The San Francisco call., 1909-10-09
CONVENTION HALL
ANDARMORY, Y,ECRY
Realty Board Takes Up Slogan
for Two Big Improvement
Projects for City

The San Francisco real estate board
is about to begin a strong and concert
ed campaign to secure two great I'M
provements for San Francisco These
are the convention hall and the state
armorv. Prominent members of the
board say that the convention hap IS
of prime Importance. The real estate
board members to some extent at least
are of the opinion that the convention
hall ought TO be under the manage
ment of the Mechanics institute, hav-
ing in mind the land Of the institute,
which is centrally situated, and aIso
the SUCCESS that attended a series OF
national conventions which were heid
in the old pavilion, which was easily
accessible. At any rate. the real es-
tate board is committed TO the pro1ect
of promoting the construction OF
large convention hall, sufficient IN size
and modern in all appointments, for
the purposes Of holding national gatn-
erings in San Francisco.
Some move will be made in this d.
rection soon after the Portola celebra-
tion, it is expected In the mean
time plans will take shape The in
ducements held out TO conventions to
visit san Francisco are conceded 70
be greater than before the eonf1agra-
ton of 1906, rather than less; Tor now
curiosity concerning the rapid rehablil-
,ation of San Francisco furnishes an
added incentive to visit this city The
commercial bodies of the city have, in
dividually. talked the convention hall
project over great deal recently.
Their influence will be exerted unitediy
TO bring national conventions 10 San
Francisco 1t is said by members OF
these organizations that the assem-
bling of conventions here Is matter
of prime importance. not only because
of the money which they immediately
bring TO the city. but also on account
of the large amount of national adver-
tising of San Francisco that results
from their visits and entertainment
ONLY $4,000. remains unpledged TO
paw for the site for the armory In Van
Ness avenue. A circular letter has
lust been sent out TO the number OF
10. 900 copies from the real estate board.
which is addressed to property owners
of all classes. The argument therein
set forth is embodied in the following:
''As a property owner in San Fran
cisco you. more than any one else, are
interested in the acquisition of the
block of land selected by the national
guard armory finance committee. TO be
donated to the state of California and
to be used as site for the erection or
a n100eTn dTnOEA Dh1lQiHS IOA tiiC (OooN
artillery corps now being organized IN
this state. For the construction OF this
building the legislature. at its last ses-
sion, appropriated the sum of s420, 600,
which is now lying in the state treas
ury available for this purpose The
governor of the state of California in
tends TO use the entire appropriation
for the building only and has asked
the citizens OF San Francisco TO con-
- nf land a Riff N
the state"
This has been followed by the ques-
tion, do you want the appropriation OF
S420. 900 expended inSSan Francisco. or
do you want ii to revert back TO the
general fund. TO be expended elsewhere
in the state? There can be only one
answer to that question. II is there
fore incumbent upon the property own
ers of San Francisco. as we'll as the
bankers merchants and other business
men TO aid in raising this fund. We
therefore suggest that you mail a check
for such a sum as you are willing to
contribute Checks should be drawn
in favor of ]. r. Howell. secretary of
national guard armory state fund.
The committee on site includes the
following: Governor James y. Gillett.
Frank B. Anderson, William B. Bourn.
William H. Crocker. j. W. Foster.
Joseph D. Grant. J. r. Howell, I. W.
Hellman Jr., William q. irwin. GeoFge
A. NewEal1. A. H. Payson. Leon Sloss
and Henry T. Scott.
An argument is made by this COM
mittee in which the facts relating to
the armory are set forth These are
to the effect that the United. States
government. through the war depart
ment has requested the governor Of the
state of California to form IS COM
panies of coast artillery. national
guard, and the secretary of war has
signified his desire TO fully equip the
orsa nization. Aside from the question
of national defense, which in itself
is of the utmost importance the fact
that the sum OF $4,000 for the con-
struction of a modern armory building
in San Francisco is to be expended in
San Francisco at this time, is of suffl-
cient moment to justify hearty re-
sponse on the part OF citizens OF San
Francisco to the appeal. The inter
esting and instructive eh2rGcter of the
coast artillery branch OF the service
should attract sufficient number Of
young men to fully equip the organiza-
ton In addition TO giving financial
aid. the businessmen of San francisco
are urged to assist in the work of re-
cruiting, and to encourage some OF the
man in their employ to become mem