The San Francisco call., 1897-04-13
TWO NEW LAWS
TO AID THE. CITY
A Free Market on the
Water Front, and Paid
Firemsn.
Harbor Commissioners Will Be
Petitioned to Build on Lom.
bard Street.
Mcny New Firemen Will Probably
Be Hired After the First
of July.

There is considerable interest in politi.
cal and commercial circles as to two laws
passed by the last Legislature: the act re-
lating to fire departments and providing
for increasing their efficiency, and the act
authorizing the Board of Harbor Com
missioners to esta blish a free public mar
ket on the water front.
There is a great deal of speculation as
to the outcome OF the free public marke t
proposition because commission mer-
chants in general will oppose it, and they
may even try to enioin the Com Mission
ers from carrying out the law. Aside
from this fact the Commissioners them
selves feel that they have their hands full
already with the construction of the new
ferry deport, and Commissioner Chad
bourne is inclined to took upon the new la W
| as vexation and annoyance likely to re-
suit in unpleasant legal entanglements.
In the first place." said he yesterday,
there is no adequate place for what is de-
manded, and In the second place l am
almost sure we would be enjoined by the
commission merchants from trying to
carry out the provisions OF the law.
Again, we are very busy, and it seems i'm
possible to think of doing anything in the
| line indicated just now.'
| bHGluOer hOWdTu ". f1O1meS OF the
| commission has not yet been instructed
| to do anything in the matter, though he
| has heard that there is talk of surveying
| in the vicinity of seawall 4, adjacent to
| Lombard street. All this, however, Is
still sin the Clouds" as the old phrase
runs.
The provisions of the law are very broad,
however, and of character to appeal to
| the grangers. The bill provides that
| there shall be set aside a sufficient num-
| Der OF piers for the reception of perish BILE
products, poultry, game and dairy
| products, which owners may sell there
without paying any lee whatever.
Property-owners in the vicinity Of Lom-
bard street are much interested in having
| lie Commissioners take steps in the line
mapped out by the law. and it is proba BILE
| that there will soon be an organization TO
agitate the building of such market.
The law seems TO be mandatory, the
word must" occurring in one place and
shall" in another, with reference to the
duties of the Commiss toner's.
Equally interesting is the new law au-
| thoriZing the Board of Supervisors and
Fire Commissioners to make the Fire De-
partment fully paid one and up to date
in every detail.
San Francisco is the only city west of
Chicago that has not fully paid depart
ment, and most of its buildings are
m ade of wood. The new law gives the
City authorities wide scope and those
who are well informed say that great
changes for the betterment of the depart
n.ent may be looked for after July l. For
example, engine-house will have about
ten fully paid men in lieu of three, as a.
present and SO on throughout the City.
These changes are not likely to occur
before July, because there are now no
funds with which to meet the increased
expenses. The new bill provides that the
Supervisors, ain order to provide the nee
essarv funds, may make all necessary and
supplemental appropriations. allowances
and payments in addition to those now or
hereafter authorized by law
No bills passed in recent years are likely
to be more far-reaching than the two fore
going. The outcome of both will be
watched with great interest by thousands
of people,