The San Francisco call., 1898-02-03
Board Of Trade and the Mer- chants Exchange in
 Harmony
LINES ALREADY DRAWN
Conference to Be Held Next Week O. the Delegates From All Over
 the Territory.
Oakland Office San Francisco Call,

sos Broadway, Feb. 2. It was determined to-day to make an attempt Tn the next Legislature to form the city and county of Oakland. For a long time this movement has been talked. about, but until recently nothing definite was done Now it has been settled that the same procedure shall be adopted as that which resulted in separating Tulare and Kings counties and the campaign will begin at once.
 This important move will bring forth all kinds of support and opposition from the cities and towns interested. Undoubtedly so far as Oakland Is con- cerned the consolidation will be ac- ceptable. It Is one of the few propesi- lions on which both the Board of Trade and the Merchants Exchange are a unit A few days ago the Board of Trade passed a resolution pledging It's cooperation to work for the proposed city and county of Oakland.
 Last night the Merchants Exchange took even more radical stand. It passed a resolution practically declar- ing that 1t would be useless to under take any permanent improvements in
 
 dated government Is an accomplished fact This action was taken after a discussion regarding the selling of the City Hall site. the members concurring in the opinion that until the consolida- tion was accomplished the exchange will look with disfavor upon any prop osition looking to the disposal of city property.
 : In a few days time a conference will be held between representatives of Oakland; Alameda, Berkeley and :. Fruitvale upon the subject of uniting all under one government. Secretary Shappe of the Board of Trade was one of the organizers of the campaign that resulted in the establishment of Kings County, and he is working along the same lines here as were successful in the south.
 An attempt will be made to secure the pledged support of all members of the Assembly from this county in la vor of a bill creating city and county of Oakland and a county of Alameda. It will be in the power of the Leg1sla- -ture to attach to such bill any pro- vision they may see it; for instance, the Legislature may pass bill mak- ing the consolidation a fact right away,
  matter referred to the people, and stating whether a majority or two- thirds vote shall be considered neces- sary for its passage.
 The lines of the new city and county as at present proposed will include the three bay cities and the territory in cluded in a line from the eastern end of Bay Farm Island to Temescal Creek, along Temescal Creek to the boundary line of Berkeley. This territory will include a population larger than the city of Los Angeles and a much great CT assessed valuation. It would make Oakland the second city on the coast, and would at once obviate many of the difficulties of local legislation now existing.
 There will, however, be some oppo- sition. Colonel John P. Irish, who is member of the Board of Trade, Is not in favor of the movement. When asked for his objections to-day he said: If we are to take San Fran cisco as a specimen of a consolidated government I cannot see where there Is anything to encourage us moving in the same direction. If we are to be- lieve what we. hear and read, San FranciscO's administration is and has been a hotbed of corruption and every thing that is detrimental to public in- terests, and we certainly do not want to follow such an example. Oakland needs to improve herself and show what she can do before wanting to swell out and cover a whole lot of ter ritory. If any one can convince me that city and county of Oakland will be any better than our present con- dition then I shall be prepared to ad- vocate 1t. But it will take a good deal to convert me"