The morning call., 1892-04-06
GILLERAN Is DENOUNCED.
Davis Street Merchants Freely
Condemn His Inactivity.
Paving for Themselves Sidewalks Utilized
Threatened With Arrest If They Ridicule
the Superintendent.

There are more lost souls to the square
foot on that part of Davis street that lies
between Clay and Washington streets than
there are in any other portion of the city and
these men who have been included among
the most estmable business men Of the
community are doomed to eternal torment
on account of the blasphemy, the profanng,
the objurgating, the anathematizing and the
deep, heart-QuietiDg cursing TO which they
have given themselves over for two months.
Yet, if they are held guilty, how shall
James Gilleran. Superintendent of Streets,
servant of the public including the mer-
chants of Davis street, be held?
He is the cause of all the blasphemy.
Two months ago, the street was ripped
up and torn to pieces in order that new
sewer might be laid. and piles of basalt
blocks were dumped along the sidewalks.
which the property owners fondly hoped
would be used in making a roadway. The
basalt blocks are still lying in heaps where
they were deposited. During wet weather
a stream Of mud about nine feet wide and
of unknown depth rolled between the line
of blocks on the right side OF the street and
the line of blocks on the left. Wholesale
dealers in produce have their Offices on
either side, and when they found that their
customers, the gTocers and vegetable deal
ers, could not get near them, they became
angry and called upon the Superintendent
of Streets for relief.
NOT ENOUGH ROCK.
They were told that enough rock could
not be obtained for the paving of the street,
but one of them who was interviewed yes
terdaS said that the contractor was willing
TO do the work and trust TO the city for
payment.
On a certain day while the street was an
| impossible slough the eXasperated mer-
oh +G Oh CT A
| form of those mounds that are popular in
| cemeteries and then placed gns and head
! boards bearing the epitaph OF James Gill
| leran. These were taken down by one OF
| Glieran's deputies, who angrlly informed
| the perpetrators Of the awful deed that they
| would now have to wait before the street
| would be repaired.
A few DAYS later, according TO the state
ment Of j. Reilly, who has a store on Davis
street, near Washington, and is one of the
| atfi icted, the police Informed the merchants
OF the obStructed highway that il they
| formed any more mounds or displayed any
| more epltaphs OF the august Superln-
tendent of Streets they would be arrested.
TIE warning had its effect, and the effect
| lasted about two weeks. Then heap OF
stones was erected at the corner OF Davis
| and Washington streets and was dubbed
| Fort Slow" Its remains are still visible.
| Yielding sand has taken the place OF the
| mud. and still the merchants of Davis street
| are not satisfied.
| BY THE BARROW ROUTE.
They haul their potatoes, onions and
| squasheS to their stores from the farmers
wagons at the corner of Washington and
| Clay streets on hand barTows, but their Gus
| toners do not come with handbarroHs, and
| finding the street almost impossible for
| their teams and wagons go elsewhere.
On Monday the merchants on both sides
| of the street signed a petition 10 the Super
| intendent for relief. No answer had been
| obtained yesterday afternoon, and a CALL
| reporter, who broke the blockade, found
| that the despairiug business men were doing
| little paving on their own account. Sew
| eral of them had taken the blocks piled be-
| fore thclr doors and made OF them a pave
| ment that looked like a wharf, extending
| into the middle Of the road.
| One OF these wharyes had been con-
! structed IN front of the store of J. w. Wolf,
| heap Of OdOrferous onions which Chi
| said that on account " the condition of the
| street he was losing all his customers.
| Frank Dalton, whose place Of business is
| almost opposite VOLTS. and who is also the
| proprietor of a W harf butt Of basalt blocks.
| said that if GilIeTan did not soon pave the
street the merchants would have to pave il
| for themselves
J. Ehrlanger said: The street viii be
| paved just before election"
J. Reilly stated that on account of the
| condition of the street accidents were hap
| pening every day. Harness is broken and
| horses are cut by the stone blocks. Gil
| leran Will get heavy vote from Us If he
| ever runs for Office again 70