The San Francisco call., 1899-12-28
san FRANCISCO THE BEAUTIFUL.


p Y an overwhelming majority the voters OF San
\ Francisco have declared themselves in favor OF
b.olnn;no the work that is TO make their city
one Of the most beautiful the earth The long pc
Rod Of municipal stagnation following the movement
that found lis highest achievement in the establish
rnent OF Golden Gate Park has ended A new I'M
pulse toward progress takes up the work where 1t
was LETT of. and by arranging for the extension OF
the park panhandle the junction OF Market street
and Van Ness avenue inaugurates another period OF
Improvement and development
The campaign OF education required TO bring about
popular sentiment in favor OF beauying the city has
been a long one. In September 1897, the Park Com
mission recommended the establishment OF a grand
driveway connecting Golden Gate Park with the Pre-
sidio Shortly aiterward The Call began its memor-
able series OF articles on the subject OF beautying the
city and urgently advocated the purchase OF the land
intervening between the City Hall and Market street
so as TO provide City Hall Park that would be an
ornament to our main thoroughare and serve to en-
hance the attractveness and impressiveness OF the
building itself
In response TO the urging OF The Call. supported
II was by large number OF men OF light and leading
the Mayor appointed commission to investigate and
report upon the subject. The commission broadened
its work and took into consideration the whole
problem OF municipal improvement. Among other
powers it obtained from the Supervisors the right
to consider and report upon the approximate cost OF
extending the park panhandle TO Van Ness avenue
The privilege was granted November p 1897.
Although nothing came directly from the labors OF
that commission its efforts were not iruitless Indi-
rectly the benefits were many Thanks TO its reports
and TO the earnest advocacy by The Call OF a system
attic course OF municipal improvement the minds OF
the people were turned to such thoughts Various
plans for improving the city began to receive more
earnest consideration than before, and popular senti
ment in favor OF them strengthened from month to
month.
As long ago as November u 1897, The Call said:
There has grown up in San Francisco an aspiration
for municipal beauty and the feeling shared by the
great majority OF influential citizens We are be
ginning to understand something OF the possibilities
tha, lie before the city happily situated and 50
marked by nature Tor high destiny among the great
capitals OF the earth In that understanding we recog
nize the importance OF making beautiful as we'll as
rcf that il may be inferior to any OF the cities
OF the age"
In the recent campaign which has come to so
glorious victory for progress the forces that were on
the side OF improvement included almost every pro
gressive element in the community The Merchants
Association. the various improvement clubs, nearly
every newspaper. and sterling host OF active, ener
getc, public-sprited men, took an earnest part in it
and helped win the fight against silurianism The
result is therefore for general congratulations in
which all share.
We have now made sure OF park extension. There
remains the duty OF carrying the elections for school
houses, sewers and hospitals. Let the friends OF
progress be active Friday as they were yesterday
and add another victory to the cause OF San Fran
cisco the beautiful.