The San Francisco call., 1899-05-13
MAYOR SNOW
ON MPROVEMENT
CLUBS ALUE
Should Control the
Street Work.
THE CITY'S ABOMINATI0N
IT IS THE DIsGRACEFUL CITY
HALL.
a Union of Clubs Looking to the Ad-
vancement of Oakland Gould
Do as Much as the Gov
ernment.
THE CITY'S ABOMINATIoN
IT is THE DIsGRACEFUL CITY
HALL.
Oakland Office San Francisco Call

sos Broadway, May II.
Mayor Snow is making the round of the
many Improvement clubs and impressing
7pon each the necessity of working to-
gether Mr. Snow takes the stand that
the policy hitherto adopted by the city
government Of Oakland has been one of
hit or miss, and consequently the city has
been practically robbed of huge sums Of
money for which no returns have been
made.
In the Mayors address to the improve
ment clubs he says: The taxpayers own
a City Hall that is an abomination, and
for the sole reason that it has never re-
ceived proper care Its entrance is a
monument of official neglect. No man
mounts the steps of it entertaining respect
for the city government if he has brought
any thus far. The whole structure, in
side and out, has taken on an indecent
appearance, and the city government is
justly judged by it. With fifteen hundred
dollars now and a few dollars from time
10 time, all this could be changed. II it
were your private property it would be
changed without talking about it,"
The Mayor has an idea that there should
be certain "centers' established through
out the business portions of the city. One
man should be appointed for each of these
Centers. whose duty it would be to attend
10 all the small repairs in the roads in his
little district. Regarding this plan the
Mayor says
Now the idea that I bring to you is to
the GNu IillL llllS De QOlG. lndl II Dc
done by putting the right man in each of
these centerS, giving him hammer, saw,
nails, broom, ShoVel, hoe ana hand-
cart. a box of broken stone will be kept
convenient for him, and his work and dis
trict mapped out. There are various ordi-
uanCeS that have been passed from time
10 time to prevent nuisances in the streets.
OF these there Will be copies rurmShed Tor
distribution to property owners. l would
not expect everything. but these men may
be made special policemen and so furnish
Ha ion hNr 6nH "a iC nnf nn w
had with the whole police force. With
the right men in these central districts a
great deal of work viii be accomplished,
and what is just now equally desirable
after so great neglect, the public will be
witnesses of the improved condition of
those affairs with which they come in
a word as to the cost The wages of
twelve men will aggregate 5000 per month,
or $1,000 per year. We spend three times
this sum now, but in such intermittent,
hit or miss manner that the city govern
ment gets no credit for doing anything
at all.
Council the adoption of the plan l have
outlined. and if you and other improve
ment clubs think well of it and will give
II your Endorsement we can secure the
needed legislation after July l and make
the city shine"
Mayor Snow is firm believer in the
usefulness of Improvement clubs. In this
connection he saws:
Il have a plan of organization that
want TO submit 10 YOU. The possible di-
vision of the city into patrol districts, as
already mentioned. mas suggested the
plan to my mind. Naturally clubs are or
ganized about business centeTs. There are
about twelve improvement clubs of i'm
portance in this city already organized.
The plan is to first dlsband the Central
Club of two hundred, so-called that was
organized some time ago in the center of
the city TO further the park project. Then
of the chosen representatives of each of
the Improvement clubs a new Central
H1YFT 1,o1 1,o flac M HOY
two, four or ten representatives, as may
be determined. This representative club
will not initiate measures, but every
measure of more than local Importance
arising in any local club will be referred
10 the club of representatives for its con-
sideration and approval
"The Council and the whole city govern
ment will be naturally and rightly guild
ed by the conclusions of the Central Club
of Representatives and so will the whole
city. OF course. this club Will have it in
mind to do. large things that affect the
whole city, and which viii need as we
have learned, the favor of the entire city
TO carry to a successful conclusion