The morning call., 1895-01-29
The Sheriff'S Right to Keepers Fees
TO Be Examined.
STATE AID FOR KDIGENTS UPHELD
The High Level Districts Want Water
Mains at the Fixing Of the
Next Rates.

took up the maJUer OF appointments IL
was the first display of the kind since the
inauguration of the present board, and for
a few moments there was q running fire all
along the line.
When the name of Frank Capeli was
mentioned as keeper for the Sixth-street
dumps Supervisor Wagner had letter
read in which claim was made that the
recipient of the place was not only not
voter but was not a citizen of the United
States. 81 think there are enough citizens
who want the place from which selection
could be made" he said.
Supervisor Taylor warmly seconded
these views.
"He told me he was a citizen and
voter" put in Supervisor Morganstern.
Supervisor Dimond followed with a caus-
tic comment on appointing non-voters to
any public position.
The result of the discussion was to take
Capelli's name off the list pending an in
vestigation.
Several changes were made, the only
members voting against the resolution
being three of the Democrats-Supervisors
Scully, Hirsch and Wagner. Supervisor
Dimond voted with the Republican ma
iority. The transfers were: Bridgekeeper
of Fourth-street bridge, John Carson, vice
John F. Mitchell, removed; bridgekeeper's
assistant of FOurth-street bridge, f. Peter
son, vice David Capurro; bridgekeeper at
Sixth-street bridge, W. O'Leary, vice q.
TaffanelI; keeper of the Street Depart
ment corporation yard, Frank Taylor, vice
2. Flood.
The change of the engineer of the
Fourth-street bridge from 2. NJ. Hendy to
G. J. McDermott was not made as orig
inally proposed, on account OF protest to
the change being filed by Henley and lib
belts, who have a contract to keep the
bridge in repair for the next three years.
On motion of Supervisor Dunand, the en-
gineer was given power to issue orders to
all SubOrdinates on the bridge.
The two veto messages of Mayor Sutro
were read and took the usual course. They
will be voted on at the next meeting. The
first message expressed the Mayors disap-
proval of the Spring Valley Water Com
pany's bill for furnishing the city with
water for the month of December. The
Mayor objected only to that portion of the
bill presented for supplying the public
parks with water.
The items attached to the demand in re-
lation to the water furnished IN December,
1894, for the public squares are as follows:
Washington square 81, Hamilton square
$15, Columbia $43 81, Garfield $53 %, Alta
Plaza 1924 80. The park water bills aggre-
gate $725 81.
The Mayor says that: f'The law imposes
on the city the obligation to pay at estab-
ished rates for the water actually supplied.
But it is well-known fact that during the
month of December, 1894 there was sub
stantially no water supplied to or received
by the public parks or squares, for the
good reason that there was abundant rain
sufficient for irrigation and other purposes.
Hence it is not right for the city to pay
$725 81 for what 1t never received"
Mayor Sutro added after the veto had
been read that he had received official in
formation from Forecast Officer Harmon
that it had rained twenty-five days during
December.
The second message was a veto of the
resolution exempting certain portions of
the city between Howard and Folsom
streets and from First to the bay from the
restrictions of the fire order. This resolu-
ton was introduced in the last board by
ex-Supervisor Dundon, but was finally
passed by the present board. The object
given in the resolution for exempting the
locality named was the encouragement of
manufacturing interests.
The Mayor holds the resolution to be a
species of class legislation, and that the
cost of constructing foundations in the sec
JlOn O6SlgUdIEQ Is IOG more DuTQe0SO1n6
than in any other part of the city. He
holds that in dealing with buildings de-
voted to dangerous business and contain
ing combustible materials, 1t is wise ex-
pediency to maintain fire-proof structures
in all business districts. This is especially
requisite in manufacturing centers full or
fire hazards, where the floors are often sat-
urated with oils and Uttered with inflam-
mable rubbish. "The proposed order"
concludes the veto message, 'being dis
criminative in principle and dangerous in
operation to the city, is returned without
my approval"
In accordance with a recommendation of
the Finance Committee, the board adopted
a resolution repeating the old assessment
for the grading of d street and providing
for the issuance of new one under a cor
rected survey filed by the City and County
Surveyor with the Superintendent of
Streets. In the case of the property-owners
who have paid amounts in excess of what
may be due, the Finance Committee will,
if the contractor fails to refund the same,
make provision that all amounts in excess
shall be refunded prior to the city and
county paying the balance of its assessment
for the work.
With reference to the proposed action of
the Legislature to repeal the statute under
which State aid was granted for the sup
port of aged persons in INDECENT circum-
that the city has at all times received but
small proportion of the cost of main
+@~ ance. Last year only $46,972 q was re-
ceived from the State for the almshouse.
The committee stated that large proper
ton of indigents supported by San Fran
cisco come from the country, their ex-
penses being paid in many instances by
the County Supervisors to send them to
the city. 1t is believed that the abolish
ment of State aid will largely increase the
influx to this city and be heavy burden
on the taxpayers.
The Finance Committee informed the
board that it had requested an opinion
from the City and County Attorney as to
whether or not under the new fee law it is
the duty of the Sheriff to pay the keepers
fees into the city treasury to the credit of
the unapportioned fee fund. The Sheriff
refused to turn over these fees, claiming
his attorney advised him that they were
not within the provisions of the new fee
law.
A petition of property-owners was re-
ceived and referred to the Street Commit
tee requesting the board to refuse to grant
the Market-street Railroad Company an
extension of time on its franchise for the
construction of street railroads upon Six
tenth and Seventeenth streets and Castro
and Devisadero streets, or to allow an
abandonment of any portion thereof The