The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-08
EXAMINING THE DEALERS,
The Coal Contractors and
Others Appear Before the
Grand Jury.
PRAIsING THE WATER PEOPLE.
Certain Improvements Made at the
Instigation of the Law
Defenders.
PRAIsING THE WATER PEOPLE.

The Grand Jury met yesterday after
noon, and for four hours wrangled with
the very knotty report which is to be pre-
sented at the final session next Wednes-
day. The first matter considered was the
case of George Fredericks, the Grant
avenue saloon-keeper, charged with grand
larceny.
Fredericks is charged with taking gold
watch from P. G. Houson. After examin-
ing several witnesses the jury returned an
Indictment. which was presented to Judge
Murphy at O'Clock. The court fixed the
bail at $1,000 and ordered bench warrant
issued for the arrest of Fredericks.
The supplies furnished the several mu-
nlcipal departments again came up for
consideration. The Grand Jury has de-
and 1t Is not at all surprising that the con-
tractors should be considerably worked up
over the Investigations.
The coal contractors were the only bid
ders for the City's patronage that were
called before the jury yesterday. Thomas
Morton, ex-Supervisor e. NJ Ebbetts and
Pat Lynch were put through the sweat
though their bids were low, there was a
considerable margin of profit in all the
goods supplied by them. a
The witnesses were asked why it was
that they invariably secured the coal con-
tracts of the City, and how they could af
ford to underbid the other coal dealers.
Their reply was to the effect that they
were not aware of any undertaking; that
they simply named a price that would
leave them reasonable profit, ana that
was all there was to it. The other dealers
will be investigated in turn, and it is not
improbable that the forthcoming report
will contain many things that will tend to
show the careless manner in which the
various municipal departments are con-
Quoted.
The forthcoming report will pay it's re-
spects to the Spring Valley Water Works,
though, contrary to expectations, it will be
more in the nature of approval than other
wise. Some months ago there was consid-
cradle talk about the impurity of the water
furnished by the Valley people, though an
investigation resulted in nothing startling
The Grand Jury, however took it up, and
in quiet way got at the bottom of the
matter. The water works people. showed
them every courtesy, and appeared more
than willing to correct any evils that might
exist of which they were not then aware.
| They admitted that prior to January /,
| jected to certain impurities but that the
same had been corrected as soon as their
attention had been directed to it,
| The officers OF the water works stated
that they had already begun to correct the
evils complained of, and were at work con-
| structing canal from the watersheds to
the ocean to carry off the filth hitherto
emptied into the lake. There are suf-
ficient number of pure springs in the
valley, they said, to supply all the water
needed, hence their willingness to do any
| thing Within reason to give the people OF
San Francisco pure water.
| Whether the probing of the Grand Jury
inspired the work now being done by the
| Spring Valley people or not, the purifying
OF Lake MERGED, and consequently of the
| cisco, is an assured thing. It is stated
that the Improvements now in process OF
| construction will cost nearly or quite
| 100000.
The Grand Jury will meet again Mon
day night, and will probably make their
final report next Wednesday. The report
will certainly not be delayed longer than
Friday, June IA.