The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-27
THE GARBAGE FRANCHISE,
1t Is Holly Discussed Before
the Board of Super
ViSOrS.
a VERY VALUABLE MONOPOLY.
Some of the Inventors of Tenders
to Have a Chance In Prac-
teal Test.

The Board of Supervisors held a session
last night for the purpose of considering
the long-pending garbage franchise. SUI
pervisor Taylor called the board to order
and Supervisor Benjamin, on motion OF
Supervisor Spreckels, took the chair to
preside over the committee of the whole
There were two bidders only for the
building of a crematory and handling the
City's garbage. Henry J. Lang offered to
build crematory with a capacity of DOC
day, to cost SIPS, 900. He will give $1,000
for the franchise and agrees to do the
work of cremating the garbage at 20 cents
q cubic yard. He will build the crematory
in twenty months from the day of securing
the franchise. The other bidder was A. E.
Williams. He agreed to build crematory
costing $3.50, 900, having capacity of 100
tons; will charge % cents a cubic yard
Will have the crematory working within
twenty-four months. In addition he
agreed to pay $3.50 TO the City, disirib-
uted through the thirty-tive years of the
term of the franchise.
The different character of these bids
left some doubt hanging over it as to
which was the highest bidder.
Advantage was taken of this invitation
by NJ. ID. Levison, who was not bidder,
but engaged III the business of scavenger.
He has also been in the employ of the
Merchants Association in their street
work. He expressed himself as opposed
to granting the franchise at all. He said
the City should not put this exclusive
franchise in the hands of a private indi-
vidual. The City should build the crema-
tory. The charge for the work was excess
sive and would result in a heavy tax on
the people. He, as a scavenger, charged
from % to 80 cents load for hauling ashes
and garbage from the private residences.
Now, if he had to pay 20 or % cents to the
owners OF the crematorY for every cubic
yard he would have 10 double his price for
hauling. For the exclusive right to
handle the garbage of the City he would
be willing to pay $4,000 month, so that
the one and two thousand dollars offered
for the franchise by the bidders was a
mere drop in the bucket
You don't propose to erect a crema-
tory" asked Supervisor Wagner.
No"
why didn't you bid with these Others
at the proper time if you think it so valu-
able, asked Supervisor Spreckels.
Because 1t was not square deal. The
CITY should build its own crematory."
do you mean that these specifications
were drawn in the interest of any certain
persons?" asked Supervisor Taylor.
1t looks TO me as though they were
drawn IN the interest OF a corporation"
Clerk Russell explained that the specif-
cations We're drawn by himself by direc-
ton OF the committee; that there was a
request by an Eastern bidder for an OPP
portunity to bid. Only one bid had been
handed in at the time. Mayor Ellert took
this bid in his hand and holding it up said
that if the bidder would withdraw it it
would facilitate matters. The bidders came
forward and withdrew it.
Action on the matter was postponed for
sixty days.
The board then went into the consider
alton of the bartender question and the
Market-street Railway Company was
directed TO permit James D. Marley, Fred
Siebe, S. Ducas and Tucker and Steck to
rig up their devices on car and to give
them test. The board will go to Oak
land and Alameda to look at the Williams
and the J. P. Clark patents which are now
attached to cars over there. The Clark
patent is said to have record of having
saved three lives in Oakland.