The San Francisco call., 1910-11-12

day issue of this paper discloses the
fact that the Improvement clubs have
exerted a decided influence in the de-
velopment of the city.
Each club has rendered to the city
services characteristic of the needs of
It's particular section. The Downtown
association, Mission merchants associa-
tion and South of Army Improvement
club at their own expense installed ano
maintain electroliers for their districts
The North Central improvement asso-
ciat1on at its own expense maintains
street sprinkling system; the Green
valley, Glenn Park and Visitacion VAL
eT clubs maintain volunteer fire de-
partnents and supply the equipment.
The members Of the Sunset club went
down into their pockets to secure a por-
lion of the money necessary TO pay
for the extension Of the Masonic ave-
-ue line The Fillmore Street club or
gsnized 2 corporation TO finance the
Cough street cutoff. The Sunnyside
olub is now collecting money TO COM
plete its sewer system.
Building Is ERECTED
The distinctive work Of the san
Bruns Avenue Improvement club is the
a building that viii cost $4,000 TO serve
as the center Of the civic. social and
fraternal life Of the district.
At the time Of the clubs orga anization /
in October 1906. there was not a fra
ternal organization in the district The !
members OF the Improvement club |
formed the san Bruno Avenue improve /
raent club hail association, incor- |
porated. and thereby secured the funds /
necessary to build the hall
since the completion of the new hall /
six lodges have been organized in the |
huilding-the Forester Of America. |
The L. A Q. D. the Woodmen of the
world. the r. y A and the Z. Of F.
The organization of these lodges. as !
weu as other social, literary and civic 1
bodies denotes the impetus that has
been given TO the solidarity of the dis :
rriCC. Nothing serves better TO pro-
mote local pride and cooperation than
the bringing together of the members
of frsternal, social or civic organiza-
tons.
The building of this hall is only one
of the many accomplishments of the
~sn Bruno Avenue Improvement club. !
The club, upon being organized. found
progress e apparently blocked by the
charter provision prohibiting the fore
-ng OF street improvements in excess
~ 50 per cent Of the assessed vaIua-
tion Of the abUtting property. A COM
munication was sent to the assessor
requesting that real estate valuations
be increased so that necessary improve
llerts could be made. This was an
unusual and perhaps unheard Of re-
quest from tax payers.
IMPROVEMENTS SECURED
The request was granted. The re-
suit has been that through the efforts
Of the club there has been constructed
splendid outlet sewer at d cost of
s165.oQ0 a resurvey and establishing
of street grades at a cost of $4,000,
an appropriation by the board Of su-
pervisors Of $4,000 for the repaving
Of san Bruno avenue upon condition
that the property owners would spend
like amount and the construction
of q large amount Of street work and
covering
iEhe boundary of the clubs jurisdic-
Ton IS the Islais creek channel upon
the north. Railroad avenue upon the
south. san Bruno avenue upon the east
ard Cambridge street upon the west.
Within this district at the time that
me club was organized. three years
20. there was 2 population of about
200 There were very few streets.
sewers or lights. The car service was
1cisersble. Today the district has 2
population estimated at 5000. 2 good
sewer system, better streets and at
least 100 extra lights
The United Railroads has been in
duced 10 give 2 double track service
pon Railroad avenue in place Of the
former single track service; to furnish
:re largest type of cars and TO reduce
size headwsy from 20 minutes to 10
minutes
The club petitioned for and secured
branch library; it secured the only
additional letter carrier that was al
owed to san Francisco last year; it
has fostered street adorHment by the
Of lq q rp
rnovsl Of distractions and fences from
streets. II has secured the enactment
of an ordinance requiring all sidewalks
in the district to be 10 feet in width, il
rgs been one Of tho stanchest adVo-
Gates of the enactment and enforcement
of the two COW ordinance. causing
thereby many dairies 70 remove from
its district
The club is educating the purchase
e the Bay View park OF $50 ACRES by
p citv The bond issue for this pur-
pose. together with other bonding
propositions. was defeated, although
more than = majority vote was cast
for the proposition.
Besutifying the grounds about the
Portols school. the establishment Of
Fairgrounds upon the site OF the old
south End school. the obtaining Of a
paid fire department in place Of the
present privately supported University
Mound hose company. the extension of
tbs mains Of the County Line water
sompanv through the higher levels of
the district are matters which are now
occupving the energies Of the club
Judged by it's past successes. the
club with its 115 members should sue
C@ed in securing most If not all, OF
these improvements.
NEEDS OF DISTRICT
The district is Handicapped because
~ the holding Of large tracts of land
ny nonresidents and corporations for
speculative purposes, these being re
v-arded for onprogressiveness by
modest valuation. To get these tracts
n land into the market for home sites
is one Of the problems of the club.
The lack Of even. passable roadways
into and through the district is an
other condition which the club is en-
deaworing to overcome. Fire protec-
tion is now and has been lacking in
this district. In a territory OF two |
square miles there are only 13 hy- |
drants. and these are located in three |
streets. The nearest firehouse is at
Twenty fourth and New Hampshire
streets. .. distance of two miles.
The total destruction of the Mount
81 Josanl7 orphsu ASYLUM so clearly /