The San Francisco call., 1898-03-31
SCANDAL IN
 MUNICH
 AFFAIRS Work Done on the Streets Without
 Authority. Somebody in the Board Must Have Made a Pri- vate Arrangement. Superintendent Disclainns Any Responsibility for Private
 Contracts.
TIME TO INVESTIGATE.
A Striking Example of Negligence in Sewer Repairing on Morris
 Avenue.

An example of negligence, or some thing worse, in public work, may be found on Morris avenue, a little thor oughfare between Fifth and Sixth and Bryant and. Brannan streets. A six teen-inch stone pipe sewer was laid there in 18S9 Seven weeks ago it was uncovered for repair and it has re- mained uncovered ever since. It is eight inches higher in the middle than at the point of beginning and as water will not run up hill the sewer is fail ure as drainage canal. The joints of the pipe bulge up and down so the wreck resembles a snake partially un- coiled.
 The spectacle was observed by The Calls expert two weeks ago, but it was | deemed best to say nothing for a fort night in order to ascertain if the Health | authorities would not intervene to pro- vide an outlet for the drainage The health authorities seem to be as inac- tive and indifferent as those who are charged with the responsibility of street repairs.
 As an excuse for the neglect of the sewer 1t is given out that the force of
 
 i Department is not adequate to per form all the repairs demanded. Ac- cording to the March payroll of the Street Department there was quite an army of employees in the field. On sew CTS there were eleven underground men; ten windlass men; thirteen men with horses and carts; one fusher; three men with horses and wagons one watchman, two cesspool men, seven bricklayers, eight bod carriers, sixteen laborers and four foremen. This force of eighty-six able bodied men on the sewers, working full time, as the pay roll shows. ought to be able to do con- siderable work.
 There is another battalion of men engaged on accepted streets. In this column may be found fourteen ram mers, fifteen payers, nineteen laborers, one inspector, six foremen, two car penters, nine men with horses and carts, eleven men with double teams and five clerks in the office Here is a respectable force of eighty-two men who put in full time during the month of March
 The reserve force, in addition to the men above enumerated, may be classed
 
 by law, engineer at Fourth street bridge, two keepers at Fourth street bridge, one assistant keeper at the bridge, three keepers at the corporation yard, two assistant keepers at the yard, one keeper at the dumps and one inspector at Alpine street sewer.
 It would seem that this large force which the taxpayers maintain should be able to take care of the accepted streets and keep such thoroughfares in passable repair The Calls induiry dis closes the fact there is yet an addi- tional or auxiliary force paraded under the banner of the City Street Improve ment Company. This force is employed on the repair of accepted streets. In some instances the bills rendered for patch work show that the patching costs more than would be required to put in new work, concrete and all.
 On one job. the repair of Folsom street from Third to Twentieth, the City Street Improvement Company rendered bill of s1995. Authorizations passed in favor of this company which amount in the aggregate to S3285 are held up by the Auditor.
 The most remarkable chapter in the history of street work scandal now comes to light. It appears that the City Street improvement Company has no contract, arrangement or authority whatever. from any responsible source which authorizes it to repair accepted streets. The Call, under a misappre- hension, indirectly charged the Super intendent of Streets, MT. Ambrose, with having entered into a private arrange ment with contractors to do certain work. The Superintendent distinctly denies that he has made such private arrangement. His deputies cannot pro- duce any contract, arrangement or memoranda by which the City Street Improvement Company is directed to do the work of repairing accepted streets. The clerks in the office of the Board of Supervisors fail to find the record of any Board or Street Commit tee resolution authorizing any arrange ment with the City Street Improve ment Company to perform this work Mr Ambrose says that the Street Com mittee told his chief deputy to make an arrangement with the City Street Improvement Company for repairing bitumen pavement.
 Surely the Supervisors at the next session of the board will inquire as to whether any members of the Street Committee have arrogated to them selves in this high-handed fashion the power to let contracts contrary to law and public interest.
 Inquiry brings to light the further fact that the Street Committee author ized Bowling to do the Alamo square work for which bids were received at the last sessio.- of the board. as Dowl- ing's original method of obtaining the work was irregular The Superinten- dent of Streets says distinctly that he did not make any arrangement what ever with | Iowling.
 A wide field of investigation may now be opened up by the Supervisors Somebody in the board is evidently as suming authority to direct contractors to go here and there, do whatever work comes handy and ch.rge any price that he conscience of the board will How.
 A Judgment. Against Mrs. Byrne..