Hayes Street should be wider.
We need better street lighting.
The Alamo Square hill is too steep.
These could easily be issues facing our current neighborhood association, but instead, they were some of the hot-button issues of the day 102 years ago.
For your pre-holiday reading pleasure, get to know the Hayes Valley Improvement Club, an early (and productive!) force that helped make our neighborhood what it is today.
Originally published on page 19 of The San Francisco Call, February 18, 1911.
There you have it -- a little window into neighborhood life more than a century ago. Happy weekend!
Originally published on page 19 of The San Francisco Call, February 18, 1911.
HAYES VALLEY CLUB PLANS BIG CELEBRATION
Great Achievements of Association in Bringing District to the Front and Securing Needed Betterments Affecting Large Population
Organized In December, 1909, the Hayes Valley improvement club has exerted a strong influence toward the upbuilding of the Hayes valley district.
This valley occupies the territory from Haight street to Golden Gate avenue and from Larkin street to Fillmore street. It is one of the oldest and most thickly settled residence sections of the city. Like other sections that were spared from the fire, Hayes valley has become a more active business center than formerly.
THE COMING CARNIVAL
No improvement organization has secured more publicity for its section of the city than has the Hayes Valley improvement club. For several weeks past column after column has appeared in the newspapers telling of the carnival that is to be held in Hayes valley from February 20 to 25. This has directed attention toward Hayes valley and has been the means of stimulating business.
The carnival idea originated with members of the club. Meetings of the residents and business men of the district were called and a carnival organization formed. This organization and its various committees have since taken full charge of matters. The members of the club constitute the bone and sinew of the carnival committees.
The program that has been arranged is very elaborate, consisting of five days' festivities. Parades, band concerts, dancing, acrobatic exhibitions, sideshows, athletic tournaments and pyrotechnic displays comprise the events of interest.
SCHOOL MATTERS PUSHED
The club has been very active in regard to school matters.
After a stubborn contest it secured an additional appropriation of $57,250 for the John Swett grammar school. This money was partially utilized to purchase more ground around the school building. The balance is being used to construct four additional rooms, making an 18 room structure. The dedication of the new school will be intrusted to the care of the Hayes Valley improvement club.
Upon the occasion of an attempt being made to select another site for the new Lowell high school in preference to the one near Golden Gate park the club joined with other clubs in the vicinity in a successful protest against the proposed change.
One improvement of vital importance to the residents of Hayes valley is the lowering of the grade upon Hayes Street from Pierce to Scott. This accomplished, transportation facilities will be provided for the people in Hayes street from Fillmore to Devisadero, and a direct through service instituted.
Another very important reason why this grade should be lowered so as to permit the running of a carline upon the street is the fact that the Denman school, accommodating 750 young girls, is situated upon the crest of the hill opposite to Alamo square, commanding an excellent view, but removed two blocks by a steep grade from the nearest car line.
This school will be opened In July. In winter time much hardship will be inflicted upon the girls, who will be obliged to walk up hill in the rain along an exposed street. Committees from the club have spent a large share of their time upon this project, and confidently believe that an allowance for this work will be made in the next budget. The expanse is estimated at $54,000.
COMPANY WILL HELP
The club has induced the United Railroads to agree to pay $20,000 of this amount and to expend $70,000 in laying tracks and putting its right of way in shape. The property owners will bear $20,000 of the expense of grading the street. The expense of grading the property in front of Alamo square, amounting to $14,000, is to be borne by the city.
ILLUMINATION
The Inspiration to secure more light seems to have struck every portion of the city. The primary purpose of the Hayes Valley carnival is to secure a fund with which to install a system of flaming arc lights in Hayes street from Market to Buchanan and also in McAllister street between the same streets.
Five arc lights are to be placed in each block. It is estimated that the cost will amount to $8,000.
The club has secured the signatures of all property owners upon Gough street south of McAllister for the widening and illumination of that street.
OTHER IMPROVEMENTS
The club has secured the installation of several noninterfering automatic fire alarm boxes. It has also seen to it that the streets in the district are kept in repair and in a clean condition. It defeated several applications for laundry and stable permits.
There have been no encroachments by saloons since the club was organized.
The law adopted by the board of supervisors appointing an inspector of weights and measures was first sunggested by this club. A similar measure is now pending before the legislature.
PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS
Frequent petitions have been filed with the library trustees requesting that a park be laid out around the library building at Hayes and Franklin streets.
The fire committee has petitioned for the construction of another fire cistern in the Hayes valley district. Upon some streets the insurance rate is as high as 5 per cent, which makes the possession of improved property a luxury. The district is composed almost entirely of frame buildings compactly built and is in great need of better fire protection.
Another matter which the club has agitated is the widening of Hayes street. This the board of supervisors and the board of public works has approved of and work is soon expected to commence.
In common with other clubs of the western addition the Hayes Valley improvement club is working energetically to have Golden Gate park selected as the site for the fair.
ORGANIZATION
About the time of its formation the improvement club established the Hayes Valley Review, a weekly paper, which promotes the interest of the district and keeps the people in touch with the improvement club.
The club has a membership of about 150 and meets regularly upon the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month in what is popularly known as the ballroom of the Russ house, 540 Hayes street.
The officers who are guiding the destinies of the club for the present term are: D. R. Rees, president; J. Abrams, first vice president; Dr. T. J. Crowley, second vice president; Harry Cohen, third vice president; Henry F. Marshall, secretary; Al Lewald, financial secretary, and William Schmidt, treasurer. The executive committee consists of J. W. Sparrow, Fred C. Jones and James A. Foley.
There you have it -- a little window into neighborhood life more than a century ago. Happy weekend!
