The record-union., 1893-10-07

OFSAy h1llu. bntHk my experience III
the Board of Trustees wnen all these
streets on the high grade were paved and
otnerS graveled, and the number OF enc
mics / made by crowdlng that work, Is
sufficient evidence of my progressive
spirit. There are men in town to-day
VINO hardly speak TO me on account Oh
the feeling engendered at that time. \ ou
know that at the time the high grade
came the streets were in a shameful con-
dltlon. When the Legislature met l sue
ceeded in getting the intersection-tund
Dill passed, which provided that the city
should pay for the work on the intersec-
tions, which constituted about one fourth
of the whole expense. The levy the first
year under the bill was about $4,000.
That enabled us to get about S20O,U0
worth OF work done. [ do not think
there has ever been as much work done
IN any one year since. as it was continued
until all the high-grade streets were inn
proved, under my management. OF
course, at that time this bituminous
pavement was not known, and the cob
bled street was supposed to be the best
and most permanent consequently the
business streets were paved with cobbles
land a large number OF streets graVeled.
II went into the board in 1874 and was
a member six years. During that time
all the nigh grade streets were improved.
L am IN favor OF continuing all these i'm
provements. The k-street Improvement
was started by J. w. Wilson and | was
the second one to sign the petition, al
though the block on which our property
is located was paved with granite blocks
between Sixth and Seventh streets.
These Improvements will probably be
continued, and 1 am in favor of doing it.
"But above all street improvements, or
anything else, the most important thing
is to get taxes reduced. There has been
foo ia oJt1
When people come here with a view 10
investing. the first question they ask is,
What is your tax rate?" When told
that the city, county and State tax
amounts TO three and half cents, that is
enough for them. This old charter was a
good charter if it was carried out. 1t was
intended that under it there should not
be any debt carried over from one year to
another. 1t absolutely prohibited that.
The Supreme Court has decided that no
town or city could incur an Indebtedness
beyond the fund provided for that year.
LAS to licenses, | do not think the
present liquor licenses are too high. l
do not think we are in condition to have
a prohibitory license | do not think 1t
would be satisfactory to great majority
of the people, but | do not consider the
present licenses too high.
my past political attiliatiOn? Well, l
was born and raised in Western Virginia,
and up to the time of the war | had been
classed here as a Democrat, but since the
war | have been known and acted with
the Republicans; but am not much Of a
politician.
Il did not seek this nomination. One
or two members Of the Citizens spoke to
me to know il l would accept the NOM
ination. l told them that if / accepted the
nomination from them | would also APP
pear before the Republican convention.
That was all that occurred in the matter.
They asked no promises whatever, and 1t
is only three days ago that l received no
tce from Mr.. Weinstock that l was
nominated by them. L had no communi-
cation with the NOn-partizanS at all. The
/ Regular Democratic nomination was
complete surprise. | went before the Re-
publican convention the same as any
other candidate. The Non-partizans who
spoke to me were anxious that l should
gel the Republican nomination.
This labor matter is matter of great
deal Of Importance. l have been labor
ing man all my life. l went to work as
soon as | was big enough to turn grind
stone and steady the end OF a cross-cut
saw. My sympathies have always been
with the working man, but since the
labor organizations have been established
/ have never been SO that I could become
a member, being a contractor. They
wages when l was III the board before.
The circumstances were these: 1t was a
time of depression like this There were
a great many idle men here and very lit
lie 10 DO. The board had in the street
fund $1,000, and they agreed to eXpend it
ut that time. The question came up in
the board whether we would give a thou
sand days at y a day or eight hundred
days at S2 % a day. Chris Green was
Mayor at that time. The board thought
it would do more good to give a thousand
days at 81 a day at that time. 1t was
done with no intention of reducing
wages, but simply to benefit the unem-
plOyed. OF course, soon after that wages
were reduced by the city to S2 day.
II am i'll favor Of carrying out all the
laws. II the law says eight hours shall
be days work, as it does, l am in favor
of enforcing it.
1.-The work we are doing over here on
the levee we are doing for the rail-
road company and are doing at price
that we had to take i'll competition. We
work the same hours and pay the same
wages as the railroad company"
1t is hardly necessary 10 state that Mr..
Knox is the well-known contractor.
A. DITTMAR,
The nominee of the Peoples party for
Mayor, was found busily engaged in his
furniture store. He said:
at is hardly necessary for me to go
into details as TO my views on municipal
government, as they are fully set forth
in the platform of our convention. | am
in favor of the city owning her own
water works, gas works and electric
plants for lighting the city. l stand by
our platform all the way through. The
Peoples party was organized in the in
terest Of better government. That is one
Of our main purposes.
"As to my former political affiliations,
would say that | was born and raised in
Pennsylvania. My father was as great
an Abolitionist as ever lived, and conse-
quently [ grew up Republican and was
one, until twenty years ago, when l came
to California. Then the state of affairs
here often induced me to vote the Demo-
cratic ticket, aud l have been with the
Peoples party ever since it started.
Il did not seek the nomination. The
parties connected withrthe Peoples party
were urging me to take the nomination.
and | finally consented to run.
LAS to the liquor licenses, L think they
are very low now, but ii any change was
proposed | should favor submitting the
question to the people.
81 think the new charter is a good
thing. 1t was necessary that we should
have a new charter. There were q great
many defects in the old charter. I think
the men who framed the new charter
were good set of men and they gave US
a good charter"
II. W, BRAGG
with Waterhouse & Lester), candidate
of the Citizens, Republicans and Nom
Partisans for Trustee from the Fourth
Ward. after the object OF the interview
had been stated. said:
~ have hardly had time to think much
about municipal policies yet. l feel that
the new charter is good instrument and
what we need in this city. As to whether
it is valid or not of course [ do not know,