The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-09
.SUTRO AFTER ASHWORTH
Strained Relations Between the
Executive and the Street
Department.
THE TALE OF A RESOLUTION.
Why It Did Not Pass-Mr. Gaden
Criticizes and Is Criti-
Cized.

| The defeat before the Street Committee
yesterday of the resolution presented at
the last meeting OF the Board of Super
vlsors by Mr.. Spreckels requesting the
superintendent of Streets to provide the
Mayors Office daily with list of the in
| spectors employed on street work and
| where detailed has given another wrench
to the already strained relations that exist
| between the Street Department and the
| head of the City government.
This is the third attempt we have
made to be placed in possession of such
information as would enable us to watch
the progress of new street paving in the
interest Of its betterment,i said George T.
| Gaden, the Mayors special agent, yes
| terday.
THAT resolution was presented by Mr..
Spreckels at my instance and that OF the
Civic Federation. Mr.. Spreckels was un-
able to attend the meeting of the Street
Committee, of which he is chairman,
| Yesterday, and Mr.. Ashworth' representa-
mons were accepted without question, and
the resolution will be reported back to the
BOARD Tor indefinite postponement.
This arbitrary action will result in the
uniting on this subject of all the organiza-
tons having the good of the City at heart
and the creation of public sentiment that
Will compel Difference to the wishes of the
people who stand for reform For these
steps we are taking in looking after con-
tractors on the streets and public works is
certainly IN the line OF reforms that has
long been demanded, ana the need 1u1
which is patent to every citizen who has
his eyes open.
Il have a letter here from Mr.. Dohrmann
OF the Merchants Association expressing
sympathy IN the movement. There can
be no doubt that the Merchants Associa-
ton, the Half-million Club and the Good
Government Club will join with the Civic
Federation In pushing the movement for
good streets, the initial point of which lies
IN seeing that the work now being done on
the streets is well done. To do this it is
necessary that we know where the work is
gong ON. Mr.. Ashworth says that any
eltizen can get all the information by call
ing at his office. Well, Mr.. Elder, who is
employed to look after the work, called
there and asked to be shown certain books.
and Mr.. AShwOrth or his deputies told him
fatty that they would show him nothing.
1T was then we had the two resolutions
intro duced directing the Superintendent
OF Streets to furnish the Mayor with daily
information as to the work undertaken
and to instruct him TO leave the excava-
tlons over completed sewers open for a
dock at time for twenty-four hours. so
that the work might be inspected. These
resolutions passed unanimously when first
introduced, but the Superintendent of
Streets went to certain men and had the
resolutions reConsidered.
"Then we tried again to secure this in
formation by another means through this
last resolution which was referred to the
Street Committee and will by them be re-
ported back for indefinite postponement.
The work required by the Office of Superin-
tendent OF Streets to fulfill its require
mo Uynl ha - r
he simply won't do it.
II show you the necessity of some out
slider looking after these things" continued
Mr.. Gaden, II have only to point you to
that bit OF bltumen taken out on Steuart
street W hlch measures ~ inches through.
IT should be ~ inches. have only to
tell you that the work on Army and Mis-
sion streets the cesspools and crossings
for which Finn & Tracy had the contract.
and which work was accepted by Superin-
tendent Ashworth, is now being done over
again. The contractors came voluntarily
to this office after the recent visit out there
by the street committee of the Grand jury
and confessed that the work was not prop
erly done. They said they had sublet it to
irresponsible men who had not done the
work up to contract, and they are putting
it to rights.
"Now with this sort of thing going on all
over the City-bitumen being laid that in
WEN SdH UC hlChcQ up III CuunkS, CoSSDOOlS
built OF half the size and depth required
would it not be better part for the Street
Superintendent to play to accept what
assistance we can render him instead of
combating US, for he says himself that he
has to rely to great extent on his in
spectors?"
There is no law to compel us to furnish
this information," said Superintendent
Ashworth, when seen about the matter
yesterday, land will not do it. They
have tried every way they know how to
force me to give it and they have failed,
and now they come and ask for it and /
refuse them. The fact is" continued Mr.
IS taking upon himself work that
is no part of his duties. In the
first place, l am the official whose bust
ness 1t is to pass upon the work of con-
tractors-to accept or reject the streets
and not the Mayor. He has nothing to
do with it whatever except to counter
sign the warrants for the assessments.
Even that is not necessary to validate
them. Ny signature alone would be suffi-
cient.
''In the next place this man Gaden,
whom he has employed to spook around
after US, has no authority to do so. He is
not sworn officer of the government.
My deputies and inspectors are. His
principal business seems to be to interfere
with the progress of our work, to withhold
contracts and assessments, carry them
round in his pockets for days and keep
men out of their money who have earned
and should have it.
sit is quite true" he went on, " that we
refused information to this man Elder.
He wanted to look at the books, and we
told him he could not. Every property
owner has the right to all the information
we can give, but he is not property
owner, and-and we have to be careful.
Some people would change the records on
us. l know Elder. He has caused me
more trouble when he was doing street
work than all the other contractors put
together"