The San Francisco call., 1897-09-21
HIGH HONORS
FOR BRITT.
The Ex-Supervisors Made Him
Mayor, and He Bowed
His Thanks

by O'CLOCK IN the afternoon the ea st
corridor of the new City Hall was crowd ed
by sensation-seekers, who believed that
when the ousted members put in an ap-
pearance they would have some new
scheme up their sleeves whereby to per-
plex ana annoy the new officials and
also too lenient public.
There was no disappointment SO far as
the new scheme was concerned, but it
carried with it no sensation. When the
'eight" appeared they gatherei at the
eastern end of the corridor, and as they
were SO jammed by the curious throng
Britt was com PEELED to ask that the crowd
move back little in order that "Ihe
Supervisors might transact business"
The crowd obiigingly moved back. a
little, and then ii was decided that the
room was still inadequate for such large
and august body, and after formal open
ing OF the meeting it was moved that the
meeting adjourn to meet again in the
room provided by the Building Com nit
tee.n
This was rather ambiguous, but the
waiting crowd followed The lead of the
ousted mem bars and it was found that q
small bedroom in the Hudson House, a
lodging b ouse near by. had been secured
as porary quarters for the men who
we're hanging on to lost job. But the
idlers and curiosity-seeSers were doomed
to cool their heels outside the door as no
one but the men who had been thrown
out of their warm places in the City Hall,
and the newspapsrmen, were permitted
within the precincts OF the new asse 70 bly,
cham ber.
At o'clock the roll was formally called,
and it was noted that Supervisors Clinton.
Rottanzi, Dodge and Lackmann were not
present. After the appointment of John
+. Hammil as an assistant clerk, whose
duties resolved them selves into those of q
reading clerk, there came shower of res
olutions by which the phantom board ex.
pressed its indignation, sorrow and irri-
tation over the present situation. Citizen
Devany, who acted as master of ceremo-
nes at the meeting Saturday, started in
on the same tack again and introd uced
the following peculiarly worded resolu-
tion:
WHEREAS The board at this juncture owes a
duty to its constituents to represent the pres
ent conditions and the causes which have LED
to this remarkable state OF affairs and 10 pre-
sent the person MS who are more than any other
responsible Tor the existing predicament in
which citizens other than those elect ID by the
people claim 10 be the ipervisors of this city
and county, to wit
The Board of Supervisors, in suit ms T.
tuied by one George X. Fitch. formerly one oil
the propretors of The MORNING CALL and
Evening Bulletin newspapers, TO ousL the
me N bers of the board for not fixing the water
rates in the month of February, which SUIT
was instituted by certain 9th T persons who
attempted 10 and failed 10 control the beard,
and this matter was assigned by Judge
Sewall TO w. T. Wallace, a Superior
Judge we'll known in this community. The
trial was had and q decision rendered ousting
or attempting TO oust the Board OF Super
Vlsors for not performing this duty in the
month OF February, as required by the 'consti-
tuition OF this tate and act OF the Legisla-
ture. The testimony adduced showed that no
previous Board of Supervisors had ever been
enabled to fix the water retes during that
month (the first year of their terml, excepI
one, and that order WAS SET aside by the Su-
preme Court, it being held that such ap in
vestigation was not had as to enable the board
10 lntelligentiy tx the rates with a due re-
gard 10 property or property rights.
IT was also shown IN the testimony that the
board had been diligently pursuing this in
vestigalion into the rates to be fixed and in
the transaction of other municipal business,
and that the board and its committees had
teen so desirous of performing their duties
that at least seven hours per day had been
occupied; also that the Mayor, James D.
Phelan. had advised the board that they must
hear any statement the water company
wished to make in order that their ction
might not be declared illegal; and the chair
man of the Water COMMITTEE. supervisor
Clinton, stated that he could not make the
proper examination and obtain all the infof-
nation necessary in that month. In fact the
Mayor and Supervisor Clinton dominated the
board and protracted The inquiry, and the re-