The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-09
Alleged Measures to Prevent the
Extension of the Pound
Limits.
DUNKER's PORCINE PRESENT.
Intimation That Nothing Was Too
Small in the Game Of Grab
and Obstruction.

Another charge of "boodle" is to be
placed at the doors of four of the most
iIIustrious members of the ''Solid Eight. "
It comes from that part of San Fran
cisco Just beyond Bernal Heights and
is coupled with an accusation that the
municipal officers IN question acted so as
to retard the advancement of the neigh
borhood and even jeopardize the safety OF
its citizens.
The nature of the accusations can be
gathered from the following letter, which
has been prepared for the Grand Jury and
will probably be in the hands of that body
by this afternoon:
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 8, 1895.
To the Honorable the Grand Jury of the City
and County of San FrdnciSeo-GENTLEMEN: l
wish to call your attention TO matter which
am satisfied will, upon investigation, prove
TO be an example OF municipal corruption
The officials concerned are Supervisors BenJa-
min, King, bunker and Morgenstern.
A short history OF the matter will assist In
getting at the facts.
Ladies' Home was attacked by steer running
loose on the streets in that part OF san
Francisco just beyond Bernal Heights. she
died of the injuries. Children going and com
ing from school were often attacked and their
Young minds shocked by the cattle roaming at
large in the same part of the City. So re-
quest was made Of the Supervisors IN NoVem-
her 1894 that they should extend the pound
limits.
fore the Health and Police committee OF the
Board OF Supervisors, consisting OF Benjamin
(chairmanl, King, bunker, Morgenstern and
Dimond, in February, 1895: They, with the
exception of Mr.. King, agreed that the extern
sion was really needed and promised that the
ordinance should be passed. But deiay en-,
sued, during which the milkmen collected
money from brewers, butchers, cattle and hog
dealers, grocers and others, and as result the
ordinance was not passed.
Since that time these milkmen have talked
and revealed the fact that money was PAID TO
some members OF that committee 10 effect
change of their minds on the desirablllty OF
the ordinance. 1t may be remarked here that
Supervisor Dimond voted for il TO the end.
4. NJ. Sollinger was told by Mr.. Theis OF
Bowers g. Thels, milkmen, that money had
been paid the Supervisorial committee.
A. Mrs Bowers, who has a milk ranch near
Silver avenue, told Professor John Pfenn1nger,
the florist, that Kohn the cattle-dealer at Mis-
sion and Thirty-first streets, had contributed
$1,000 10 beat the petition and would pay more:
Mayer OF Mayer Brothers, milkmen. advised
those trying to get the extension OF the limits
that their work was useless, as the ml1kmen
had raised too much money TO be beaten.
Mr.. Ofeman, q groceryman at Tenth and
Howard streets, admitted to Professor Pten-
niDger the contributing OF money 10 the mix
james Rasmussen can tell of the amount OF
money raised by the miIkmen at secret meet
ing held the night after the petition came be-
Martin Johnson of the Peoples dairy was
concerned in collecting the money used in in
fuencing the Supervisors.
One OF those who were assessed was Mr.
Gradwohl, a stock-dealer on the San Bruno
road, within the pound limits, who has ad-
mitted TO Professor Pfnninger the payment OF
$50.
A milkman named Barridori told q reputable
m an, who told Professor Pfenninger, that g
bargain had been made with the four Super
visors, who were paid $500.
The above and other matters can be elected
by subpenaing those above mentioned. Re-
spectfully yours, HENRY IEssMER.
The above complaint to the Grand Jury
has been long in contemplation. Fol
months the neighbors have talked angrily
of the way their rights were overrldden.
The burden of their conversation has been
doodle" and the Supervisors. Gradually
they have learned more of how they had
been beaten, and with the knowledge came
indignation, which has finally found its
vent.
Mr.. Tessmer, by whom the letter was
prepared, is man of family who has
striven for what he considers to be his
rights as a citizen and property-holder
He told the story of his wrongs yesterday
"There are about thirty mllkmen and 9
dozen hog-raisers in the neighborhood,
35-vara or 50-vara lot, just enough to build
a milking shed on. Then they call theil
place milk ranch.
1.-THE way they manage to have a dairy
Is that they turn their cows out to Craze
on the public streets. The hog men lei
their animals run loose, too. AS a result
great precautions must be taken if house.
holder wants to raise garden of any sort
And often precautions are useless, as the
wandering animals break down all bar
riers.
"But this is not all. The lives of oul
women and children are in danger. Ar
old lady at the Lick Home was knocked
down by steer and fatally injured.
young heller attacked my wife, bruisins
her so severely that she was unable tc
leave the house for some time. A cousin
of mine came over to visit us from Ala
media. His children were chased around
the house by bull and narrowly escaped in
jury. Pupils of the public schools are daily
imperiled, while their eyes often witnes.
outrageous things which should never oc-
cur before children, and especially not be
fore little girls.
"The neighbors knew they were asking
for nothing but what they were entitled te
when they asked protection for their per
sons and property from marauding cows
But they were not surprised when the ole
Board of Supervisors utterly ignored their
petition. They took new hope when the
new board came in and in February Of
this year they handed in a petition asking
that the pound limits be extended so as tt
include the Old Ladies' Home and the res
idence district between Bernal Heights and
the Five-mile House.
1--WE took it before the Health and Police
Committee and majority OF the member:
were at once with US. But Mr.. King sale
no from the very first. You see, his son
in-law, Mr.. Roberts, is one of the milk
men and supplies milk to the City anG
County Hospital.
"We were much pleased at our reception
Mr. Benjamin. the chairman of the com
mittee, declared that we had been imposed
upon and promised that he would clea
the streets for us in short time. Still
Mr. King held out and at last he got Mr.
Sol 70 dalau action This 4,