The San Francisco call., 1896-08-02

cation on behalf of the plaintiff for permit
that the Edison Light and Power Company
people had brought inf uenee to bear, causing
the Street Committee to reseind the privilege.
This aftiant then went to see Mr.. Hughes and
presented to him a sletter addressed to the
Board of Supervisors from the Baldwin Hotel
people, requesting that the plaintiff be per-
mitted to allow the posts 10 remain; this
afhant stated that the Baldwin Hotel people
were willing 10 furnish the lights free OF charge
to the City, and that it was an important
matter to allow the lights to remain, and as
the place belonged to the Baldwin Hotel
people and the street was q dark one, thsre
seemed TO be no reason why they should not
remsin there. Nj. Hughes said TO this sftiant:
tsIf the posts belong 10 the BsIdwin people
we will see what can be done. but the Mutual
Electric Light Company is trying to insist
upon putting up these posts sud they have no
right to DO so. The.Edikon Light and Power
Company have bought a franchise and there
fore, OF course we must protect the Edison
people.
Luke Battles, who may be. called as
witness before the Grand Jury, is the ad-
iuster of the Edison Electric Light and
Power Company. Mr.. Battles said at his
home on Ninth avenue last evening tnat
no subpoena had yet been served upon him
to appear before the grand Jurors. Inc
Edison Electric Light. and Power COM
pany has not had much business before
the Board of Supervisors lately. The as
sessment which was originally placed
AGAINST the Edison Company he consld-
cred to have been out of ali reason, and
SAID that there was no doubt but tnat II
ought 10 have been lowered.
Mr: Battles said that he supposed that
Mr.. Cornwall mad been sum nmoned. as
witness by the Grand Jury because the
Jurors remem bered that he had been be.
fore another Grand Jury under similar
conditions and the present grand jurors
probably think that Mr.. Cornwall knows
as much about the Board Of Supervisors
in relation TO electric-light corporations as
any one does. Il. am very sure" said
Mr. Battles, ''rhat Mr.. Cornwall will tell
only what is right"
Mr.. Battles has no knowledge, he said,
why Mr.. Cornwall has been subpenaed:.
Nj. Battles had read with much interest
the exclusive interview in The CALL with
Vice-President Summernayes of the Mu-
tuai Electric Light Company, in which
Mr.. Summerhayes speaks about the Board
of Supervisors, but he-did not care to say
anything IN reference 20 Mr.. Summer.
hayes remarks. Mr.. Battles, in addition
to being adinster for the Edison Electric
Light and Power Company, is president of
the Point Lobos improvement Club. He
is we'll known at the new City Hall, being
q frequent visitor.
When the Grand Jury has learned all
that Nj Cornwall knows about the Board
OF Supervisors aud the business OF electric
lighting companies with the board clews
may be developed which will point in sew
eral directions. The interest in the Grand.
Jury proceedings is more marked day by
day in the City Hall and news is eagerly
sought in several quarters.
The natural supposition is that Mr.. Corn
wall is wanted by the Grand Jury TO testify
to something connected with street light
ing. A ramor was about yesterday that
the Grand Jury Will call Luke Battles,
who is connected with the Edison Light
and Power Company, to ascertain what he
knows about the methods OF Supervisors.
Supervisor Taylor. chairman of the
Finance Committee of the Board of ofSuper-
that Mr. Cornwall may have facts to i'm
part TO the jury.
'sWhat can he tel the jurors p
81 don't know"
do you think that he has hold of the
same set OF facts that you know?"
NO" said Colonel Taylor decidedly.
''Some facts are beginning to appear
Yes" said Colonel Taylor 'and there
are certain facts that can be put together.
Among these are lowering OF assess
ments by which the Supervisors looked
out for their pets. the attempt to ignore
the Finance Committee of the board as the
Committee On Water and Water Supply
was ignored when the water rates were
fixed, the method of letting the street
lighting contract and SO on"
WAS the Committee on Water and
Water supply ignored in making water
rates?"
eY es, the committee never held meet
ing to fix those rates. The Supervisors
took the matter out of the committees
hands and did the work IN committee of
the whole"
The Committee of the Supervisors on
Water. and Water Supply consists of su-
per7isors Morgenstern, Dimond, Taylor,
BENJAMIN and Hobbs. OF these only two
are members OF the "Solid Seven, namely,
Morgenstern and Benjamin, who. were
therefore minority in the committee at
the time the Supervisors went over their
heads and took the matter up in commit
tee OF the whole. This division of the
Committee on Water and Water Supply
may have possessed no significance in
view of the action which was taken When
the water committee was ignored some
words passed between Supervisors Taylor
and Supervisor Morgenstern.