Mayor Henry Pierce calls for taking advantage of “the great disaster” of the recent fire.

In his inaugural address, Pierce proposes “Establishing wider streets in the district covered by fire and in improved methods of construction of buildings throughout the city.” Although Water, Summer, Congress, Federal, Milk, Hawley, and Arch Streets are widened, Pearl, Franklin and Oliver Streets are extended, and Post Office Square cleared, a more ambitious plan to create a more cohesive downtown street pattern is never pursued. One reason, according to Mayor Pierce, is that, “The adoption of such a plan would not only involve enormous expense, but seriously interfere with the business interest of the city.” Another is a court decision forbids the city from using municipal funds to aid private property owners in the area.