The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-06-16
Mr., MILLER
IS SURPRISED
At THE MAYOR
Anxious Seat Not to
His Liking.
ON THE POLITICAL GRILL
WHOM WOULD MILLER LIKE
FOR A SUCCESSOR
Had He Been Elected City Engineer
He Would Have Been Able
to Vote on That
Subject.
Oakland Office San Francisco Call,


9US Broadway, June 10.
NJ. K. Miller admits being taken by
surprise. Mr.. Miller is the superintendent
of Streets. In view of the fact that dur
ing the past year many important COM
mercial bodies of this city have COM
mended Mr. Miller's work and that only
yesterday many influential residents of
Mr.. Miller's ward asked that he be reap
pointed. it must be conceded that Mr..
Miller is both a popular and an efficient
Street Superintendent. The streets have
no need to cry out to proclaim this. 1t is
known and admitted.
Mr. Miller's surprise consists in the fact
that the Mayor should not hurry to the
City Hall in a carriage and four and i'm
mediately offer a resolution reappointing
Mr. Miller for two years. Many people
would be equally surprised should the
Mayor do this. Yesterday and week ago
from yesterday Mr. Snow quietly re-
marked that Mr. Miller is Superintendent
of Streets, is enjoying the salary derived
from that position and that as there is no
talk of naming successor and as Mr..
Miller will hold office until his successor
be appointed, there is no use in trying to
stir up little political muss by taking
any official notice of the said Superintend-
ent of Streets, NJ. X. Miller
Mr.. Miller is reported as saying that
he had a little conversation with the
Mayor a few weeks ago and the Mayor
did not indicate what he would do. In
this instance, anyway no gold brick was
handed out at the Mayors office. Now
Mr.. Miller says he is surprised that the
Mayor does not hasten TO vote for his re-
appointment.
If there were no such thing as politics
in the city government Mr. Miller would
not feel disconnected in the least, but
would be supremely happy and contented
relying upon the city charter, which con-
tains that VariOusly interpreted no re-
moval except for cause" paragraph.
A few weeks ago Health Oft1cer Dunn
was removed from office on the vote OF
member of the Health Board, who openly
declared that DIR. Dunn was the best
health officer the city of Oakland ever
had" This expression was a hoodoo in
Dr. Dunn's case the only inference left
being that had he not. been SO efficient he
might have retained his office. In the
petition to the Board Of Works yesterday
ii is stated that Mr.. Miller lis the best
and now, politicians are wondering
whether this recommendation will prove
as much of hoodoo as it did to DR..
Dunn.
The Mayors friends, who seem to, size
up his Honor's mind very correctly, have
another view of it. They declare that Mr..
Snow will not be jammed by Mr. DOW or
by Mr.. Miller The Mayor, it is said, even
heard of the whispers of what would have
taken place had Mr.. Miller been elected
City Engineer, in which event. ii is said,
his Honor would nave hau d very rellIute
seat in the rear on the. Board Of Works.
Again. say Mr. Shows friends, Mr.. Miller
is in 1ri'ii very illogical position from poll
teal standpoint. He evidently does not
consider himself indispensable to the
Street Department, for he made two
heroic efforts to get out of it and be City
Engineer. Had Mr.. Miler's ambition been
gratified it would have been his sworn
duty under the charter to have voted for
some successor. If Mr.. Snow should
think as Mr. Miller would have thought
had he been elected City Engineer, 1t
would not be at all surprising. This is the
Snow view. -,
1t is hardly likely that the Mayor. will
take any steps toward the removal of Mr..
Miller. and If he be let alone 1t Is more
than probable that in the course OF a few
weeks. when he can do so without loss
Of noIitical dignity, he will call up Mr..
&c. r..s-cal,, ticr, nd vote for II.