The morning call., 1892-08-28
JOHN DREW'S VIGILAN4ES
How Street Assessments Will
Be Opposed.
BLOOD MAY BE SPILLED.
Plans by Which the Commissions Can Be De.
feated and Abolished-strong Resolutions
Adopted Pledging Candidates.

The street commissions are doomed and
the assessments levied by them for the
opening and extension of Market, Sixteenth,
Howard and Nineteenth streets will never
be paid.
So say nearly all the property-owners in
terested, individually and collectively. and
so says, more emphatically than any one
else, John Il. Drew of lilo Seventeenth
street, whose declaration at Friday nights
meeting OF the Mission PrOperty-owners'
Protecting Club. of which he is secretary,
was published In yesterdays CALL.
Mr.. Drew strongly hinted at that meeting
that If the Supervisors disregarded the pro-
tests against the assessments now before
them, emergencies would arise which would
make the organizing of vigilance commit
tee necessary.
Last night, sitting in his own home, Mr..
Drew repeated and amplihed this state
ment.
'If the assessment Is made law we shall
refuse to pay our pro rata to the Superin-
tendent of Streets said he. "and as con-
sequence, the Sheriff will cloud our titles
and probably sell portions of our land TO
satisfy the demand called for by the assess
ment.
''Now, IL any man comes upon my prop
erty, laying claim to it under such a
Sheriff's title. and perhaps tries to put a
house upon my ground, 1 shall certainly
eject him forcibly.
That would be the beginning of a war
fare between the citizens and the authori-
ties during which doubtless blood would be
she'd"
MIR. Drew, while saying that he was
peaceable, law-abiding citizen. then drew a
picture OF how Sherff's posse ON one side
and crowd OF armed taxpayers on the
other side would fight for the possession of
any piece of ground sold for the purpose Of
collecting street extension assessments.
I'VE people out here in the Mission are
thoroughly in earnest about this, and l
know positively that there are many who
are just as determined as am, and some Of
them are even more radical"
Then he told how he had heard of the
adyisability Of forming military company
right now mentioned by people who
thought IL might be well to prepare in
peaceful times for times OF war.
"rhese assessments are not public
necessity, but the result of jobs put up by
conniying rascals," Mr.. Drew concluded,
land we people do not propose to stand by
quietly when an attempt TO rob US of our
homes is made"
tary's place, in Mission Opera Hail.. tie
same subject he had discussed was talked
over by the Mission Real Estate Owners
Union, formed about month ago.
The meeting was held Tor the purpose OF
making the union permanent body, which
object was reached by the election of the
following officers: President. Jefferson G.
James; secretary, L. j. Mcnamara; vice
presidents-F. A. Hornblower. NJ V. Tay-
lur and John Center; treasurer, j. Y. Aver:
executive committee-William Watson, j.
Ii. Grady, Samuel Booth. John r. Roach,
j. III. Lennon. L. G. Hober, John Me-
Donald. A. Thorn. w. A. Smith, Nj. Null
laney. George l.. Center. B. McKinne, A.
B. Mcguire. A. ID. Derre, j. Devaney and
A. L. Van Duzer.
NJ. V. Taylor, John Carter and A. P. Van
Duzer made speeches explaining the his
tory Of the street commissioners, the Law
which created them and the work they have
so far accomplished.
The last named speaker. as chairman of
the executive committee. told what the
plans Of that body were. He said that the
Supervisors would not be asked to reject
the street commissions recommendation,
but that every pressure would be brought
upon them To reduce the assessments to
nominal amount After that has been ac-