The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-11-29
Mr.. ASHWORTH'S BOOKS,
The Examination of Them to Be
Undertaken by the Grand
Jury.
Prospects of the Methods of the Street
Deputies Being Brought to
Public View.

The books of Mr.. Ashworth, Superin-
tendent of Streets, are to be examined by
the Grand Jury. This body is not satisfied
with the outcome of Mr.. Ashworth's trial
in Judge Murphy's court, and intends
now to go to the very bottom of the
matter.
1t is satisfied from the evidence of Mr..
Ashworth himself that the street work has
not been done as it should, and instead of
being discouraged by the stand taken by
Judge Murphy, that Mr.. Ashworth could
! not be held criminally responsible for the
acts of his deputies,'it sees in that very
ruling itself reason for further investiga-
ton. If there has been crookedness and
corruption the books of the Street Super
intendent-Mr. Ashworth's accounts with
the City-ought to show it, the Grand
ury argues.
That this shall be the very first step is
the present intention of the Grand Jury,
and unless there are good reasons to the
contrary, demand is to be made for Mr..
Ashworth's books to-day. 1t is believed
that figures may be made to prove more
than can be brought out in criminal
trial or two, from cautious witnesses, and
the Grand Jury has the privilege of max.
ing report to the public when it has com.
pleted its investigations,
The idea of thorough exporting of Mr..
Ashworth's records has been prompted in
q measure by some communications which
have recently come to hand, charging the
Street Department with too liberal use of
money in the cases of certain favored per-
sons. The Grand Jury is anxious to find
out what particular connection Martin
Heating (Mr. Ashworth's brother-in-law),
Fred Raabe and James W. Grove have
with the expenditure OF the peoples
money.
Messrs. Heating, Raabe and Grove may
now expect to put in an appearance be-
fore the Grand Jury at any time. There are
two saloons in this City which, it is said,
are thriving because of the patronage of
Street Department employees. One of these
places is reported to be at 1861 Mission
street, and it is generally understood that
it is owned by Deputy Superintendent
Heating; the other is at the northwest
corner of Ninth and Folsom streets, and
of that James w. Grove is the proprietor.
Incidentally the Grand Jury will ex-
anime into the records of some of the
juors who served on the Ashworth panel.
Several of the grand jurors were present
at the impaneling of that jury, and one of
them said at the time "This is dreadful"
because the names of few of the Ash
worth jurors had not appeared on the poll
lists or the taxlists of the City. The
deputy sheriffs who secured that jury
have already been before the Grand Jury
and examined, and they will be duly re-
ferred to in the final report.
The private contract work is also to be
taken up and well sifted. Expert George
w. Elder OF the Street Committee says the
system of private contracts in vogue is
barefaced robbery. Here are his words:
Property-owrers are robbed right and left to
the extent of 100000 to So 100000 every
hyf n 40 of vriy V<t
what can we do other that to adopt new
charter and have all street work attended to
by a board OF public works? The court has
held that private contracts do not come within
the province of the Superintendent of Streets;
in fact, in the face of Judge Murphys ruling
it is difficult under the circumstances to see in
what particular respect Mr.. Ashworth is re-
sponsible to the City.
According to my understanding Of Judge
Murphy's position. Mr.. Ashworth is not respon-
sible for the acts of his deputies and his depu-
ties are responsible only to Mr.. Ashworth.
Where does the City come in? As for the pri-
vate contracts, nobody in particular seems to
be responsible for them, and the City has no
authority over them.
Thel robbery of the property-owners is
mainly due to irresponsible contractors and
unscrupulous solicitors. These contractors
will take any kind of job and do it as cheaply
as possible. All they seem to care for is to get
money out of the people for as little return as
they can make showing with, or to borrow
money on their contracts and then do up the
men who have made the loan to them.
The solicitors try all kinds of schemes on the
property-owners. favorite plan with them
is to get man and induce him to subscribe by
allowing him big reduction ON the exorbitant
rate they are TO charge. He goes into The thing
thinking he is getting a bargain, and suppos-
ing that his neighbors who will have to pay
the high rate will thus be made to pay for his
benefit. With his name at the head of the list
the next man is worked in much the same
manner, and so on; but after while the offer
of reduction is dropped unless it may be
necessary to continue those tactics to secure
the adequate number of subscribers. The re-
naming one-third are in this way compelled
to pay disproportionate rate, and with the
result that the job when completed is miser-
ably done.
Another favorite trick of the solicitors is for
two of them to work block together, but pre-
tend to be working for rival concerns and I'M
derbidding each other. OF course, when they
succeed in making the property-owners believe
they are getting a bargain, the victims bite at
the bait and become easy prey.
We do our best to keep the people from be-
bad work done under private contract comes
up for acceptance 1t is promptly condemned
1t is outrageousl ! have q big lot of samples
of work that is actually fraudulent. Bitumen
hardly an inch thick-think of it! No wonder
the paving is full of holes in a little while.
Mr.. Elder said 100000 worth of work
done by Mr.. Ashworth has been con-
demned this year, and that he had called
Mr.. Hobbs attention to great many in
stances of reckless waste of public money
If there is any one thing that should be
run on business principles" said Mr.. Elder
in conclusion. "it is the Street Depart
ment."