The San Francisco call., 1910-09-24

service.
Car service was poor. as only one.
car line tapped the district. Two lines
now traverse this district and the as
sociation is continually hammering for
better service on these lines.
The question of water supply has
been vexed question with the dis
trict. There was an entire lack of
water for any purpose whatever. A
private citizen was induced to build
reservoir and sell water to the people.
He finally sold the plant to the city for
$4,000. The reservoir alone could not
be duplicated for less than $4,000. In
this way the city acquired its first
municipality owned plant. This reser-
Volr, built at an elevation of 400 feet,
in the Reiss tract end of the district,
affords a great pressure for fire pro-
lection in this tract
The Spring Valley water company
has been induced to lay mains
throughout the entire district, so that
now water for household purposes is
plentiful.
A new u room schoolhouse has been
secured through the efforts of the as
sociation; also a branch library. The
paving of San Bruno avenue to the
county line. which is now being done,
is the result of the efforts of this as
sociation and the San Bruno avenue
Improvement club.
This will afford easy access to Visi-
tacion valley, a thing which is badly
needed.
FIRE PROTECTION
The one great need of the visitacion
valley district has always been and is
now-fire protection. When the asso-
citation was organized there was not
single fire alarm box in the district,
not a single piece Of fire apparatus.
not a fire hydrant.
The association found it necessary
to organize a volunteer fire depart
ment, the first volunteer fire company
since San Francisco established a paid
service. The members of the associa-
tion bought the lot and erected the
firehouse. The city was induced to
furnish a hose wagon and 1000 feet
of hose.
The volunteer fire department is still
maintained. 1t is now managed apart
from the Improvement association as
a separate corporation. The city has
not yet provided fire lighting facilities
for the district.
The nearest municipal firehouse is at
Fourteenth and Railroad avenues
distance of three miles from the cen
Ter OF the tract. In summer taxes
an engine half an hour to get to the
district, in winter the roads are i'm
passa BILE and an engine can not reach
the district at all.
In the lower valley there is not
single fire hydrant, although the Spring
Valley water company has a A inch
main running through the district. In
case of fire the property owners are
obliged to stand by and watch the fire
exhaust itself.
The association has asked the city to
establish a firehouse near the five mile
house. This is an ideal location for
such a purpose, as it is situated upon
a knoll that slopes toward Visitacion
valley, the University mound district
and the Bay park district. Such a
house. would afford a good fire protec-
ton to all Of these districts, which
badly need ii.
The Improvement clubs of this sec
tion are cooperating in this matter.
They will doubtless succeed in a short
time, because the justice of their re-
quest can not be questioned.
When the association was organized
there was not single fire alarm box
in the district. The district is now
well protected in this respect.
PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS
Besides urging an appropriation of
$5, 900 for the Establishment of the Of
fetal grades. a site for new firehouse
and the paving of San Bruno avenue
to the county line, the association is
urging the extension of the mains of
the city water works. the need of fire
hydrants for the lower valley, more
arc lights. the macada mixing of
Sunnydale avenue from Grand to San
Bruno as a part Of the boulevard sys-
tenn, and the extension of the San
Bruno avenue cars across Paul avenue
to connect with Railroad avenue cars
at the junction of Thirty ave-
nue.. All these improvements are
greatly needed and will tend toward
the development OF this section.
ORGANIZATION AND OFFICERS
The improvement association was in
corporated under the laws of this state
June IL, 1908, being one of the first
INCORPORATED Improvement clubs of San
Francisco Joseph Edelman was the
clubs first president. He served two
terms. He was succeeded in turn by
A A Russell Edwin Jarvis and H G.
Dowdall Mrs. Romie B. Hutchinson
was elected recording secretary in jan
uary, 1905, and has held this position
ever since.
The officers for the present term are:
G. L. Wayne. president; F. T. Sieber-
lick. first vice president; DR.. R. j.
DowdaI, second vice president; r. B.
Hutchison, recording secretary: Charles
Eisenhuit, financial secretary; L. Eisen-
beis. treasurer; K. c. Gardner. sergeant
at arms.
Rev. Thomas McNaboe, pastor of the
Church of the Visitacion, is an hon
orary member and active worker for
the club Former Assemblyman Paul
Fratessa and Supervisor Charles A.
Nelson are honorary members.