The San Francisco call., 1910-05-14
EFFORT TO SECURE
CANYON FOR PARK
Annexed District Citizens Sub
NIT Petitions to Council
Asking Purchase

OAKLAND, May 13.-The Oakland
city council has received a number of
petitions signed by citizens of upper
Fruitvale, Latham terrace and other
parts of the eastern suburbs, asking
that the purchase of Dimond canyon
for park purposes be made by the city.
One faction was opposed to the propo-
sition. the idea being advanced that the
j. H. Spring property in East Four
teenth street was more suitable. The
matter was referred to the park COM
mission for decision A complete esti-
mate of the park items to be included
in the coming bond issue will be sub
mitted by the commissioners at later
date.
A substitute to the present municipal
laundry law, known as the Sacramento
laundry ordinance, has been submitted
for recommendation to the body of
the council, and after considerable dis
cussion on points of technicality has
been approved with the amendment
that. instead of the establishment or
operation of laundry being prohibited
within a distance of 90 feet of a pri-
vate residence, the distance be made to
read so feet.
DRUG ORDINANCE
The ordinance and sudiciary commit
tee has recommended for passage by
the council an ordinance, prohibiting
the free distribution of drug and med
icaI samples. Numerous cases were
cited by council members where chill
dren had found samples on the door
steps of their homes and had partaken
of the compounds with fatal results.
The promiscuous distribution of sam
pie medicines was hotIy denounced by
council members, and the passage of
the prohibitive ordinance is highly
probable.
The question as to whether the big
sewer intended to drain the Bankers
hotel should go down Alice or Harri-
son streets has been under discussion
by members Of the council for nearly
month, and after careful investiga-
tion relative to the engineering ad-
vantageS of one street over the other
with the representatives of the hotel
clinging to the Alice street proposition
a deadlock has resulted and the matter
has been thrown upon the committee
of the whole for adjustment. The city
officials are opposed to tearing up Har-
rison street because it has just been
paved permanently.
TO OPEN FOURTEENTH STREET
The ordinance and judiciary commit
tee adopted a resolution to the effect
that 1t be the sense OF the city council
to remove all distractions from Four
teenth street to the water front for the
purpose of opening the street to the
water line. The resolution is aimed at
certain companies occupying Four
teenth street near the western bay
shore, which agreed years ago to va
cate on such action by the council.
The finance committee of the coun-
ell made a vigorous protest against
bills aggregat ting s709.50, presented by
Architect Frederick Soderberg, who
says that he was instructed from prop
er authority to prepare preliminary
plans, elevations and prospective draw
ings for the proposed new city hall and
hall of justice. Soderberg could show
no letter substantiating his claim. The
committee asserted that he had not
been properly authorized to act in the
matter. The bills have been referred
to the board of public works for ad-
luStment