The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-01-18
THEY NUMBERED THIRTEEN.
How They will Use the Short Time
Left Them.
IMPORTANT FEATURES FIXED UPON.
The Mayor to Be Given Absolute Executive
Powers and the State to Be
Shut Out.

Thirteen Freeholders met in room Z
second floor of the Mills building, at
o'clock yesterday afternoon. If the fore
cast of what these gentlemen's work is to
be comes anywhere near the truth the
proverbial unluck OF the number Ii will
be practically repudiated for once at least.
The members present were: Messrs.
Britton, Anderson, Umbsen, Truman,
Clement, Hecht, Scott, Gibson, Sloss, Boyd,
Menzies, Marye and O'Brien. Messrs.
Bourn and Hellman were not there, hav-
ing been barred out by the recent decision
of the Supreme Court.
Recognizing the fact that only seventeen
days remain in which to do the work of
drafting the new charter, the members
unanimously decided to hold sessions
daily, except Sunday, from to o'clock
P. M. Ninety days from the day of cleo
ton is the legal limit fixed within which
the new charter must be presented to the
Legislature. This time fixes February
as the last day. and the work must be
completed before that time. Evening ses-
sions will be held if it is found necessary,
and it was the consensus of opinion among
all the Freeholders that the delays of as
signing work to committees should, as far
as possible, be dispensed with. There is,
however, certain work that must of neces-
sity go to a committee in order to thor
oughly systematic the proceedings.
The Health Committee has already been
at work for some time, and DR.. Anderson,
the chairman, stated that his report could
be presented at any time as soon as the
other members of the committee had
signed it, and it could then be acted on
and, if satisfactory, adopted at once, as it
was prepared with view of having it
ready for incorporation in the charter.
A competent secretary being necessary
for the accurate recording of the work of
the board it was decided to elect one be-
several candidates, all expert steno-
graphers, were presented. These were: A.
J. Baum, George D. Squires, Richard Glib
son, w. J. Cuthbertson and ]. D. Judkins.
After some discussion as to the merits of
the different applicants it was agreed that
Mr.. SQuires was the most eligible, but as
he was not present and could not be i'm
mediately communicated with it was de-
cided to defer the actual election of sec
rotary until this afternoon. 1t was decided
that the secretary shall receive $40 day
as compensation for his services, whoever
he may be.
Mr.. Marye made motion, which was
adopted, that at the next meeting the
charter framed by the preceding Board of
Freeholders shall be taken up and consid-
cred by sections.
Expressions by individual members of
the board indicate that some very radical
and important changes will be made in the
city and county government. The Free
holders are unanimous on many important
points.
There will be only one Board of Super
visors, elected at large, and ward boun-
diaries will be practically abolished. The
g
be purely legislative. !. They will have no
appointments or otha patronage at their
disposal. All contracts are to be let to the
lowest bidders, and the regulations as to
the fulfillment of contracts entered into
will be ironclad.
The Mayor will be the executive officer
of the city in every sense that the term i'm
plies. He will have the power to appoint
all executive officers of the city, except such
as the State constitution otherwise pro-
vides for. He will appoint all commissions
and shall be empowered to suspend from
duty any official under him who is found
to be derelict in his duties, or in any way
violates the rules governing his office
The Mayor shall serve on no committees,
nor shall he, as now, preside over the
Board of Supervisors. That body shall
elect one OF its own members to act as
president.
To the Supervisors will be given the
power and duty to prescribe the number of
employees in each department and to fix
their salaries, but the Mayor shall appoint
all heads of the various departments. Su-
pervisors will DE prohibited from soliciting
the appointment of any one to office or en-
ployment on penalty of losing their jobs.
A board of public works will be created.
This board will have supervisorial charge
of all public improvements and public
1t is also thought that Mr.. Menzies will
succeed in working in his admirable plan
of Joint custody of the funds in the city
treasury. This will provide for two com
bination locks on the Treasurer's vault.
The combination of one shall be known
only to the Treasurer and his deputy: the
combination of the other shall be known
only to the City Auditor and his deputy.
Each day the vault shall be opened by
these two representative officials, and the
estimated amount needed for the days
business shall be taken from the vault and
no more. The days cash balance shall be
kept in separate safe by the Treasurer.
The general drift of the Freeholders' in
tentions is to centralize the executive
power of the city, and to take the city and
county government, as far as possible, out
of the State administration.