmann, the president, opened
the meeting with few remarks, which
were followed by the reading of the an
nual re port OF the directors, which was In
substance as follows:
Tonight closes the third year in the exist
ence OF the Merchants Association. In the
history of city three years are put a brief
span. In the active life of this association,
however, many events have transplred. 1t IS
only possl bic within the limited scope of this
report to recount briefly the most important
results accom- plished during the past year and
allude TO the work now progressing or pro-
posed in the near future.
Three years ago the Merchants Association
began its career with but forty-seven public
spirited citizens. Two years ago the roll num-
bered 406 names. To-day S67 business firms
are Oh ed regular members of the asso-
ciatiou. Every industry in the City is repre-
sented. The outstanding dues on the 1st of
this month amounted to $1340. The amount
OF cash on hand was $746 81, making a sur
plus to the credit OF the association on May l,
1897, of $20S6 81.
The compa ralively clean streets and side
walks OF to-day, as impaired with their filthy
condition three years ago, fully confirms the
practical efficiency of the specifications pre-
pared by THIS association and twice adopted
by the municipality. With the introd uction
OF BET ter pavements still more favora bic re-
suits viii be attained.
We regret to report that our earnest efforts
in favor OF street-sprinkling by the municipal
ity, as in other Cities have not yet met with
success. Partial sprinkling is however, Sc
cured under the present street-cleaning speci-
hcatlons Your Doard Will con tlnue its efforts
in having the City authorities perform the
just municipal duty of streets sprink ing. AS
valuable fertilizer street-sweepings have
long been recognized in many cities. The re-
cent expe riment OF using the sweepings of our
streets for this purpose proved so in
vigorating to the growing plants in
Golden Gate Park, that arrangements satfSfac-
tory 20 the Park Commissioners and to the
Msrket-street Railway Company were under
way, whereby IL was hoped this experiment
would become permanent feature OF the City
Unfortunately the recent decision of the At
torney-General, declaring the hauling OF street
sweepings as beyond the legal power of the
street railway company, has interrupted our
p ans III this direction ana Will delay their
fu. Il hllment until other arrangements may be
effected for the transportation OF the street
sweepings TO Golden Gate Park
The cobbies that have long disfgured
many of the prlncip pal streets in the heart of
the City, are at last disappearing. The efforts
OF this association in connection with the City
and property-ownerS have resulted in final
arrangem menis for the modern requirement. of
several blocks on Stockton and on Geary
streets. The requirement. OF a number of other
blocks wll shortly begin.
Your board OF direcrors consen ted to under
take the experiment OF showing the advan-
tages of lighting the principal streets OF the
City with powerful electric arc lights. Two
hundred ana twenty-eight arc lights now
suspended along seven y-two blocks through
out the Guy. The entire expense of this ex-
pertinent in better street lighting has been
voluntarily borne by the merchants and prop
erty-owners along the streets illuminated. 1t
is now proposed 10 secure a readjustment OF
the gas and electric lights, so teas the better
illumination OF the streets may be accom-
plisned by the City at very slight in crease
over the present cost. carefully prepared
plan for effecting this desirable result will be
submitted tonight.
The progress OF city is often judged by
things that appear trivial. The absence of
the little sign-guides giving the names of
streets Is frequent cause OF annoyance, espe-
ciaily to visitors TO our city. A detaiied list
of all missing signs has been furnish ed to the
Superintendent OF Streets, with request that
the ordinance of the City requiring these signs
at street corners be fully enforced.
The partial report made by the official en-
gineers in 1892 shows conciuslvely that the
present defective drainage of me City de-
mands radical improvement Many OF the
sewers are in sucn dila pidated condition
that more patchwork is really a waste of pub
lie funds. Your board believes that thor
II
sewer system is imperative. Your board,
therefore, has recomme nded the appointment
of a com mission OF reliable engineers 10 COM
plele the Work begun by the previous Sewer
age Commission. Based upon such re port
The City authorities could SAFELY proceed o de-
wise ways and means for the early construc-
ton OF correct sewer system, tnat may also
contain conduts for all the wires that now
dsfgure the streets. The citizens of San
Francisco would then, no doubt, be wiling to
vote for the issuance of sufficient municipal
cOnSummatlOQ IN II .h.
needed improvement.
The experience OF other cities as well as the
experiments upon our streets, clearly prove
that more liberal policy should be adopted
by San Francisco in street pavements. The
custom in vogue of excluding certain desira-
bic paving materials should be changed No
good reason appears to exist lOr the absolute
exclusion OF asphalt, wood and brick from
competition in the street pavements of San
Francisco. Specifica tions for the use OF these
materials under main ienance guaranteed of
at leass five years have been carefully pre-
pared by The engineer of this association and
recommended 20 the Board of Supervisors for
Incorporation in future contracts for street
pavements. The question of certaining the
materials best suited for street pavements in
San Francisco is all the more urgent in view
OF the contemplated requirement. of Market
street at an early date. The proper repaye-
ment of this main artery OF the City will
largely determine the character OF the pave
ments upon the many streets tributary To it,
With modern pavement there Is hardly an
other street in the world that would present
more imposing appearance than this mag
nificent thoroughfare.
special committee of twenty-five promi-
nent citizens was appointed by your board of
directors TO secure q suitable site for the WI
merding School of Industrial Arts. Confer
ences have been held with Il committee of the
board of regents OF the university of Califor-
MIA and number of available sites have been
offered. The regents of the University are
now celebrating upon the selection Of one of
these sites. and it is hoped that the boys of
california will soon enjoy the benefcence OF ].
Clute Wilmerding, one of the noble pioneer
merchants OF San Francisco.
The continued depression in all lines of
business makes the strlctest economy neces-
sery in public as well as in private affairs
Inc onerous burden OF taxation must be les
sened as much as possible. An annual ex-
pendlture OF from $5,OOO.OOO 10 Sc. 600, 600
for the simple maintenance and Operation of