The San Francisco call., 1910-10-01

IhOSe- VINO during Jne.:f SPdnlsn-
American, war had occasion to visit
the military camp which extended from
Fulton street to : California and from
First avenue to Sixth. viii recall that
section of the: city was then a desert.
II consisted of drifting sands, without
streets and without hab1tation. E Long
sweeps Of unduIating> sandhills. gave
the Impression Of pictures. of the: sa.-
hara. The Sutro. cars shot: through
the district on their. wayE.to. the Cliff
house. =. -. - : -
Enterprising real estate men leveled
and blocked. and. graded streets on the
most accessible of thiS=. property. L "A
few houses took shape and .dtssfpated
the lonesomeness of the. district The
process continued until today this en-
tire district from. Fulton street north
TO the Presidio =1vall. and FROM Stangta n
street west to Thirtieth~ avenue is built
up almost solfdIy.* =: ,'.:s: = =
The location where once. stood the
military camp is now: conlpactly :sbuilt
up with stores. apartm ent, houses, fats
and cottages. No more compact. area
can be found a anywhere: in San Franz
cisco than this very site of the: OLD
military camp :z..--= :. ~. - :: -
The property owners pro gressed
fairly well, but. there was a. general
feeling that as individuals they would
not get on as rapidly as. they would
II united. The. result was J: 1.-the orr
ganization Of a: series--of Improvement
clubs for different sections of the :dis-
trict. In the district bounded by: Full
ton and GearY, -StanXa ns:gsand.: Four
teenth avenue: the Park -Rtchnn orld: airn-
provement Club was formed. This dis
trict comprises ~, square blocks. <c<:.::.
This club was organized September
20. 1905. TWentyrtIgo members signe
the roll The first meeting was held
at the old Chutes, pavilion at Fulton
street and Twelfth avenue The march
Of progress had forced. the -Chutes
from its location in Haight: sire eet4near
the park It was probably believed
that the lions and tigers. would yell
their heads off at the new location for
a long time Il. come without "dist ur b.
ing the slumber of any one who cared
10 slumber. - -
At the time. that the Improvement
club organized *thts district had a pops
ulation Of about. Is geo people There
were six blocks bftuminized, the re
mainder being either roughly graded
or in sand lot condition.. There were
compare lively. few .sidewa lks.s IT here
was no regularity whatever=as to width
of sidewalks. sz.@..9, - -: Il; -
Now nearly all the streets in the dis
trict have been bituminized.r The club
expects that by the first of. the year
every street in the: district Will be
bituminized and in front of every. foot
of property: will. be a. concrete side
walk The. club has worked with
painstaking perseverance : upon the
matter of streets. and. sidewalks and
is proud Of its accomplis
Twenty-four. blocks Of property have
been built up during the two years: of
the clubs activity. The district is now
solidly built excepting from Fulton to
Q streets and from First TO Fifth ave-
nues Most of this property is. owned
by the 7Crocker estate, which intends
shortly 10 place il upon the market. as
high class residence property: similar
10 the property Of. the Jordan park
tract
CAMPAIGN AGAINST VICE
The first work Of the club was to
commence an active campaign: against
the resorts and. road houses that ac1us-
tered round the Chutes and near Gold
ne Gate park. The White House, tav-
ern. also known as. pickey's, was the
first resort TO go:-tOthers- followed in
rapid succession. 1t. was. found that
the socalled straight saloons were ca
tering TO female. patronage.
The club secured an order forbidding
the sale of liquor. to females, and en-
forced this rule. so 5rigidly that. licenses
were revoked. even where women were
seen entering the place. The club re:
ports that il was successful in. every
attack 1t made. upon.:these resorts. and
saloons. The result was that this: class
Of places was frozen out. The Chutes
itself found it no longer profitable to
remain in this part of the city and
found another location.
This district is today one of the best
residence districts in the city, free
from nuisance and objections of every
kind. Beautiful homes. broad btu
minized streets; green velvet lawns
are TO be found everywhere throughout
this section.
OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENT
Thirty-two additional arc lights, Is
additional up to date fire alarm boxes
additional letter carriers, additional
police and 24t new street crossings are
some of the things secured as direct
result Of the clubs efforts. Through
the action of the club the electric COM
pany was compelled to reduce its
charge for installing electric wires
from $50 to S10.' Contractors were
compelled to make uniform chAges
for work throughout the district On
two street crossings alone the club
was able TO save the property owners
81 O0O-
Additional school accommodations
were secured. Upon the occasion of
the dedication of the McCoppin school
the club presented to the school
handsome 40 foot flag and streamer,
which cost the club $3.50.
PUBLIC BUILDING APPROPRIATIONS
The last board of supervisors appro-
priated money for a new police station
in Sixth avenue near Geary street. An
appropriation has been made for a new