The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-03-27
ARE WEARY
Of WAITING
FOR A BRIDGE
How CuvelIier Won
His Majority.
MAYOR SHOWS MESSAGE
WILL SHOW HOW TO AVOID
MORE PITFALLS.
San Leandro Sets an Example
Worthy of Being Followed.
a Municipal Joke
Repeated.
MAYOR SHOWS MESSAGE
WILL SHOW HOW TO AVOID
MORE PITFALLS.
Oakland once San Francisco Call.

Oakland once San Francisco Call.
90S Broadway, March 26.
There is much merit in the dissatisfac-
ton being expressed in Oakland and Ala
media with the manner in which the new
county bridge is not being built. This
bridge is the only public connec-
ton between Oakland and Alameda
from the west end of the En-
cinaI City, and thousands of people
use It daily. Somewhere about
year ago the bridge was condemned, and
the railroad and the county were required
to build new bridges. The railroad COM
pleted theirs about three months ago,
spanning the estuary with a steel struc-
ture that is a big Improvement 10 the
harbor. The county dallied on and IS still
dallying. Contracts are supposed to have
been let, but for months practically moth
ing has been done. The old bridge has
been mostly taken away, but there is no
appearance yet Of a new bridge. The
electric road is forced to make a detour
through East Oakland and completely
through the city of Alameda before ii
can deliver any Oakland passengers at
the west end of the city. The distance
now being travelled is fully five times
what it need be, and this state OF affairs
will certainly continue for some months
There may be good reasons why the
wealthy county of Alameda cannot con-
struct bridge as rapidly as the railroad
company, but there can hardly De any
justification for the county taking year
longer than the Southern Pacific. This
e indifference is causing great hardShlp TO
thousands of people who cannot forget
the fact that the bridge was to have been
finished many months ago, and 1t is not
yet started.
Councilman Cuvellier is a more versa
tile man than many of his friends are
aware Of He was anxious al the last
he highest
Councilman, and in order TO DO TINS ne
visited many places where votes are sup
posed to be MAGE: among oIheIs IN, ne o Mos
guest on the Saturday prior to the eiec-
ton of the irrepressible Pondlnkey ClQD.
Cuvellier is a very sta1d OLD felIoW. anu
clog dance is about the last thing any one
would suggest in connection with ms
name. AT the Pondinkeys banquet u
WELLER was called on to do something. he
proposed a speech and they laughed at
him Pondinkeys are too intellectual TO
listen to speeches. CuVelner was oeSper-
ate He wanted that block OF votes ana
he must have it. Somebody sQSgeSte9
a song but the candidate avowed he had
never croaked in his life. Somebody
cried "a Dance and the crowd roareo;
still can use his feet. He calmly proceed
ed to take off his coat and his vest while
the Pondinkeys cheered. CuVelller asked
the man at the piano TO give MN d rag
finne time The most ragged-timed tune
was given him, and his feet began TO
move 1t was a revelation-a dream. Inc
fhumned the stage and kept on, and on,
while the crowd beat time to the canal
dates efforts. Dignity was forg4tten, III, IN
the enthusiasm of the half hour. F1nai!y'
with perspiration falling like rain on the
stage Cuvellier stopped. There was an
encore and he danced again harder tR ian
ever. He couldn't stop, ana hnaIly ne zen
from sheer exhaustion -
But his effort was successful. Inc ron
-dinkeys declared that 1t was a MISTAKE 70
have nominated him for Councllman;
he could dance well enough TO be Mayor
All the polls every good Pondinkey Noleu
for CuVellier, and his pluranty was
source OF much cnaSIlu " Cel ian LIN
side politicians.
Some drinks of beer and fiery whisky
q quarrel, a fight and some stabbing. Inc
. victim sat IN a chair in dark saloon
with his life blood oozing from gash IN
2, his neck. Around him were fellows OF
like caliber with himself, enjoying his pre-
dicament and joshing one another about
the necessity of sending for DOCTOR
Between drinks the sight of blood was
made the occasion for coarse jokes. ne
rroprietor of the saloon referred TO the
fact that 1t was the second murder IN tndI
saloon since it opened and expressed ms
Indifference if there should be murder
there every night. In corner OF the
room some one was banging away on a
piano adding to the din and making the
demoniacal scene more complete. maj 4
~ a gurgle and a dead man rolled on the
door
These, as near as can be ascertained.
were the conditions accompanying the
murder of a jockey at the racetrack last
week. and by those who witnessed it it
was all regarded as a mere incident
Here are three facts in connection with
the Gilligan murder which need no COM
ment:
Fact No. |: GAS I emerged from the
room Epperson started after me, evident
~ intending to again assault me, when L
raised the knife and stabbed him in the
neck I then ran from the place and took
the first train for San Francisco. MUIR
derer Gilligan's statement to the San
Francisco police when arrested.
Fact No. 2: Who told you that this
knife was used?'' Coroner Mehrmann
asked Saloon-keeper Dwyer at the in
why" replied Dwyer, "Gilligan told
me himself that he had done it with that
knife ''-Testimony of Dwyer under oath
Fact No. 8: I'VE, the jury, do find that
John Epperson's death was due to hemor-
image, the result of a knife wound sever
ing the jugular, and we do further find
that said wound was inflicted by some I'M
known person.
The people of San Leandro are full of
grit. Oakland could well learn a lesson
from this plucky little town. A year ago
they put up a big bonus and gave a lot
of land to a large cannery company and
now the cannery is being rushed to COM
pletion as fast as possible, ready to han
die the enormous crops that the recent
rains have assured. This step whetted
the appetites of the San Leandrans for
more. A few months ago a proposition
was made to them that If they would
give another bonus a large fruit-drying
establishment would be built there. They
set to work and to-day's report shows
that they have the necessary amount,
with the exception Of $14, which, no doubt,
will have been subscribed by the time
this is read. | also notice that at the last
meeting of the Town Trustees a state
ment was made that the total delin-
quency in taxes amounted to Sc cents.
Another proof of the towns prosperity
is the fact duly noted in the local paper
that on Thursday night Joseph Herrscher.
the Mayor of the town, went to the
metropolis to hear Melba.
20 ye of little faith" applies to Oak
landers as much as to the Pharisees to
whom II was originally addressed For
thirty-three years this city has depended
on Lake Chabot for its water supply, and
not once in those years has it failed
Every time there is less water than the
average rainfall the same old cry goes
out that there is to be water famine
and. Of course, rival cities take delight in