The morning call., 1891-06-17
OFFICIAL FRICTION.
Supervisor Burling Asks a
COnundrum.

There appears to be good deal of friction
between the Street Committee of the Board
! of Supervisors and the Street Department
! The members Of the Street Committee are
! progressive business men and can't grasp the
wisdom of passing laws that are never en-
forced.
| One of the plainest laws on the municipal
! statute-books is that prohibiting the laying
| of plank sidewalks within the district
limited by Devisadero and Ninth streets,
! and yet seldom a week passes that permit
! for this kind of a sidewalk, on some pretext
| or other, is not asked.
! Unless the very best reasons are given
! such permits are refused. But for some
! reason that Supervisor Burling does not
! understand these refusals do not seem 10
| have the desired effect. AS becomes duti-
! full city father he spends great part OF his
| time inspecting public affairs from one end
! of the city TO the other, and when he finds
| anything going wrong it is time for the per-
! petTat0T to look out for ii is morally certain
! that squalls are ahead.
| The instant Mr.. BuTling discovered faulty
| concrete being laid on Ellis street there was
/ a storm. All the leg pulling political ma
! chinery in town was applied instantly, but
it had as little effect as splitting at blizzard.
/ Mr.. Burlng'S storm kept increasing, and
| only abated when the pull let go and the
! mud concrete was replaced with the genuine
/ article.
TOOK A LITTLE STROLL.
! Late last week Mr.. BurIing was strolling
! along streets supposed 10 be wholly unfre-
! Quented by Supervisors. One OF the first
/ things that attracted his attention was a
! brand-new plank sidewalk. He complained
/ 10 the Chief of Police to arrest the offender
| for violating the law. The man succeeded
/ in getting his case thrown out Of court by
riF, Of 4
| securing permit from that official, who
/ has no more right to issue such permit
! than sch0Oner's deCk-hand.
MI BuTliug switched off in a somewhat
| erratic manner toward another section Of
/ the city. AMI had not gone far till he came
| across another bright and shining pine side
walk, this time almost IN the heart of the
/ city He remembered distinctly that the
/ permit had been refused by the committee.
| Upon investigating he found the permit had
! been issued out Of the Street Department
! Office and the owner had laid the plankS on
/ Memorial day TO escape arrest.
Mr. Burling then meandered up and down
! California street where the new cable track
| is being laid. To his utter disgust he found
| the company paving between the tracks and
| on both sides with a mixture of cObbleStOneS
/ and blocks and then quickly cOncealIng
| the job by burying it under two or three
! inches Of broken red rock.
THE PLOT THICKENs.
Again Mr.. Buring complained TO the Chief
! of Police against such high-handed infrac-
! tiOns Of the law, and with unmiStakable
! emphasis demanded that it be stopped.
The Chief eXpOstuiated with the lTate Su-
| perYiSOT. What is tine use2" lie asked.
| Whenever we make an arrest permit is
| drawn on US. We can't do anything as long
! as that sort of business is going on"
When Mr.. B0rling left the police head
! quarters he Stroied up Market street 10 the
corner of Stockton, where he was nearly run
! over by an Omnibus line street-car. He re-
! called that on March 9Jh last the board
passed an order requiring that company TO
| stop lis ears north Of the north line OF Ellis
| street at that crossing, but found on III
! QuiTy that no more attention had been paid
/ to the order than if it had been passed in
/ the neon.
Alr. Buriing was recIting all the cITcum-
! stances in the committee meeting yesterday,
| and tuning suddenly 10 the clerk, lie asked {:
/ " Can you tell me one single instance, Mr.
! Russell. where the Street Department has
! complied with the orders OF this boaTdY
! The Mayer had a contact with the Super
J iDteTdent Of Streets yesterday. also, aud it
/ was IF a more effective nature. He gently
! but firmly diffused the knowledge around
! that department that if the Supervisors or
! ders were not little more carefully OBJ
/ served in future something would drop. 8"
Il was iutimated when ne returned that a
/ treaty Of peace had been signed, ana in
/ future the board viii have no cause Of COM
! pi5int.