The San Francisco call., 1904-08-31
WOMEN CHANGE
THEIR MINDS
California Club Members
Pave Way to an Exercise
of the Feminine Privilege
POLITICS INTRODUCED
Clubhouse Object OF Attack,
With Each Side Lined. Up
for a Fight to the Finish
BY Laura Bride Powers.

The eruption Of Mount Pelee was
long time coming. So is the eruption
IN the California Club-although a good
quake or two may make an outlet for
the explosive gas. and then all will
be well. And, therefore, let US have
hope. But explosives are uncomfort-
able things-in clubs as in volcanoes,
and some ones liable 10 get hurt And
II 5 al about the clUbhOuse-that nebu-
lous, boosted" and Knocked" club
house that passed muster some months
ago and is again 10 be summoned be-
fore the club for another analysis Of its
Writes and its vices-its virtues ably
supported by the friends Of the old ad-
ministration and its vices vigorously
aired by the new. Meanwhile, Archi-
teCt Pissis is having q lot Of fun re-
hearsing daily the details OF each room
n that S35. 900 clubhouse with seventeen
different kinds OF women
And il all came about so innocently
and femininely. The club bought a
forty-foOt lot on Clay street some years
ago, which IL unanimously agreed to
improve But how? There was the
question. Should il be a clubhouse
worthy the dignity and prestige OF the
California Club, or would 1t be a sort Of
housebOat ashore?
After many months OF more OF less
Intelligent discussion il was decided TO
make the clubhouse Mt the club-which
was distinctly large and dignified. And
then the idea expanded into executive
ecGon, the building committee and the
board Of directors deciding TO expend
$50 900 in the construction. and to award
the plans 10 Architect Pissis-unhappy
day for Architect Pissis, who has been
made 70 suffer through the beautiful
zeal OF his friends
Before the motion had time TO cool
Il was carried into the open club at
e regular meeting. and the proposition
presented. With an amendment TO raise
the sum 70 s35. 900 the motion went
through with q zip-without even a
whimper from the members who are
now finding ali sorts Of phantasmagO gOri-
al faults with the whole proposition.
Yesterday every member received the
following notice, promulgated by Mrs
Ayle-t Cotton, the newly elected presi-
oent.
Notice is hereby given that o. Tuesday, the
13-h dsy cf September 1903 a. half past two
o'clock ?. m. az the rooms o. the California
Llb q california "a ccrporaton), US Mason
street. IN the city and county OF san Fran
DISCO state of California. pursuant 70 q call OF
the president of said corporation, a special
wa be he4d 70 reconsider The question ot build
ing q clubhouse and 10 decide upon any meas
Ures and any action IN relation 70 building a
clubhouse that may be deemed expedient. and
ne transact any business that may come before
TIE meeting SCSANNE P PATCH.
Financial Secretary.
1921 Clay St. August %. 1904
On the heels OF this comes the in
formation that the president has dis
solved the building committee Of fifteen
without even a pensiOn-as a body
that had outlived its usefulness. Many
sof its members. however. refuse TO ac-
cept her view and decline TO dissolve,
Insisting that they had served faith
fully and well for three years and that
as the work in hand is not complete
the committee could not be dissolved
& the wave Of the presidential wand.
And thus the matter stands. while
- whispers wander abroad that there's
politics In H." and that the dissolving
process was a simple ruse 10 create a
new building committee-although ii is
universally admitted that many Of the
strongest women IN the club were in
that extinct body
mat meeting Oh oepl5Ttl4Dei 10 VIII oS
fun. And It's said that the members
Hho are allied 20 lawyer husbands
have given them strict instructions to
stay AT their posts on the afternoon OF
the engagement-lest the disputants
wander beyond their legal depth-and
% answer promptly a hurry call for
advice
Meanwhile Architect Pissis is lying
sEake nights lest he dream OF the
clubhouse, with the 500 clubwomen
after him IN full cry.