The San Francisco call., 1904-02-24

Two communications were sent to the
City Hall yesterday concerning the sale
or flowers on the streets in this city.
One of these, from the Retail Florists
Association, thanked the Board of
Works for it's action in ordering the
street corners and making various
statements concerning the manner in
which the flower selling on the streets
has been conducted. communication
was forwarded by the Merchants AS
sociation in which the establishment Of
free flower markets at certain desg-
mated points was advocated. This was
addressed to the Supervisors. who are
urged by the Merchants Association
to pass an ordinance naming certain
places to be known as the free flower
markets of San francisco" The es-
sential part of the Merchants Associa-
tion communication is as follows:
Inasmuch as the difficulty heretofore seems
TO be that the flower venders had no legal
permit TO occupy any sidewalk, and that the
Board OF Public Works cannot grant this priv
ilege except under authority conferred by
general ordinance and that the privilege mere
restricted to them and was therefore a spe-
cial privilege which is contrary to the spirit
OF our charter, therefore suggest that the
correct solution of this problem is for the
city to officially designate certain localities
in the most frequented parts of the city as
free public flower markets, open 10 all per-
sons who comply with the rules and regu-
lations governing the same. We believe that
such regularly established free flower
kets are desirable and should be established,
and therefore respectfully recommend your
honorable board TO pass an ordinance desig-
Tfr,rs fha fol1p freq 6OprPr
markets OF San Francisco:
SUGGEST MARKET SITES.
The outer portion OF the sidewalk adjacent
u and surrounding Union Square. to be known
the Union Square Free Flower Market the
outer portion of the sidewalk surrounding the
Donahue Fountain. to be known as the Dona-
hue Fountain Free Flower Market; the small
triangular space formed by the intersection
around the hagpole at the intersection of Cali
fornia, Drrn'm and Market streets, TO be
known the California-street Free Flower
Market; the outer portion of the sidewalk
surrounding Portsmouth Square. 70 be known
the Portsmouth Square Free Flower Mar
ket; the outer portion of the sidewalk sur
rounding Washington Square, TO be known
as the Washington Square Free Flower Mar
ket: the outer portion of each OF the side
walks at the intersection of Market and Kearny
streets, Kearny and Geary streets, Geary and
Market streets Market and Third streets, and
extend along each Of said streets for a dis
tance of fifty feet from each of said inter
sections. 10 be known as the Central Free
Flower Market.
The outer portion Of each OF the sidewalks
at the intersection OF Market and Powell
streets Powell and Eddy streets. Eddy and
Market streets, and extending along each of
said streets for a distance of fifty feet from
eachl OF said intersections, to be known the
PuwelI-street Free Flower Market.
That the following regulations governing the
use of these flower markets be provided That
any person holding a flower peddlers license
shall. without further expense, be permitted TO
sell flowers at any all of said markets; that
the selling Of flowers shall be confined within
a space OF three feet from the outer edge of
the curb of the sidewalks designated; that no
permanent stands shall be placed at any OF
these flower markets. and all flowers, baskets
and other materials used shall be removed by
the vendors every evening before departure;
that Saturday and holidays any person may
sell flowers at any all of the free flower
markets without any license.
We believe that this plan is the true soiu-
ton Of the question and the fact that San
Francisco has officially established free flower
markets will be even greater attraction and
advertisement for the city than the small
stands heretofore occupied on certain side
walks which were simply permitted on suffer
ance and known flower markets.
With the letter was a draft of an
ordinance embodying the provisions
suggested in the foregoing.
THE RETAIL FLORISTS.
The communication from the Retail