The San Francisco call., 1910-03-19
NEW CIVIC SPIRIT
INSURES PROGRESS
By EDWIN B. BULL

the out of door games and breathe the
paniment of good health.
CIVIC SPIRIT CHANGES CITY
Faces which were drawn soon began
to show the color of health; thoughts
which had been pessimistic became op-
timistfc and thus the new civic spirit
was engendered-a spirit which has
changed the future of this city~in a
few years from a prospect to a reality.
Today Oakland is coming into its own
more rapidly than any other Pacific
coast city. New buildings are being
constructed by hundreds where a few
years ago they were wont to be count
ed by units or decimals.
Where not so many years ago the
local press called attention to the fact
that few hundreds of dollars was
being expended in building, today the
monthly reports of the buildings in
the million mark and over.
The spirit of commercialism is well
to the fore; the demand for storerooms
vas lCNCI 50 large dS aI PRESENT. anu
available stores for large retail busi-
ness are as scarce today as the pro-
verbal hens teeth. Why some of our
property owners do not tear down
their present holdings and substitute
therefor buildings equipped with mod
ern stores is a reminder of Sothern--
'one of those things which no fellow
can find out
BUILDINGS TO COST MILLIONS
Millions of dollars in new construc-
ton is now contracted for, and the
next IL months will show a greater
change in the skyline of Oakland than
any previous two or three years of it's
history.
The larger stores are almost to an
unit arranging for larger, more preten-
tious and more modern stores in which
to display their wares.
Architects are busy preparing plans
for municipal buildings. for stores. both
wholesale and retail, for homes, schools
and in fact every class of building
which goes to make up a progressive
community.
More money viii be expended in this
city during the coming twelvemonth
1 than ever before in it's history in the
obstruction of buildings in which to
accommodate the rapidly increasing
business of the city.
Values are constantly increasing, and
the demand for business properties by
nonresidents was never so large as to-
day.
CAPITAL SEEKS INVESTMENT
Outside capital is seeking investment
in Oakland in amounts which a few
years ago would have seemed nothing
short of marvellous. Our own citizens
are awakening to the fact that this
city is destined to be one of the most
important cities in the great west, and
In fact is rapidly reaching that goal.
The spirit of cemmercialism Is ram
pant, and as result great as has beer
the growth of Oakland from every
standpoint during the last 10 years
the coming five years will more than
double it.
The new spirit is here to stay, to
grow as the city grows, and the dead
past has been relegated to oblivion
Oakland from now on will demand, not
ask, for her proper place among the
commercial cities of the Pacific coast
FAME OF CITY SPREADS
Her fame is spreading as a city thai
does things-that accomplishes what
she goes after, and a result the
new spirit of progression Is riding or
the top wave. with no undertow to take
1t back to its former self-satisf1ed con-
ditfon of inertia. Today is but the be-
ginning. Who can say what tomorrow
will bring forth?
The coming United States census will
show Oakland as one of the most pro-
gressive cities in the United States and
will show an increase in population, II
manufactures, in development along
every line which will simply astoun6
| the '1et we'll enough alone" silurian.
The census enumeration will oper
| the eyes Of eastern investors to the
| opportunities presented by this city
| for the safe investment of capital, and
| the result will be a greater growth fr
| the next five years than in the previous
| 1o-large as have been the figures In
| the last decade.