The morning call., 1893-07-23

notice to vacate within thirty days. Those
who had long leases were paid all they de-
manded for reinquishing them.
He's going t. convert the building into a
theater, or big library. or museum, or
some kindred institution. the people and
the press thought. Andrew Manderson
said nothing.
de was a man who appreciated the
privilege of changing his opinions at the
last moment without being considered in
consistent or vacillating To this end he
never expressed his intentions regarding
MS plans until the time came for action.
Meantime. however, the press and pub
lie speculated wildly and waited impa-
tiently for some inkling as to the ultimate
disposition of Andrew Manderson's latest
acquisition.
They had not long to wait. Andrew
Manderson was man of action. The
day the last tenant moved out thousand
workmen armed with picks and rowbars
were put to work on the Mills building
They began at the roof. In three
months not solitary vestge of that once
stately building remained in the Eeghbor-
hood. Out among the sand dunes was
huge pie Of rubbish. 1t was pointed out
to strangers as comprising the materials
that one dav formed the handsomest busi-
ness structure west of the Rocky Noun
tains.
HE will doubtless construct a much
finer building on the site." was the reflec-
tlon with which the citizens and the press
of San Francisco consoled themselves
during the work of demolition.
There were certain alarmsts of the time
and certain sensational newspapers which
did not take so roseate view Of the situa-
ti0n. They predicted another adobe hut
or something far worse, but confessed at
the same tims. By their silence If not by
their words, that Andrew Manderson had
acquired his title to the property in Il legal
way. He had bought and paid for it. 1t
was his. and 50 long as he paid the taxes
and did not maintain public nuisance on
he pleased. And against this style oflogc
there were none to say LAY; noue, at least,
as have already pointed out. except the
anarchists and socialists" and peither
the masses" nor the ''bettcr classes" paid
serious attention to what they said.
Well, for few weeks after the last cart
load of onyx, marble and hand-wrought
brass rubbish had been hauled away An
drew Manderson did simply nothing at all
with his property. He was conservative
and cautious man. this richest man in the
world. He was evidently taking time to
make up his mind.
One morning 100 wagons loaded with
gravel drove down Montgomery street
from North Beach. They halted at Bush
been dumped into the cellars OF the Mills
building. Other hundreds OF loads of
gravel followed them. Then came sand
and fresh earth. Green sod. cut from the
hillsides, followed next. Now there was
a huge grass plot where once the Mills
building had been. "A rough board fence
soon inclosed the ground. In another
month San Francisco gloried in the finest
equipped tennis court in all the wide
world.
Perhaps it is hardly right to say San
Francisco ''glored" in the possession of
this splendidly equipped tennis court. first
Of all because San Francisco did not pos
sess lit belonged to Andrew Mander-
son-and secondly because San Francisco
deplored the loss of its magnificent bus-
ness block so deeply that it paid but scant
attention to the glories Of that tennis court
with Its wickets OF ivory and gold.
Andrew MandersOn's children and their
friends played tennis in that court, but no
one else. Wren it was completed repre-
sentative from ench of the daily papers
was admitted through the little wicket
M gate IN the unsightly board fence. From
tn6 glowing accounts that were published
In the newspapers the next day Andrew
Manderson must have spent million dol
lars In equlpplng that playground for his
children, but the public did not seem to be
be much interested.
Indeed there was much grum bling about
this time in and out of the newspapers.
and many people were hardy enough to de-
clare that 1t was sorry day for San Fran
cisco when Andrew Manderson decided to
make it his home.
STILL his inherent and legal right to do
as he liked with his own was not cues
toned. Indeed if 1t had been the courts
would have upheld him with tire entire
sanction Of the "better element" of the
community, for at that time men owned