The morning call., 1891-10-27
PRIVATE CONTRACTS.
Outrageous Frauds Discovered by
the Supervisors.
The Mayors Criticism of the Inspector System.
Large Quantities of Cement Stolen.
Petitions for Franchises

The outrageous frauds being perpetrated
every day in the week on street work re-
ceived very emphatic attention from the
Board of Supervisors at last nights meet
ing.
Supervisor Burling was the first to Gallup
the subject, and he based his remarks on
an experts report that he held in his
hand. He said he had long been suspicious
of the work being performed, and he en-
ployed an expert to find out exactly what the
character of it was. The investigation
more than confirmed his suspicious.
The expert found that in many places, in
fact in nearly all places, very little cement
was being used. The alleged concrete base
consisted almost wholly of sand and rock;
n little cement was occasionally found, but
in the majority of cases only sand. To dis
guise the fraud the rule had been adopted
by most of the contractors to put a covering
of good concrete about one inch in thick
ness on the surface, the remaining five or six
inches being nothing but sand and rock,
and the poorest kind OF red or mush rock
at that. In fact the work was found to be
OutrageOusly fraudulent from beginning to
end, and not in accordance with the law in a
single instance.
THE MAYORS OBSERVATIONS.
Mayor Sanderson, who has been waging
war on the private contract frauds ever
since he assumed office, took advantage Of
the opportunity to relate some Of the dis
coYeTies he had made. He referred 10 two
blocks where he had investigated the work
himself On both contracts there had been
inspectors employed at 81 day; both were
absent aud paid no attention TO the work
At another place twenty-five barrels of
cement were delivered one afternoon, and
on the following morning only eight or ten
remained. They had actually been stolen,
aud he had no doubt that sort of work is
going on all the time. Another contractor,
without knowing who he was talking to,
admitted that lie could not do honest work
and make living. The Mayor added that
he could see but one way out Of this wilder
ness of fraud, that Is. employ some compe-
tent man TO Superntend the whole system
of street work, pay him well and require
him to devote his whole time to it. lie did
not feel like blaming the Superintendent of
Streets for the laXIty Of the inspectors and
the bad work, because lie has SO much to
attend to.
BURLING MAKES A POINT.
Another point made by Burliag was that
the contractors are at the bottom of nearly
all the protests As soon as a piece OF
street work is proposed by the board the
contractor goes 10 the prOperty-Owner at
fected and saws: Now, you protest: the
cost of publication will be enormous. You
can get the work done much better by pri-
vale contract, ana II wont cOSl you any ILIDS
for adveTtising."
"As consequence" added Mr.. Burling.
out Of sixty blocks on which this board
declared intention, all but seven were
stopped by protest. and l find now that
these same blocks are being done by private
contract in this fraudulent manner. think
this board should have control over a street
after the intention has been declared,
whether the work is stopped by protest or
not"
Taber said he believed the private con-
traCt system should be abolished, All street
work should 90 through the board, and If
not done in exact compliance with law
should not he paid for. That would very
soon bring the jobbing contractors 10 their
senses.
Ebert said he did not agree with the
Mayor in saying that he could not lay the
blame on the Superintendent OF Streets.
The inspectors are appointed by that OIL
cial, and surely ne should be held answera-
bic for their Incompetency or neglect.
Hyer expressed the same sentiment.
HOWARD STREET EXTENSION.
The report OF the Howard Street Exten-
sion Commissioners was again taken up
and referred 10 the Street Committee that
it may receive such other notifications as
shall meet the approval Of the board.
The SOuther Heights Improvement Club
asked that two more policemen be detailed
for the better protection of that district.
A petition from Fol>om-street property
owners, representing nearly $4,000 feet
frontage. was received, asking that the
North Beach and Mission Railroad be per-
mitted to run its cars on Folsom street from
California avenue TO East street with cleo
tricity, using the overhead wire system.
The Superintendent of Streets was in
structed to enforce the law in respect to the
proper numbering of houses on the streets
and avenues of South San Francisco.
Behrend Joost, j. \. Harizell aud others
asked for street railway franchise over
the following streets: On Fell from Stan
yam TO Scott, thence to Ridley, to Noe, to
Sixteenth, to Harrison. to Cenier, to the
bay also on Harrison from Fourteenth to
Sixteenth; also on Capp from Sixteenth to
Twenty-third, thence to Guerrero. The
privilege is asked to use either cables or
electricity, with overhead wires, and the
company agrees 20 give . per cent of the
gross receipts annually to the city. 1t was
referred 70 the Street Committee.