The San Francisco call., 1896-07-03
Supervisor Taylor Declines to
Perform the Mayors
Duties.
CONFUSION AT THE CITY HALL.
Supervisors Agree to Submit 6
Telephone franchise Appli-
cation,

Supervisor G. L. Taylor does not con-
slider himself acting Mayor since Mayor
Sutro's leave of absence for sixty days
expired.
The Supervisor has special reasons for
not considering himself the acting Mayor
since the board last Tuesday morning
called Supervisor Benjamin to the chair
when the Geary-street franchise was pend
ing.
There were several callers at the City
Hall yesterday who particularly desired
that Supervisor Taylor should assert him.
self and perform in the absence of Mayor
Sutro some of the functions which devolve
upon the chief executive. These inter-
ested persons were connected with public
institutions and wanted the Mayors ap-
proval of contracts for furnishing sup
plies. There was quite an accumulation
OF unsigned resolutions in the Mayors
office and some members of the School
Board were in great trouble lest the bond
of the new School Director, Soper, could
not be approved in time for the afternoon
meeting of the Board of Education.
The panic spread in a mild form to
Supervisors Hughes, Benjamin, bunker
and Morgenstern, who were doing Street
Committee business with John A. Russell
and George w. Elder at the old stand.
Mr.. Creswell was called down from the
law department TO enlighten the Super
visors, and when the legal adviser retired
from the committee-room the Supervisors
knew very nearly as much as they did
before.
In general way he said he would hesi-
tate about voting with Colonel TAYLOR as
Hal n scSin
his own vote should give the majority re-
quired for action. This indicated that Mr..
Creswel1 entertained a doubt whether th e
courts would recognize Colonel Taylor as
acting Mayor in the absence of Mayor
Sutro. Still the City and County Attorney
did not want this off-hand expression TO
80. regarded as an official decision. The
= S1Apervisors we're advised to communicate
- TTsvriting the request for such informa-
tt;o,n as they desired, and it was suggested
tslat they should attach 10 the written
communication a copy of the resolution
appointing Colonel Taylor acting Mayor
and giving Mayor Sutro leave OF absence.
John a. Russell observed that the Board
OF Supervisors had always exercised the
power of designating some Supervisor to
act as Mayor in the absence of the Mayor.
The resolution of April 20, 1896, simply
reads: 'That Supervisor &. l.. Taylor be
and Is hereby appointed Mayor pro tenn, to
the absence OF his Honor, Mayor Sutro" ="
1t seems that Mayor Sutro was absent
for a period of sixty days or so and Colonel
Taylor acted as Mayor. But then Mr..
Sutro returned 70 town and performed his
duties for day or two. Now he has gone
to his ranch near Calistoga, and if he does
not return before the 4th. and if Colonel
Taylor persistently refuses to act as Mayor,
things may come to such pass that an
alI-night Fourth of July masquerade ball
may take place without the sanction of
the Citys chief executive.
The Street Commi of the board yes
terday decided by unanimous vote to
recon- mend that the application of the
Peoples Mutual Telephone Company for
a franchise be submitted. Two applica-
tions were pending. The other was from
Herman de Laguna. Some time ago both
propositions were referred to the City and
County Attorney in order that the board
might be advised as TO which one should
be submitted. OF the two the Attorney
found the Laguna proposition the better,
as it provided generous tender OF free
facilities to the municipality. The Peo-
Piles Company gave the City the free use
OF forty telephones within two years.
Laguna offered 100 telephones free for the
first ten years and fifty additional there
after.
The Supervisors have not been able to
ascertain very much about Laguuas in
teniions. He was heard from at Stockton
in reference to the Geary-street franchise.
He appeared once before the Street Com
mittee and made good impression, but a
doubt is entertained whether he means
business as promoter of cheaper tele-
phone service. The committee has re-
ceived information showing that he has
displayed wonderful energy as franchise
seeker in Los Angeles and other cities.
Attorney Robert A. Friedrich, speaking
for the pe0nla'e fTplpnh0na Com NV
pointed 10 petition signed by 1000 citi-
zens of San Francisco asking that this
company should get franchise. He was
not ascending a high mountain and offer
ing everything in sight for a franchise,
but did promise that the promoters of the
Peoples Mutual Company would put in
modern, first class instruments and
cheaper tha cost of telephony in San
Francisco. The Supervisors agreed with
out dissenting voice to recommend the
submission of his company's application
for franchise.