The herald., 1895-02-16
Crane, the Capitalist, Wants to
Be Special Officer
SANITARY INSPECTOR NOW
Mayor RAIDERS Peculiar Tie Vote in the
Police Commission
Vigorous Opposition to Cranes Appointment.
He Was a Boomer In the Boom
Times at San Diego

At the last meeting of the Police Com
mission the question of making the San
itary Inspectors on the Health depart
ment of the city special officers SO that
they may ride free on the street cars and
also be able to enter any premises and
command the respect of the owners came
up. Thecommission granted the privilege
to all but one OF the inspectors, whose
application was laid over one week. This
exception was made in the case of 7. P.
Crane.
Commissioner Pritle very strongly OBJ
jected to giving the privileges OF an Off
Ger to Mr.. Crane, stating that he believed
him to be an irresponsible and unreliable
person and that his appointment was a
mistake. Mayor RAIDER just as strongly
urged his election and when the vote was
taken he voted for him, while Commits
sioners Pritle and Weber voted against
and Commissioner Field refused to vote.
Commissioner Barham was absent. The
Mayor declared this vote tie and order
ed that the matter go over one week.
Since the meeting it has been learned
that there is some very bitter opposition
to Crane, and although the position he
occupies in the city government is very
protestants against his retention in the
place. 1t looks as though there might be
a warm fight at the next meeting of the
Police Commission, unless, perchance, the
Mayor calls one OF those celebrated execu-
tive sessions and the matter is settled be-
hind the scenery.
Crane has been rather a prominent fig
ure in Southern California for several
years, and it was great surprise to many
when he accepted the humble position
from which his enemies are now trying
to eject him.
Unconsciously it may have been but
none the less conspicuously Crane has
posed before the public as a capitalist
and promoter, the word promotes" in
this sense being used according to the old
description, j. e., "a man who sells some
thing he hasn't got to man who doesn't
want it, for ten times what it is worth. "
Crane has been the subject of considera-
BILE newspaper comment lately. A few
years ago when San Diego had her boom
clothes on Crane came to California from
Chicago, and after a short stop in San
Diego, went down into Lower California.
He started the town of San Carlos and the
big Puntabandee Hotel of which so much
was heard and so little seen. He built a
fine home in San Carlos and lived in grand
style. But the boom dropped
During Cranes stay in Lower California
a Chicago paper published a story about
him which tended to cast reflections on
his reputation. 1t was intimated that he
stayed in Lower California because he
feared to come back to this side of the
line because of some transactions in Chi
cago.
Crane stayed in Lower California until
the boom went down, and then he came
first to San Diego and then to Los An
geles. He posed in this city as capital
ist for a time, but lacking one of the
requisites of true capitalist he gradually
gave up the practice of that profession
and is now a sanitary inspector at $50 per
month.
A former San Diegan who is now in
business in this city and who had extern
sive dealings in Lower California during
Cranes stay there, said to a Herald re-
porter yesterday that he believes that
during his career in California, both
above and below the line, Crane has been
honest and reliable.
What he was before his coming here I
do not know" he said, ''but | was in
Chicago year or so ago and happened to
run against man who knew Crane well.
This man told me that Crane was the I'M
fortunate scapegoat OF boodling element
in the City OF wind, and from what l have
seen OF Crane, believe him.