The San Francisco call., 1898-05-19
THE NEW CHARTER AND THE
 BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS.

Cyril Williams has fully justified his estimate of increased expenditures under the new charter, but, like the Mayor, ne has omitted the larger part or salarles and expenditures not specifically provld- ed for in the charter, and which ought to be included in a statement made TOT the instruction of the citizens. The Mayor, for example, puts down the ln- creased expenditure made necessary by the creation of the Board of PuDhc Works at s13,S00, which is simply the sal aries of the Commissioners and thelr sec retary The officials now employed py the city are doubtless sufficient TOT the work now done, but an increased stan must be provided for the new duties for which the board has been created Tn fact without a largely increased appro- priation the board will certainly be pow erless.
 (page sS, section Dthat the Board or Pup lie Works shall" devise a general sys- tenn of drainage, which "shalP embrace all matters relative to the dsnge tnoroue' of fbe city and county. This alone Is large duty. Marsden Manson Is reported as stating that it will involve the expendi- ture of four millions. -
 Secondly-The charter enacts (page S9, section D that the board control the mar Dor and water front, which now belong or may hereafter belong to the city and county; to build and repair wharyes; to collect tolls, etc.
 Thirdly-To build and repair all the schools. hospitals and public buildings or
 Fourfhly-The charter epacts (page 124. section D that the Supervisors within one gineer appointed by the Board of Works, tpage 55, section ID, plans and estimates of the actual cost of the original con con gas works, electric light works, steam, water or electric power works, telephone public utilities as the Supervisors may designate; they must further procure ana place on file plans and estimates Of the cost of obtaining from all of the several nent supply of good, pure water, and ar ter such plans and estimates shall have must solicit and consider offers for the sale to the city of existing utilities. Now the Supervisors through the Bqard br 6 Of down water from the SierraS, from Clear Lake and other. sources, which plans will cost many hundred thousand dollars, and until this is done they cannot even nego- tiate with the owners of existing utilities. In order to do this vast work the Board ton I'D to employ such clerks, superin- tendents, inspectors, engineers, survey ors, deputies, architects and workmen as shall be necessary to a proper discharge of these duties, and to fix their compen- sation. And there is no restriction what ever on their salaries and numbers, no  the only stipulation is that no compen- sation shall be greater than is paid in the case of similar employment, and for neg lect of this there is no possible penalty. This power of the Board of Works is, moreover, absolute, for when power is specially given by charter to an executive body to make appointments and fix sala- ries without limit or control, the taxing power is compelled to pay them. Such is the ruling of the highest courts. Adopt this charter and a machine will be ere ated which may rival Tammany in cor ruption, politics and waste.
 It is evident that an army of employees will be required to fulfill these new and important functions, and a question of a million may be rightly added to the esti mate. The authors of this. charter have thus made 1t quite impossible to limit taxation to one dollar, and it is evident that this provision was put in to catch votes and to deceive the citizens. The effect of it's adoption will be to create emergency for debt. and the issue of bonds will become a necessity. Perhaps this is the intention.
 J. H. STALLARD.