The San Francisco call., 1896-04-11
He Might Have Been Mayor
of Oakland for Two
Whole Days.
DAvIE TAKES A QUIET TRIP.
Nobody Knew He Was Out of the
City Till Just Before His
Return.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN Francisco CALL, !
Q0S Rroadwav April IN

Mayor Davie has been out of the city for
three days and no one was aware of his
absence till few hours before his return.
This morning he was in his Office as usual.
During Mr.. Davies trip to Merced
great opportunity was offered President
Mott of the Council to attach his sigma
ture to large number of requisitions that
the Mayor does not favor. The charter
provides that when the Mayor is away the
president of the Council shall act for him.
There is no other qualification necessary
than that the Mayor "be out of the city"
to place the power in the hands of the pres
ident of the Council.
President Mott would like to hasten
much of the business that the Mayor does
not favor and he could have done it easily
had he known that the Mayor was out Of
the city.
But President Mott did not know it, nor
was anybody else aware OF 1T till this
morning. There are requisitions wait ing
the official signature for clothes and blank
cts for cold prisoners, for lumber for side
walks, for books for the city engineer and
for numerous other things that the Mayor
does not consider necessary. and by rush
ing into the office and signing them Presi-
dent Mott would have earned the thanks
OF small multitude. Several ordinances
are also needing a signature to render
them operative and Mr.. Mott would have
supplied it had he only known of the op-
portunity 10 do so.
"Mott missed the opportunity of his
life" said the Mayor this morning. "He,
could have been bona tide Mayor for
few hours, and l guess that is as near to
the office as he will ever get. 1t is rather
amusing to notice how much a man is
missed who attends to his business. 1t is
known that am at the City Hall during
office hours, and as soon as | am missed
there is a hunt for me. l tod my secre-
tary that l should be away for couple of
days, and as | do not consider Mr.. Mott
competent to manage the Mayors office
even for day, l thought the best inter
ests of the city would be served by saying
nothing. | was in communication with
my secretary, SO that | was kept informed
of all that was going on. Pm sorry for
Mott, but it's too late now, and / cannot
conceive how ne could have lost such
chance to shine"
A few days ago President Mott as a COM
mittee OF one reported to the Council and
| reflected on the Mayors methods and so
there Is no spare love Or courtesy between
| them.
Mayor Davie says that there is only one
theme of discussion in the Merced district
and that is the Valley road. The farmers
are unit in its favor, he says, and 1t is
refreshing to get into a district which can
feel independent of the Southern Pacific.
A Heavy Mortgage.
OAKLAND, CAL, April 10.-The Farm
ers' Loan and Trust Company of San Fran
cisco to-day filed an answer in the suit of
the Pacific Improvement Company VS..
James A. Waymire ct al, to- determine
! their several interests to the marsh land
lying on the south of the estuary between
Oakland and Alameda. The company
| claims in its answer lien upon 4712 acres,
an undivided interest in the lands; also
upon specific tract within the exterior
limits of the lands, which is also claimed
! by the South Pacific Coast Railroad
! Company, ana mortgaged to the Farmers
| Loan and Trust Company.
! These marsh lands are set forth as a por-
ton OF the property covered by mortgage
made by that company July l, 1887 secur-
ing the aggregate sum of $5, 500,0 900, evil
denced by $500 bonds In the sum of $1,000
each, running for nifty years from above
date. The same mortgage covers as we'll
| the entire main line, sidetracks, fran.
chises, rights OF way, station buildings,
ferrybeats and all other property of the
South Pacific Coast Railroad Com pany.
A Hoaxed Attorney.
OAKLAND, CAL, April l0.-Attorney
Henry A. Goldson Jr. declares he viii
to new tune next week, as he Is prepar-
ing suit for $299 damages for practical
joke which they perpetrated upon him.
Yesterday they telephoned Goldson from
an adjoining office requesting HIM to go at
once to Berkeley to try criminal case in
one of the Justices courts. He believed
he was talking to the Berkely Justice and
he agreed to take the case, which finally
he found did not exist.
The School Census.
OAKLAND, CAL, April 1O.-This CITY
will during the next two weeks have its
school census taken by William n Friend,
who has done this work two former years
very satisfactorily. There will be eleven
deputy marshals, seven OF whom will do
field work and four will write the reports
up in the Office. The deputies as lar as
named are: William Knapp Friend, Wal
ter Barstow, R. +. Chestnut, Frank
Howard, w. t. Robinson, w. C. Harmon.
Mr. Warren, Mr.. Roseberry, James Gill
bertson, Miss Pearl Knox and Miss Doug.
las Whitehead.