The San Francisco call., 1899-12-30
NEW YEAR
WILL SEE
BONDS MOVE
F. M. /. NTH Comes Out
Squarely for an Issue
Of Bonds.

OAKLAND. Dec. 29.-Oakland has been
stimulated to some decided moves
on the bond question by the success OF
the bond issues in San Francisco. The
matter is now in the hands of the City
Council The Committee of the Whole has
already adopted a schedule of items that
viii be reported TO the Council on Tues
day next, and il is expected that some
decided steps will Toe taken at that time
The preliminaries have all been arrang-
cd. City Attorney Dow has supplied the
law that is necessary for the bond cleo
ton. Mayor Snow is ardently in favor of
the issue. The Council has settled in the
rough. the items that II desires to submit
to the people. with approximately the
amounts TO be issued for each item. That
the new year should be opened with a
move of such decided Importance Is par
ucularly appropriate.
The merchants. property owners and
those largely interested in Oakland. seem
particularly interested in the bond issue,
and they are all heartily in favor OF bonds
despite the fact that ii will increase their
taxes. They do not seem 10 fear the in
crease provided the Improvements are
made.
+ NJ. Smith is probably the largest tax
payer in Oakland, through his personal
holdings and his holding through the
Realty Syndicate and the Oakland Tran
sit Company. Mr.. Smith Is heavily in
terested in Oakland and he has done much
for the city and stands ready 10 do more.
Mr. Smith has declared himself in favor
OF bonds, saying:
This matter OF improving Oakland has
now got into Il shape In which IL Is a
matter Of self-defense. Oakland cannot
afford TO refrain from establishing those
public improvements which seem To be
necessities wnen her nearest neighbors
are showing so much enterprise and pro-
gress This is a very favorable time for
an issue Of bonds, because money is
cheaper in California than in any other
amounts of money in savings banks and
the rates of interest are SO low that the
owners Of the money would be glad 10 in
vest IL in good municipal bonds
Giles II. Gray, one of the leaders in i'm
proVement and political work in Oakland.
has also declared himself for bonds. He
I'VE will have TO issue bonds There is
no question about that. We need i'm
proVements and we cannot secure them
on the dollar limit allowed in our charter.
We cannot expect TO have advancement
and a progressive city by using the money
raised by dollar tax, and the only rem
edy is TO issue bonds. i do not say that 1
am IN favor Of all of the propositions that
are suggested, but certainly am IN IA
Vor of a reasonable bond issue. If Oak
land will take this matter In hand and
attend 10 IL properly there is big future
ahead for the city
Of Oakland, iavors putting the following
propositions before the people: l. Salt
water plant for sprinkling streets. 2.
Wharves. piers, mCles and bulkheads. 8.
Intercepting sewers. 4. Sewer extensions
To tide water. >. Storm sewers. particu-
larly for annexed district 6. School
houses and sites. Z. Paving thorough
fares. S Raising Twelfth street dam. o.
Acquiring and filling marsh lands for
parks. 10. Purchasing and improving
parks. II. Building boulevards. Mr.. Kahn
opposes the following propositions l.
General water works, because of the un-
certainty of the water supply. 2. Garbage
crematory, because of lack of proper law.
g. City Hall. because the proposition ad-
vanced is not good.
NJ. ]. Keller. ex-president Of thu Board
of Trade says: The arguments used in
favor Of bonds in San Francisco will ap-
ply IN every way to Oakland. There Is
too much pickering and too much scat
tering of efforts in Oakland. II would be
well for the newspapers and influential
people 10 stop this If possible Political
ambitions and local jealousies tend to
keep up a turmoil that is very injurious
TO the city"