The morning call., 1892-12-02
JOBS FOR HEELERS
That Is the Aim of Street
Extensions.
HOW PEOPLE ARE FLEECED.
thousands of Dollars Taken From the
Taxpayers to Carry Out These
Political Schemes.

When the Supervisors shall meet on Mon
day evening they will find that they have
undertaken big job in attempting to force
through the unjust extensions of Potrero
avenue and Nineteenth, Twentieth. Twenty
hrst, Twenty-second and Twenty-third
streets.
10 say the people Of the district involved
IN the job are up in arms would be to draw
1t mildly. The property-owners threaten to
be on hand with ancient eggs and sugges-
overlooking ropes.
FROM the looks of things it is not to be
wondered at that there is strong degree of
Indignation, and when il Is remembered that
a number of people are likely to lose their
nomes-as rule the result Of years OF saw
lng-lt Is natural that a protest of O violent
nature should be made.
Many of those interested ave spent years
10 laying by enough money with which TO
buy home.
Every cent has been invested In this way
ana now 10 see 1t swept away in order to
MI the pockets Of few political commits
sloners and their servants is not to be rel
ished.
One of the peculiar features of the late
JOB. ana the one which Supervisor Ebert
asked to have reconsidered Monday night,
IS the attitude Of some of the members of
the board.
For instance. when the present Super
Vlsors came into power two years ago they
were almost to man loud in denunciatiOn
of what they were pleased TO call the In
lqultouS scheme OF the Solid Nine in forcing
SO many extensions upon the taxpayers.
Almost without exception they were loaded
when they took their seats with resolutions
denuncatory OF the entire plan, and for
time the air OF the chamber was filed with
political fireworks
AS time went by, however. they became
less radical in their views, and toward the
end Ebert, Heyer. Antiques, Coffey aud
Carnes were the only ones left to fight for
the rights OF The people. COffey anG Carnes
were Kelly and Crimmins men, to be sure,
ard IN most things obeyed without question
the dictates OF the Third-sireeI bosses, but
they continued TO vote against extensions
I'll last Monday evening, when they suddenly
lei into line, aud the result was that the
Job went through with a rush.
But the queerest part of the entire. per-
formance was the action OF the Street CON-
mlttee, OF which Mr.. Taber is chairman.
Ii is its custom to meet on Wednesday
to its department.
But when the question of extensions
came up 1t called a secret session for Mon
day afternoon, and In order to keep IL
from the press and the people, Supervisor
Antiques, who opposed IL, WAS not "a oti-
fed.
1t was known, of course. that If Antiques
was present he would oppose the whole
thing, aud would notify the property
owners and newspapers, and in that way
give those interested IA chance 10 protest.
AT the meeting were Taber. Burling and
w ilkinson.
They recommended that the extensions be
confirmed. but for some reason Taber de-
cllDed 10 sign the report.
Burling and Wilkinson were not sO dinlo-
matte.
When the matter was sprung In the board
Ebert objected TO it on the ground that rs
but two of the five members of the commit
lee had signed IL was minority report, and
as such could not DO considered.
The chair ruled the point well taken, and
then Iaber came to tho rescue with the
statement that in order to bring the matter
up he would sign it. This he did and the
thing was passed.
Then Ebert changed his vote to aye and
moved to reconsider
As 1t is it is doubtful If any good will
come of 1t unless those interested do as
threatened and make it so warm for the
Supervisors that they will desist.
Ludwig Altschu who is one Of those
most Interested and who is one Of the best
known citizens OF the town. was seen yester-
day in regard to the matter and said:
'The entire Job is simply outrageous. In
my own case, for instance, the scheme If
carried out VIII amount practfeallyto a con-
nscaiion OF my property. The only recourse
l Will have IS at law, and every one knows
how perious add expensive that is.
in the matter of the Post-street extern
sion we stopped 1t with an injunction, and
we will do the same in this case If the board
insists on carrying out the job.
Il am surprised at the action Of Mr..
Taber. but he has deceived no one by acting
as he has. Previous to the election he went
about among the residents OF the Mission.
and al all the meetings he attended he stated
most positively that he was in thorough
accord with the people. that the extensions
were outrageous and unjust, and that he for
one would do all within his power TO pre-
vent the thing being done.
I'm consequence OF this we had no idea
that snap Judgment would be taken. ana
can say that Mr.. Taber has surprised us a
little. but his double dealing in at first re-
fusing to sign the report is too apparent TO
deceive us.
In the first place the proposed extensions
would be of no value now that the Market
street job has been knocked out by Mr.
Ebert. o. Twenty-second and Twenty
third streets in particular the grades are so
steep and the cuts will be so sharp that the
streets II cut through would be OF no value,
and only goat could utilize them In gain
ing access 10 the land lying along them
AT one time one OF the largest property
owners Of that section of the city was in
favor OF the extensions, but he has been so
and is now with US. That man is Behrend
BOOST, and he is out with his war paint on.
Just think of il. The owners Of prep.
eriy along POtreTo avenue must pay
S2i3.O00 Tor no advantage, and in many in
stances they will be almost completely
ruined.
"The worst job of all was on Sixteenth
street. where over S400 GOO was taken from
the taxpayers, and Of this amount $50, 900
went for expenses. Commissioners and
clerks made fat thing of 1t. and of course
the people had TO pay it.
ut Is simply an outrage. and the sooner
1t Is stopped the better"
Major b. Mckinne is another OF those
who stoutly oppose the job.
just to show what it cost to extend Six
teenth street, he quotes the following list Of
expenses:
j. Id. sullivan, attorneys fees. IS, 500
Edward Noble, clerk.....-..... 49,. I,Sco
ID. ID. Nealon, commission at $500 1900
a. ID. Ciunie, com ission Mt $500. 200
n co at