The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-08
Demand Made for an Investiga-
ton of the Pavilion Fair
Finances.
TROUBLE OVER LICK FUNDS.
Memb ers of the Mechanics Institute
: Hold Turbulent Meeting-Feel-
ing Runs High.

Forensic swords were drawn from their
seabbards and welded right fiercely by
such members of the Mechanics Institute
as attended the quarterly meeting held
last evening. After an hour or more of
such warfare H. Phillips threw an explo-
sive into their midst in the form Of the
following resolution:
WHEREAS, 1t is necessary for the protection
of the Mechanics Intitute property, Gember-
ship and organization that an investigation
should be forthwith made by q committee of
institute; into the giving of official places
and OF privileges connected with the
1895; into the alleged unconstitutionality
and impracticability OF the preferential system
of voting for election of trustees; into the
alleged mismanagement OF the funds of the
institute by trustees in the expenditure of
$4,000 and odd, and the cutting off of i'm
portant rental income by the removal of the
reading-room and library OF the institute
from their former position; into the loss or
some $500 volumes to the institute during the
past five years, TIN ough theft and otherwise,
into large losses of money sustained through
the injudicious purchase of real estate at q
fraudulently excessive price and its subse-
quent shrinkage in value; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That a committee OF two life mem
bers, A. B. Spreckels and NJ. A. Wheaton, and
the following regular members, Jared c. Hoag
and j. L. McCrossen, are hereby appointed a
committee of investigation. with full power to
investigate and report back to the next meet
ing.
Patrick Haley, who had shown beIlig-
erent spirit prior to the Introduction of
this bomb, deprecated the use of the same,
and said the structures he had delivered
earlier in the evening applied, not to the
present board of trustees, but to those who
might follow.
Attorney Reed characterized the intro
duction of the resolution as a cowardlv
act. and said that unless signed it should
be ignored.
Mr.. Cumming spoke in the same vein,
declaring that he had not dime to show
for his four years service on the board.
On the contrary he had lost thousands.
Mr.. Leggett said he courted rather than
feared investigation.
vote on the adoption of the resolutions
resulted in an affirmative vote of and
negative of more than 80.
President Hallidie gave an earnest ad-
dress before the close of the meeting, in
which he said that any honorable attempt
to bring about an investigate of his
record as an officer of the institute would
have his hearty cooperation. He reported
the proceeds of the fair were $40, 500.
Prior to his final stroke Mr.. Phillips had
stirred up the mem bers by an amendment
to the constitution requiring that vacan-
cies in the board of trustees be filled by a
| direct vote. of the members, instead of
their ratification or rejection of the nomi--
nations made by the trustees. This
provoked a long and wordy war, in
which Mr.. Phillips, Patrick Haley
and Mr., May participated on one
side and Messrs. Roger, Cummings,
PLUMP, Reed, Peat Critch and Leggett on
the other. The claim was made by Mr..
| Phillips and his confreres that the present
constitution gave too great power in that
direction, while the others contended that
the trustees knew more about the personal
qualifications required for such service
There were examinations and recrimina-
| tions.
Mr.. Haley, who was defeated candidate,
said the wishes of the members had been.
thWarted as to choice of trustees by the
existing provision, and Mr.. Cumming
hurled back at him that he (Haley) had
succeeded in defeating Oscar Lewis, one of
the best qualified candidates ever nomi-
mated by the trustees.
The amendment was lost by an over
whelming vote.
e. Fl. Cole and B. f. Garrett were
elected, there being but two or three dis
senting votes, to fill the present vacancies
in the board.
c. G. Webb, Asa B. Wells, A. B. spreck-
els, L. E. Phillips, J. T. McCrossen, J. c.
| were nominated by the trustees, and A. S.
Hallidie, Mrs. Susan NJ. Theall. Patrick
Haley and B. F. Garrett, from the floor,
| for trustees for the ensuing term. The
election will take place at the next
| meeting.
The question of moving the reading
room from 1.-The subterranean regions to
its former quarters in the sky parlor," as
| Reed put it, was lost, and later one ask
| ing the directors to consider the advisa-
| bility of such removal prevailed.
Mr.. Peat moved that the trustees take
| up the matter of the proper appropriation
of the Lick bequest for it's original purpose
of expenditure for works on science and
| mechanics. The interest ON the amount,
| which was applied upon debt, would
now reach nearly $4,000, and should be
| used for the purpose designed by the tes-
tator. The motion prevailed.