The morning call., 1891-02-10
FIRE DEPARTMENT
A Substitute for the Original
Bill in the Assembly.
In Underground System Amendment to
The Electric Motor BIZ.
The Resolution for an Amendment 10 the
Constitution AboliShing the Rail-
road Commission Defeated.
Special TO THE MORNING CALL

Will WHICH VIC 1OllOWSTS Ol tle genial ana
gifted Colonel Burns have baptized them
selves are making ready to win a glorious
victory over little Phil CrimmiDs. The
stake in the game is the control of the San
Francisco Fire Department. When a vote
was taken last week Crimmlns lacked but
one of tieing the Colonel As a result of
that vote, a bill placing the control of the
Fire Department in the hands of the city
officials was sent to the Committee on NUM-
cipal Corporations, and had hardly reached
them when Bruner appeared with a subSti-
tute providing that the Governor should ap-
point the Fire Commissioners. The COM
mittee was in an uncertain mood, and voted
TO send back the bill and substitute with
out recommendation. This action was in
Crmmins' favor, for the original bill would
be first acted upon, while the substitute
would be sent to the printer, and as new
bill take its place on the file. The COM
mittee were to have reported the bill and
substitute Friday afternoon, but did not
and instead of meeting on Saturday as
usual, the Assemblymen voted that they
needed a rest, and all who were interested
in the bill went down to San Francisco,
where the administrationists fixed things to
their sweet satisfaction, and placed in the
hands of their young lieutenant a trap
wherewith TO ensnare the men who went to
Geary street, and this is how it was done;
When the committee this Afternoon reported
the bill and tho substitute, Mr.. Bert arose
and blandly requested permission to offer
substitute providing that four of the Fire
Commissioners be appointed by the Cover
nor, and the fifth. who is to be the Chair
man, shall be appointed by The Mayor.
Bert's substitute releases members who
did not believe that the Government would
have the power of appointing the entire
board, and Mr.. Bert asked that the conSid-
Grafton OF the measure lie made sprcla
order for Thursday afternoon, to which no
one dissented.
ELECTRIC MOTOR.
The Electric Motor Bill was made a special
order in the Assembly. Dibblo offered an
amendment providing that electric motors
may be used in San Francisco, provided the
underground system is adopted. The friends
of the bill raised no objection to the amend
ment, and it will be Incorporated in the bill.
A similar amendment was made 10 the
bill making valid ordinances hitherto passed
by city governments giving authority to
propel cars by electricity.
ASsembyman Bert has received petitions
fIom merchants and manufacturers of San
Francisco representing 500, 600, 600, asking
Motor Bill which will apply to san Fran
cisco. Among the signers are: kobler &
Fiohling, Remington & Co., George w. Gibbs
d Co., Pacific Saw Manufacturing Company,
Abner Doble, Tatum IL Bowen, Joseph
Taylor & Co., Baker & Hamilton, Hinckley,
SpIers 81 Hayes, Seiby Smelling IL Lead
Company, Durham. Carrigan d HAYDEN
Co, Whittier, Fuller & Co., HaWley Bros,
Huntington, Hopkins 4 Co.. and l. 5. Van
Wrinkle & Co. 1t will be observed that
some of these gentlemen are manufacturers
OF and dealers iG irOii.
THE RAILROAD COMMISSION.
Shanahan's joint resolution for submitting
to ia e people an amendment to the ConSti-
tuition ab0lishing the Railroad Commission
was discussed and defeated in both Houses.
DihbIe cDened the debate On the resolution
in the Assembly. He declared that the Re-
publican party had put in power new
board. The old board was a Democratic
product and for its deeds the Democrats are
responsible For the new board the Re-
publican party was responsible, and he be-
lieved 10 was q board worthy ol the con-
fdence Of the people.
Clark read newspaper clippings showing
that the commission is doing its duty.
Bruner reviewed railroad legislation prior
to the creation of the commission. Hall
the time of every session, ne SAID, was con
sumed in discussing rates and fares. lie
did not think it would be wise to resurreet
the old way of legislaiing on railroad mat
tiers. Ii was such legislation that first made
the people of the State diStrust their law.
makers. The only reason given for Us
abolition is that it cost the State 500, 600
but III at is not true. Whenever, under the
old system, a complaint was made, no relief
could be obtained. The Legislature met,
abolished tie commission, and no relief
could be obtained on account of the law
inhIbiting special legislation During the
last four years he asserted that the CON-
;a ;7i29 9,nls d received and investigated leo
not 10 enact a law that would nut the poyger
Of ieYyfng blackmail on the railroads in ina
hands Of future Legislature.
Doiy. replying to DiDble. stated that the
commission had been Republican for fouI
years. He declared that the farmer and the
granger, WHO will form the political com.
oinations OF the State Within III: neYt Two
years. demand lie abolition of the com
lnssiSa. The next Legislature will not be
Gonp 20 ga 81 the young professional gentle
o. the State. and II this Legislature does not
abolish the commission the next VIII.
ne resolution was then put to vote and
Ayes-Arns, Barnett Of Sonoma, Bsrcber.
Biedsoe, Brown. Cunningham, Doty, Dunn.
Goula. Hail, Harloe, Hawley, Hocki1g''
sEeaSon, Kellogg, Lacey, Lynch, Marion
ma MarIin Matlock; Mathews, Mordecai. MUIR
nan, Murphy, Rice, Robertson, Shanahan.
smith, Smith, Sturteyant, Weston-36.
Noes-AleXander, Ames, Bernard. Bar
net P Oh san an FRANCISCO, Bert, Brnner, Brusie,
D aIS e TaTter G1sTe GSey Crow Culver,
pTalth, Glynn, Hayes, Hersey, Hoey.
HennewelL, johnson, Jones, Lewis, Lave
Lux. McGall, Phillips, Stabler, Steitz'
tennis, Wentworth, Windrow, Young,
After the vote was taken, two members
changed their vote to no in order to move a
reconsideration.
In the Senate, where the same Constitu-
uonaI amendment was discussed, Goucher
and Dray opposed the aboishing of the
commission on the same ground as il was
opposed in the Assembly.
Dray moved to amend by retaining the
commission until 1895.
heaceck argued that il these public ser
sah's are OF no use, or opposed to the well
1are OF the State, their services shnuld ha
dispensed with at once.
Ostrom said the commission costs the
otaie $4,000 every two years The com
mission should be abolished. The people
demand 1t, but he did not believe In legisS
latlng the men elected members of the com
mission out of Office. No complaint has
been raised against them.
Campbell OF S0lano spoke against abolish
ing the commission because he. did not wish
The State to return to the condition it was in
before t G commission was created, when
ever session was consumed In railroad
-gisiation. To abolish the. commission
would be to restore the railroad lobby. He
believed that three honest men could be
found IN the State to fill the commission
Langford asked Campbell whether the
railroad Commissioners had ever done any
thing that was of use to any one.
campbell replied that it kept the railroad
lobby away.
Dray's amendment was voted down-ayes
land the resolution followed suit-ayes 7,
noes 49,
Ayes,Berry Crandall Langford, Nc
Gowan, Mead, Ostrom. Wilson.
NOeS-BaileV. Ranks Rritt Rrodariol-
BsrDes, Campbell, Campbell, Carpenter, Oar
gle, Denison. Dray, Everett, Flint, Fraser,
boucher, Hamill. Harp, Heacock, Maher.
Mahoney, McComas, Ragsdale, Shippee,
simpson,, Spragne. Streeter, Voorhees,,
Welsh, w. IL. Williams, q. II. Williams.
FAVORABLE REPORTS.
The Senate Committee on Federal Rela-
tions favorably reported the bill providing
for the registration of all the Chinese In tho
State and the exclusion of all others