The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-11-19
RELYING ON THE MOON.

J TINE there was when the settlement which
! has since grown TO be San Francisco was
known as y erba Buena Ii in those days
q community where people went 10 sleep al dark and
rose al dawn. When they desired a fiesta by night
they consulted a calendar and chose full moon night
Tor the date OF the festival Thus the youths and
Taadens who grew up in Yerba Buena learned to love
the and cherished her light among their bright
est memories.
The community has long since outgrown nearly
every custom and habit OF those early days San
Francisco 10 outward appearance has no resemblance
Ncrba Bueua nor does the busting activity OF her
hIe flowing along increasingly by night as well as by
da.. have anything in common with the quiet lie
OF he old time. In one respect however, there has
been change. For a certain space in each month
municipal authorities shut of the lights OF ciyi-
zation, eNtinguish alike the CLEAN OF gas and the
glow OF electricity, leave the city and its people to
the illumination OF the lights OF other days and for
that period all people have go about at night
by the light OF the moon, as was done when the
town was Herba Buena
Not long ago a distinguished traveller from Ger
many. nobeman OF wealth and social habits, came
10 San Francisco behold the beauties thereof and
20 study It's culture He struck the town during one
OF its Yerba Buena periods He went out one night
10 make social call and found himself in darkness,
for clouds and logs had hide the lovely light
OF the moon. Not TO be baked OF his visit by that
mishap he bought himself lantern, and for week
he saw San Francisco by lantern-light every
night and furnished the lantern his own expense
For how long a time is this condition OF things 10
last? San Francisco has now become great city
OF the noted in the world Its multifold ac-
Invites q business and pleasure can be no longer
carried on by daylight alone. Thousands OF people
after dark and there is need for we'll lighted
streets at all hours OF the night and every night OF the
month Persons who come here from the East or
from Europe expect TO find well lighted city 1t is
ridiculous 10 show them metropolis OF such pre-
tensions in every respect relying on the moon for
illumination
Something should be done by the municipal author
tiles 80 put an end to the absurdty OF the situation
The Ncrba Buena custom OF relying upon moonlight
is Of the kind that honored in the breach
than IN observance. There is not only an inconve-
nence but danger in these regularly recurring pc
RODS OF darkness In some parts OF the city private
enterprise has lighted certain OF the principal thor
oughiares, and the enterprise is commendabe bu,
i is weak and inefficient municipal administration
which renders such enterprise necessary Even 50
great thoroughiare Market street is left TO mist,
darkness during the moonlight period and when the
night is couded would be in total darkness were !,
not for the lights which are radated from stores and
from restaurants.
We arc 20 have charter in force very soon
Let us have a lighting system with it We are
10 start new era let signalize it by doing away
with the Yerba Buena reliance on the moon. II will
not be difficult find way light the streets every
night II the city officials honestly try to accomplish
i. and 4 resoute public opinion should demand that
they make the trial at once.