The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-08
Water Works Material That
Was Paid For but Never
Reached the City.
GRATTAN WHEELER's METHODS.
Additional Inside History of the
Gigantic Thievery Given by
Margery Dare.
Especial Correspondence of THE CALI


my assignment property I'm quite
sure 1 wouldn't want to be man and have
it known l had written what l did about
these awful affairs up here.
The Ledger says l told only one truth
and that was when l said the Union was
bought outright.
The Union says / am q person of "shady
character" hired by the "bunko banks or
something of that sort.
And the News says nothing.
was too easy on the News [ guess. At
least that is the general expression, and
some people say that because I spoke
kindly of Frank Lane, therefore, perforce L
am Frank Lane. Dear me! The very idea
OF it!
Well, the News won't get off so easily
this time. I've learned since last 1 wrote
that the News has been charged with
having had finger in Mr.. Boggs' pie.
They say up here that Grattan Wheeler
paid the News $500 not TO publish an ex-
posure OF his derelictions. The Ledger
made the accusation and the News rented
it, and there the matter stands.
I've learned lot more about the IN
sides" you sent me 20 find out about.
This man Wheeler seems to be at the
bottom of most of the bedevilment of this
community, and he, in company with
Boggs, his successor in Office, and W.
Burton Allen, the banker, and the Tacoma
Light and Water Company, seem to be
responsible for the most OF its miseries.
1t is an awfully long story, the telling OF
which would take two or three newspapers
like The CALL.
When the water company concluded to
sell to the city it first got hold of Bennett
and the Ledger. Bennett had been
member OF a water commission selected to
choose a source Of supply. A fine mount
ain stream known as the Mashall, or
Marechal, was selected. Bennett had
big fight on with the water company; had
driven 4 well at his hotel-the Tacoma
in order to avoid the companys extortion-
ate exactions; had fought it in court and
won. But he went East-to Philadelphia
where the man named Wright, who
owned the company, lives, and became
converted and sent back kilograms
strongly recommending" the purchase.
There was talk of tunnel contract and
also OF a mortgage on the hotel-none OF
Bennett and his Ledger advocated the
purchase, or sale, or whatever it was.
The deal was made, as 1 outlined before,
giving the City Treasurer of that time,
Mr.. Boggs, lots OF money to handle.
Among the articles purchased with the
water plant was a shipload of iron pipe
manufactured expressly for the company,
and all branded 'T L. & ". Co." which
was in transit at the time, and lot of iron
pipe that was stored on the company's
property in this city. The ship on its way
TO Tacoma was intercepted and steered
into port at San Francisco and unloaded
on the docks there somewhere. The pipe
is still there.
Well, after being good friends all the
way through the deal down to and after
the delivery of the plant, Mayor Huson
and MIR. Wright "fell out" and Huson or
gained a party at night, including police
men and fremen, who seized the pine
that was here, took 1t bodily and carted it
off to city property. OF course the Mayor
and all his assistants were arrested, but
they were promptly acquitted. Just day
or two ago the Supreme Court decided that
the city owned that pipe by reason OF pur-
chase, and that it could not be disturbed
in the possession of it. So now it is ar
gued that the pipe at San Francisco be-
longs also to the city, wherefore it is said
those who caused it to be stored there are
liable to arrest for theft.
magnificent steal Itquite wins one s
admiration. The plant, including this
pipe, was sold to the City at thrice its
actual value and then the pipe was stolen
A whole shipload Of pipe-a regular for
tune in hollow iron!
gIHow 1 do wish I were man! If l
wouldn't make noise about these out
ragesl But there am wandering dread
fully from the ''inside."
What ] started out to tell was about
that man Wheeler. He is in New York
City now-has an Office there under the
name of Wheeler & Co. and the Mutual
Investment Company. Wheeler & Co.
have advertised some choice "Western s
and 10 per cent securities" for sale-which
securities l assume TO be city warrants of
the city of Tacoma, bogus-or rather, to
coin new word, Bogus warrants-war-
rants that have been once paidi 2
The Mutual Investment Company has a
neater plant sells certificates of mem
bership to yokels in the New England
States. And this man Wheeler remains at
large, unarrested, unmolested, while
dozens of men proclaim themselves more
anxious to procure his arrest than to en-
JOY fortunel
Pm wandering again-what [ started to
tell was how Wheeler came TO form part
nership with Boggs. When Wheeler went
out of Office and Boggs came in it is now
presumed that he was somewhat short in
his accounts and that he had some war
rants uncanceled representing the deficit.
He succeeded in inducing Boggs to accept
these as cash and then started bank (the
Commercially on wind-that is, with prom
issory notes taken for stock, and took those
warrants as a deposit Times were good
and deposits came easily, and the city and
the county and some genuine stockholders
dropped some money into the rat hole.
Then Boggs invented his plausible
scheme Of paying city warrants out OF their
order in order to maintain the city S
credit" He would hold them for six or
eight months and then deposit them as
cash to the credit of the city at their face
value, dating back the Endorsement ''not