The San Francisco call., 1897-02-18
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MAY
= SECURE EXPERT ASSISTANCE
Expert Accountants and Engineers Will Be Employed
.. in the Water Rates Investigation if 1t
Be Necessary


supplied the last day of January is full
statement, as required by law?"
Mr.. kellogg-It is in compliance with
section 2 of the act of 1881. We are pre-
pared tonight with the stocks and bonds
business requested at the last meeting.
The Mayor again looked up the law on
the subject and asked: "Do you contend
that your statement is such statement?"
Mr.. kellogg said it was.
That" resumed the Mayor referring
to the legal enactment, lis the statement
required by law, gentlemen, the company
having had thirty days notice, and this
is the statement they have rendered US in
compliance with the law. The interroga-
tories sent TO the company the other day
are merely the boards Interpretation of
what an itemlzed statement is, and there
IS question now on that very point. Do
you, DR.. Clinton, persist in your motion ?"
81 certainly de-" replied that gentle
man. "lnasmuch as the company has
failed up to the present to give us the in
formation asked on the Sd inst, move
that we proceed by other means to get
that information, and in fartherance of
that object l move that the board be en-
powered to employ an expert accountant
TO expert the books of the comp panv. 1
would move later that we ad iourn to meet
again at the call OF the chairman of the
committee
DR.. Rottanzi thought that the investi-
CATION should not cease now, but that
they should try to obtain all the facts and
proceed in such a manner as to deal Justly
with their constituents.
II rule" said the Mayor, THAT your
point is not we'll taken, because DR.. Clin-
ton does not suggest the abandonment OF
the investiga tion at all.
Supervisor Britt rose at this iuncture
~ do not like" he began in stentorian
tones, Ito be accused of ominous silence,
especially when an important question
ike this is involved. l do not propose to
be guided by the judgment of those who
have gone over the question in some dark
room. want to learn some good reasons
and arguments why at this particular time
there is any necessity for the motion
offered blythe gentle man from the Eleventh
Ward. Do l understand the representatives
of the company refused to give the in
formation we have asked of them? l GER
tainly did not so understand it. If they
are expected 10 supply US with state ments
to be diges:ed in one night l am opposed
for one to any such action. | have been
interested in the staten ents made and
the questions asked and l feel that the
board up TO this time has not gone in ito
the question fully enough TO iustifyit it in
taking any such action. l feel that the
investigation should 90 on this evening
the same as last night. Let US see il we
can CLEAN something and get some in
formation.
There ara some members of the board
VINO have not had ali opportunity to go
into all the questions raised before the
committee. l do not like TO be accused of
not being for fair play, even If l have to
stand up in my seat and make the re-
marks 1 do. 1 love fair play and have
been brought up among people who liked
to give every body a chance. say that at
least for this evening we should continue
as we have and if we find that these gen.
tlemen are not willing to give the in for
nation desired, then / will favor the
motion offered by the gentleman from the
Eleventh Ward. But up to this time
feel that we would not be justified in view
of what has transpired in taking any such
action.
IL have myself thought that this proba-
bly, would be the only intelligent way to
arrive at this question. 1 believe that
possibly it may be necessary for us to
select corps of engineers, to employ ex-
perts, if necessary, so that this Question
may be gone into carefully. But believe
that tonight we should at least hear what
information these gentlemen have to give.
Question them as before, and then if we
tnd that their answers are not satisfac-
tory and that there is a desire on their
part TO hide information we can take
the course suggested. But this should
not be done in the face OF what
transpired at the last meeting-the
answers given and the completion OF
the proceedings, wherein the Supervisor
from the Seventh Ward (Dr. RottanzD
withdrew that portion of his motion re-
ferriug to an itemized statement of the
wages paid by the company. The board
then adjourned, with the underst tanding
that certain information would be fur
nlsheo here. We have com here 10 get
that inform alton. and I claim that this
action is not the proper action to take at
this time. have been ryading good
deal In the papers about the silence OF the
board and what others had 10 say, but
contend, and l challenge contradiction,
that | stand here tonight making these
remarks inde pendently OF any suggestions
from any man on earth"
DR.. Rottanzi argued that the condition
of the finances at the present time did not
Justify such an expenditure as would be
entailed by the motion. If necessary. the
board might go to that expense, but until
forced to do so he thought it should not
do so, but give the question further con-
sideration before the board ITSELF
"I second this motion" said DR.. Dodge
again, because feel possibly that have
been iden titled with the spirit of it, and
without understanding the references
made by the member from the Ninth
Ward to back-room caucuses ana news
paper articles.
"I have taken the stand that it would be
wise to obtain expert counsel to advise
with the board, inasmuch as we are twelve
men inexperienced in the matter and be-
cause l am rot satisfied with the results
obtained during the last two sessions. l
think the investigation will be long drawn
out if We proceed i'll this manner. Why
there should be any objection TO the ap-
pointment of an expert to determine from
his stand point the cost of the works and
other questions l cannot understand"
DIR. Dodge added that he held in his hand
pamphlet containing extracts from the