The San Francisco call., 1899-12-30
ALAMEDANS
AGITATING
FOR BONDS
There Is but Little Oppos ton
Offered to Public I'M
provemeht.

ALAMEDA. Dec. 29.-Another step
+ toward bonding the city of Alameda for
the purpose of making numerous public
Improvements was made last evening
when at a special meeting the Board Of
Education. by a vote of to ., adopted
resolutions indorsing the report of the
committee on public schools OF the NUM-
cipal League. The league committee rec
ommended that the sum of $685. 900 be
raised by an issue of municipal bonds for
the purpose of improving the conditions
OF the public schools of Alameda.
The Municipal League some time ago
appointed committees To investigate the
needs OF the various departments of the
city government, ana. in conjunction with
the city officials, make a careful study Of
the manner in which improvements
should be made and the best method by
which the amount necessary for obtain
ing these results could be raised.
Ihe committees were composed of a
number of Alameda 5 most reputable citi-
zens. After great deal OF work the
committees recommended that the sum OF
5000 would be necessary 10 carry out the
ideas embodied in their reports the fund
10 be used as follows. The sum of $4,000
TOR the purpose of improving the public
schools, $4,000 Tor library building and
the sum Of $50 600 for the Improvement Of
the Webster-street roadway.
The committee on the Webster-street
roadway stated that in order to improve
that thOroughfare as IL should be done
would require the sum of $I5, 900. This
included the widening of the road so as
10 give IL a width OF eighty feet. Owing
10 the property fronting on the line of the
proposed Improvement being owned by
and held in undivided interests and not of
sufficient value 10 stand the necessary
street assessment which might possibly
be levied for public work prevented the
work being done other than by private
contract or by the city. As the former
idea was deemed impossible by the COM
mittee, they recommended that the ques-
a bonds
tent of $4,000 be submitted TO the people
for their action, the money To be used for
temporarily improving the roadway so as
TO bring 1t in fairly good condition for
at least two years TO come.
In the matter of issuing bonds for the
purpose Of erecting a new library build
ing, there is little doubt but what the peo-
pie will vote as a unit for the bonds. The
Alameda Free Library has always been
an institution of public pride and Alame-
dams are justly proud of ii and their
schools. In addition to the S25 900 asked
for by the committee there is addi
tional $4,000 donated by Andrew Carne-
gle. With the sum OF $4,000 a building
could be erected that would be ample TO
the city's needs for a great many years
to come. 1t will not be necessary TO pur-
chase lot for the building, as one was
purchased for this purpose some years
ago.
Some objections to the report on schools
Is offered by members OF the Board Of
Education. Directors Brown and KEYS be-
ing opposed 10 the transferring of the
High School TO the Porter School building,
and after making the necessary altera-
tiOnS and additions 10 the High School
building using IL for grammar school pur-
poses. Both Mr.. Brown and Mr.. Keys op-
pose the issuing Of bonds. as they say
they do not believe they are necessary.
In place OF making numerous additions
and changes they favor the erection of a
new High School building, to be con-
structed Of brick or stone. The other
members of the board and the league
committee are all of the opinion that the
number of scholars to each teacher is too
large and that more room is an absolute
necessity.
The league has n strong following and
there is little doubt that a call for bond
election will be made by the Trustees, and
as there is little opposition offered the
bonds will no doubt carry.