The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-07-23
He Invites Contractors to Prove
His Van NeSs-AVenue Fig
ures Are Too High.
THEY'LL DO IT ON THURSDAY.
The Police Commission Warned Not
to Appoint the New 70 Until
Further Advice.


of the Solid Eight were served with cita-
tions to appear before Judge Slack on the |
3lst of this month, and show cause why |
they should not be ousted from office for |
malfeasance.
In the second place, THE CALL lost the |
CIGARS. J. ". Mcdonald, while not appear |
ing in person to make statement about the |
Van Ness-avenue Job, as he was so anxious |
to do did send typewriter communlca- |
ton wherein he takes exception to the |
statement that IA cents is high price for
the work being done on Van Ness avenue, |
and challenges any reputable contractor or
committee of business men to establish the |
contrary.
AS this fully serves the desired purpose
it will be admitted that the cigars-tirst- |
class, blue-label, home-industry, Half-mil- |
lion Club cigars-are on THE CALL. For
it will be remembered that THE CALL
wagered as much that he would not do so.
This communication was referred to the
Street Committee, and it will no doubt
have full hearing at the meeting of that
body on Thursday next, when Mr.. Nc
Donald's challenge will be taken up.
To be sure there were some half dozen
contractors at the meeting of the board
Yesterday who asked to be heard on the
subject, but, although Mr.. McDonald's
paper was read, they were not permitted to
speak. But that was very proper, no
doubt. foT any amount of talk will not
change or defeat the resolution, which ''di-
reefs the Superintendent of Streets to enter
into a private contract with the City Street
Improvement Company'-whichi is John !
w. McDonald-to pave Van Ness avenue |
at the rate OF IA cents a square foot. The
discussion, therefore, before the Street
Committee will serve just as well to inform
the public as though it took place before
the full board.
There was the same hubbub ofinterested
discussion and the shutting of many feet
in the corridors about the Supervisors
rooms yesterday afternoon as on the Mon
day previous. And there was the same |
big policeman at the door of the lobby of |
the meeting-room and at the gallery and |
again at the clerks office, the same guards |
patrolled the corridors, and officers in citi-
zens' clothes took prominent places in |
both lobby and gallery. Not SO many per-
sons were permitted to enter the room as |
at the meeting previous.
Shortly before o'clock, while the Super
visors were gathered in the clerks office
and the last details preliminary to the
meeting were being put in shape, K. NJ.
Smith entered with an officer and an
nounced that he had come to serve cita-
tons upon
Joseph King, First Ward;
Peter A. SculIy, Second Ward;
Charles f. Benjamin, Third Ward;
AIphonse Hirsch, Fourth Ward;
Edward C. Hughes, Sixth Ward;
Chris Bunker, Seventh Ward;
Alfred w. Morgenstern, Ninth Ward;
Edward L. Wagner, Twelfth Ward;
Who compose the majority of the board
the Solid Eight.
The citations require them to appear
before Judge Slack at 10 o'clock on the
morning Of July 81, and answer the charge |
of malfeasance in Office in having adver- |
tised a valuable franchise for sale under |
conditions and stipulations that are favor
able to the Market-street Railway Com
pany and to no other, and which makes |
the franchise of no value to any other |
company.
The members of the Eight, one after the
other, walked up to the counter where
Smith stood, and took the green-covered
paper-some of them indiferently and
some of them frowningly. Each as he
turned away looked it through, and then
slowed it in his inside pocket.
The business of the board was chiefly |
routine, the only incident out of the ordi-
nary being centered about the resolution
TO override the Mayors veto of the resolu-
ton to accept the work on Hayes street,
between Fillmore and Steiner. 1t will be
remembered there has been some little
hilarity over this matter in the Street Com
mittee, it being declared that this particu-
lar block was better paved than usual, as
this was the particular aim and object of |
the contractors, as they desired his Honor, |
the Mayor. who owns one-fourth of the en-
tire frontage, should be more than salts |
fed, and should have one of the best pave
ments in front of his property"
A resolution was introduced accordingly |
to pass this over the veto, and when it |
came up for consideration the Mayor |
called Supervisor Taylor to the chair and |
made little address, declaring that he was |
informed and believed that the work was |
not well done and should not be accepted. |
Supervisor Wagner said that he had |
especially lOOhcQ GllCI tIllS WOIh, DIS IL WIS |
in his ward. the Twelfth, and knew that |
it was first class. The Mayor had vetoed |
it, because sea. beach sand was not used, |
while the specifications did not call for sea |
beach sand.
Supervisor Hobbs moved that George T. /
Gaden be permitted to say what he knew
about it, as it was on his report that the
Mayor had acted. Dimond seconded this.
Supervisor Hughes objected. He didn't |
see what right Mr.. Gaden had to speak, as
he was not an official. He wanted to
know, further. what Mr.. Gaden knew
about street-paving anyhow? Had he ever
laid any payement26
Mayor Sutro said Mr.. Gaden was both
experienced, Intelligent and honest" He
had found him entirely reliable in every
statement he had ever made.
Supervisor Taylor, who had resumed his
seat on the floor, said he had come pre-
pared to vote for this resolution, as he was
reasonably convinced that the work was
all right, but he did not believe in choking