The San Francisco call., 1906-06-13
OAkLAND'S
SAFETY HIS
CONCERN
Mayor Mott Advocates In
stallation Of Salt
Water Plant.
Says Warning Should Be
Taken From Disaster
in San Francisco.
Presents Views on Matter
City Council on Eve
Of Departure.

p. OAKLAND. June le-Mayor Frank
X Mott advocates the immediate in
stalIatioa OF q salt water pumping
plant as an auxiliary 10 tie fiesh Wa
ter supply Of oakland lie has pre-
scented 10 the CITY Council his views on
the sab5cct urging the construction Of
such an auxiliary FOR street sprinkllng
and for FIRE protection purposes. On
the eve Of HIS departure for the East
the Mayor last night addressed the
City Council or the matter Of addi
tional water facilities. In the course
Of his remarks the Mayor said:
we should profit by the lessons. grow
Ing our of the San Francisco disaster
No city is better situated TO profit
thereby than oakland The earthquake
cracked one OF our TWO main water
pipe lines. but fortunately il was
repaired within two hours. But sup
pose the dam Of the reservoir had beer
water thus en5Dtied9 id will he seen
that cur condition then would. have
been @ most serious one 1t seems L
me that il is time we should prepare e.
install q saltwater plant at least for
see co9neifmaa HkR3sfS Rek3sm ana Sg myseIf @
presented a plan for such plant.
which. il was estimated, could be put
in for about SIS, 600. Such a plant
would enable US TO effect a great saw
ing ia the Sprinkling Of our streets,
as our bill for street sprinkling is
enormous. II is more than any other
city of like population. Fresh water
for street sprinkling lasts but a short
time at the best-perhaps not more
than half an hour on warm dav until
the dust is flying again after the sprln-
king cart has some along But salt
water, when sDrinkled upon the street,
forms q sort Of crust which prevents
dust and likewise does not permit the
street TO get muddy Salt water pre-
serves the street surface and keeps il
more compact than fresh-water sprin-
King. As q dust-reducer, street-pre-
server and money-saver salt water is
Certainly the best thing for the streets.
We ought to inaugurate this system
this coming fiscal year
$4,000 FOR BEGINNING.
We should be able to expend at least
$4,000 for such a starter We could
also lay auxiliary pipes 10 be used for
IRE protection Other cities have salt
water plants for these purposes, where
they are situated on the sea coast as
we are here. / have been in CORE.
spondence with the officials of Boston.
where there is large saltwater plant,
and expect documents from there soon
showing the cost. etc.
Another thing along the line Of pro-
lection from hre is the plan which
City Engineer Turner presented in q
letter TO this body several weeks ago
that Of having wide places or strips
city, so that in case Of FIRE these wide
places would prevent any further
spread OF Lle names. we All Know
what an important part this played In
the recent San Francisco confagratien-
Where there were extremely wide
streets the fire stopped.
Touching new conditions which have
been created in Oakland, the Mayor
said
We all should recognize the great
responsibility which has been thrust
upon Us bx the changed conditions fol-
lowing the San Francisco disaster
One Of the most important matters for
Us TO consider is that of funds. Suffi-
Client funds should be provided to con-
duct all Of our business affairs in a
manner proportionate TO the greatly
Increased business conditions and pop
ulation- All Of this calls for an in
crease in nearly ali Of our departments
IN making our estimates for the com
ing fiscal year. This is particularly
true Of our Police and Fire depart
ments. Then our schools and library
must be carefully looked after along
this same line Before the County As-
SCISSOR does his work his attention
should be called to this matter. and
valuations should be fixed according gIy,
o. that we NAV have a proportionate in
crease in the income from taxes II is
Wei known that the assessed VaIua-
ton OF this and other Counties is away
peioW what il should be. The County
assessors have a little rivalry. | pre-
sumo, IN keeping the assessments as
low as possible, If the law was strict
" followed and the assesey7,ents made
IN proportion TO real value. as con-
templated, we would have much
greater sum with which to meet our
now have.
GOOD START Is MADE.
;, another thing which we should
Keep in mind Is the acquirenent Of
sen9s LOT parks and the extension Of
oonleVards. s.g.. ar We have made a good
stop. am satisfied the people viii
sss.sl. susse.n the Souncii on any such prop
WISH especially TO commend to your
Sareful consideration the report of MT
hopinson, which was read TO you
Week ago. concerning plans for 6beau-
llglng oakland. He calls attention 10
now we may proceed along these Hines
Our problem is a very simple one---so
z simple, IN fact. that II is difieuIt TO
suggest anything especially new We
al know about what should be done
but ne has shown US how 70 do IN
II IS matter of satisfaction to
nsseiI, ano l am sure 10 this honor
able body, the manner in which our
city acquitted herself during the try.
ing times following the disaster to our
which was promptly organized and
which has done such good work will
soon close its work, and there will be
has been well done and in a systematic
manner Not only hasf this BODY, the
city Council, done its part well. but
every other department in the city
government has also done wei. the
omclals and employees Of the citv
working incessantiy many times far
into the night in order that the press
ing duties resulting from the extra
ordinary occasion might be discharged.
want 10 thank the Council and
through the Council. all others who
nave helped TO sustain the good name
OF Oakland IN these extraordinary
times. The city today stands in
more exalted position than ever be-
:. CAR BURGLAR sENTENcEp-oak-