The San Francisco call., 1898-08-16
Stand for the Original
 Lighting Contract.
ROTTANZl DECLARES HIMSELF
HIS SEAT IN THE BOARD IS
 CHALLENGED.
The Juggled Contract for Repairing and Repaving Bituminized Streets Rushed Through
 by the Ring.

| The Board of Supervisors pushed | through the juggled contract for repair | ing and repaving bituminized streets, de- spite the kicks of the small minority of | the board. It was the old story over l again, the useless objections of few out side the solid ring, the lame rejoinder of some spokesman of the gang and the final vote that consummated the act
 As a preliminary to the proceedings of the afternoon the board wrestled with the
 problem of city lighting. The board had settled the matter once before by award ing the contract to the only gas and electric light company which had been allowed to do business in the city. The Mayor had, however, vetoed the award,
 on the ground that chance should have been given the Mutual Electric Company
 to do the lighting, provided that the pro-
 motors backed up their proposition to do
 the city lighting for s40,O0O less per year than the other company, and. moreover, saved the citizens of San Francisco an additional s100 900 annually on private
 lighting bills. The Mayor said that the
 new rival company offered a sufficient guarantee.
 There was heated discussion. Seve-
 ilege of the floor. The Mayor insisted that pr. Rottanzi should be heard, and
 when order was in a measure restored
 the Supervisor, in most vigorous man.
 'Mr Mayor, there is one feature of your
 veto of the lighting contract that, in my
 The Mayor looked startled, not knowing
 what was coming next. Tt was ridicu-
 lous, sir, to ask this board to defer an
 award of the lighting contract until the
 mandamus proceedings, now pending n in
 has had some experience with the courts T three years before a decision is handed
 down rom the court of last resort. Do years for light?"
 The question of overriding the Mayors veto ot the light contract came up in di- ! rect form Dr. Clinton objected He said ! that it was the duty of the Supervisors | to make the best possible bargain for the | city. There were some plain facts pre- 1 responsible, were willing to do the city | lighting. One wanted more than the | other. Why not save the difference and
 give. the contract to the lowest bidder?
 As for pr. Rottanzi. 1t was to be hoped
 that he would stand up like an honest
 man and vote to uphold the Mayor $ veto.
 This was too much for .Rottanzi. He
 came came to his feet with a bound Does | say? My past is honest! l have nothing i to conceal. My past has not the taint of l the demagogue. l have never had hand | in jobs in this Boardl Yet there has been
 an attempt upon the part of a newspaper i in this city to coerce me into voting as | its editor wishes the lighting question I tation and vote against my convictions: Now, I did not intend to come here at all l to-day to vote either way, as 1 haa inn 1 pOrtant private business that needed my 1 attention. But when I found out that | this newspaper, the Examiner. was try
 ing to boss me, I came to vote as l | that sheet! It is thoroughly rotten to the
 core. Who appointed T. dictator over
 the Examiners name with my, own is a stench In my nostrils. Who Is the manag- ing editor of the dirty sheet? I would
 not care to compare him to myself. I am
 a gentleman! If he tries in future to i'm
 pugn my motives in any way he must settle personally with mel
 honest a''Il man ms said I Clinton m '''1 Dp AS ''n
 Rottaaz he from epse tse
 such a remark. As for the Mayor, wish to remind his Honor that he signed con
 tract for the lighting, of the public build tngs when 1 showed him how it could be
 done one-half cheaper 1 was surprised: Now he comes and vetoes the award of
 the city lighting There re is too tpst pnfh ben dc the Examiner tries any of its yellow tac- tics me it makes a. great mistake, I
 will stand no more of it. Any further attempt in that line will get the responsi-
 ble party into trouble"
 Do understand you to threaten some
 T mean what l say! retorted the angry doctor.
 Dodge then took his turn, "I'm opposed
 to the contract as awarded he said.
 ''The job has been rushed through. It doesn't require any perception to see that the committee juggled the proposals so all understand the merits of this contro- versy. We know what the past ten dency of this board has been- I'm ready to sustain the Mayors veto and make an end of it."
 If was in favor of the erection of an other set of poles" broke in Supervisor Mayors veto It is too late now to re wise our work. The contract Is awarded. We cannot remedy any mistake that has been made. Had there been no veto there would have been no opposition either in the newspapers or in this board. The Mayor on the last day discovered that somebody had been unjustly treated:
 less price than former boards. We are not, therefore. as bad as them. The proper time for a kick was when the sub- feet was up before the Supervisors
 The question of permitting the Mutual Electric Company to erect poles came to the front and was defeated by an to vote.
 The vote on the Mayors veto was called and only three of the Supervisors sus- tained the chief executive.
 When the vote overriding the Mayor
 was announced the reply of his Honor
 was quick "I challenge the right of pr.
 Rottanz to sit or, vote in this board" he said "as he holds two public offices of profit and is therefore ineligible
 Having disposed of several minor mat ters, the board settled down to the con
 sideration of bids for repairing and re- paving bituminiZed streets.
 We will not have to repave all of those streets mentioned in the specifications, said Supervisor Smith. We had better go slow and not award the contract under
 the present arrangements. favor re- advertising for bids and giving an exact schedule of streets to be repaved. We can cut the number down very much. If we have any money to spend 1t can better be applied in getting rid of the old cobble- stones than in tearing up pavements that are comparatively good and that will last for years"
 Lackmann sided with Smith, and said: Bingham as a bidder wants it under
 stood that he doesn't consider 1t neces- sary to repave many of the streets men, toned, and that he expects, if he gets the contract, tc keep them in repair under his s23 900 bid and only to repave such as really need it. He states that the total cost to the city will be far less than $50 OO0 as claimed.
 We should reject all bids and readver- tise," suggested Supervisor Lackmann. .I found the crossing at Steiner and
 Haight to be intact. Was that not in for