The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-02-14
FORTY=THREE OUT.
Ackerson Discharges His
Sewer Men.
He Says He Will Obey the Orders OF
the Board of Supervisors About
Expenses.

superintendent of Streets Ackerson yes
terday discharged forty-three sewer and
cesspool men. He took this action in order
TO keep within the limited appropriation
allowed him by the Finance Committee
Of the Board of Supervisors, which re-
stricted his expenditures for work on the
streets to $1,000 month. During the
month he had 100 men and % carts, but
now will be compelled to get along with
81 men and II carts. Ths discharge is
only temporary, as the Street Superin-
tendent says he will give the men another
show next month. He states that the
number of men in his department. at the
present time is just sufficient to make
necessary repairs and attend to COM
plants.
When Superintendent Ackerson was
asked what steps he intended to take to
enforce the resolution adopted by the
Board of Supervisors on Monday In
structing him to tear up all unused rail-
road tracks in the city, he said:
"Of course l will obey orders. and right
now l have men out looking over the
ground very carefully. l will have to be
cautious in this matter as do not desire
to get the city into legal hole II can
help il, although 1 myself am Unidentified
by the resolution from all responsibility in
essary for me to go carefully into the old
franchises under which these unused
routes were granted in order to get at the
conditions therein as to how often cars
should be run and the like. When l nave
determined this the tracks will be
promptly torn up and taken to the Corpo-
ration Yard. No one will know when> a
start will be made or where except myself.
and l intend TO have them up before any
legal tomfoolery is INDUCED in"
Superintendent AckersOn sent the fol-
loving communication to the Grand Jury
yesterday:
! Leon SlosS Esq. Chairman of the Committee
on street Department of the Grand JlTy-DEAR
SIR: In addition TO the last letter sent your
HONORABLE commltte would beg leave to further
repOft as follows:
That have made more complete inveStiga-
ton as TO the condition Of streets 10 be kept in
repair by the city and county, as we'll as those
portions required TO be kept in proper condition
by the railroad companies.
A general comparison between the two is a
SAD criticism of the cty's work 1t must be
admit,e ed thai the railroads keep their portions
OF streets in much better condition than can the
city with the insufficient appropriations al
lowed by the Board of Supervisors. In this
co injection l would urge upon your honorable
body that in your final report you suggest u he
adyisibality OF more adequate appropriate ion.
An exception can be made TO the numerous
railroads that keep their tracks In compara-
lively good order. | refer to the San Francisco
and San Mateo r ilway. Their tracks and the
SllttlS ONol WHICH lDeE run are mostly IN de-
plorabe condition. The major por ion of their
railro.d DIS run on macadamized streets. 1t is
next 10 impossible To ep these streets in a
good condition during the wet season. | would
urge that all these macadamlZed streets over
which car tracks run be recommended for pave.
ment 10 the honorable Board of Supervisors.
On some of The tracks reported as unused TO
your honorable body the railroads have begun
10 run cars. L Will MAKE as complete a report
as possible soon as the requisite informa-
ton is received.
In relation TO the sidewalks compla ined of 10
this department / would state that some OF
them are In good condition. constructed with
the best wooden material.
Some are no doubt not on the official grade, but
while they are pasSable. and there is no men
ace 10 life or limb, am of the opinion that bet
ter and more deserving work could be done
where more sorely needed.
i Will endeavor 10 report more fully at YOUR
next meeting. WILLIAM W. ACKERSON,
Superintendent of Public Streets, Highways
and Squares.