The San Francisco call., 1899-01-24
PROPOSE A
LIGHTING PLANT
FOR THE CITY
Supervisors Favor
Public Ownership.
WILL INVESTIGATE ITS COST
VALUES TO BE PLACED ON LAND
FOR PARK EXTENSION.
WILL INVESTIGATE ITS COST
Owners to Submit Estimates of the
Value of Their Property and
Whether They Desire
to Sell.

The first move tending toward public
ownership of the utilities was made at
the regular meeting of the Board of Su-
pervisors yesterday. Supervisor Lack
mann presented a resolution which at
once found favor with his colleagues on
the board. The resolution reads:
Whereas, vast and excessive sums are
being expended yearly in the purchase of
lights for the public buildings and for light
ing the streets of san Francisco; and
whereas s Its 1t is B apparent that the muniG
for the lighting of said streets and pub
lie buildings; and whereas, reliable sta
tistics indicate that the cost of municipal
lighting can be materially reduced by the
construction of a municipal lighting plant
owned and operated by the city; therefore
be il
Resolved, That it is the sense of this
board that the city and county of San
Francisco should construct a plant capable
of furnishing electric lights for the streets
and also for the lighting of the public
buildings throughout the city, and that
lights should also be supplied to merchants,
business men and all residents and property
owners at actual cost whenever demanded;
and be ii further
Resolved, That his Honor the Mayor is
hereby authorized and empowered to en-
ploy an expert TO prepare complete report
on the cost together with plan for the
construction of a plant which will be suffi-
cient for supplying lights as above indi-
Gated, and also estimate on the ap-
proximate cost of operating the same. and
that said report shall be made and filed
with this board within sixty days from this
date.
1t was adopted, the Mayor being au-
thorized TO employ an expert. The Mayor
will report what progress he has made
at the next meeting of the board. Su-
perviSor Lackmann presented statistics
showing that the city is paying twice as
much for arc lights as is charged else
where
Upon motion of Supervisor Perrault the
resolution authorizing the employment of
twenty-five extra policemen was rescind-
cd prIrY 1oY1v, hold hot f6a .i+r lloI
the extra men, and had for long time
Their appointment was authorized by
the last Legislature, and the Police Com
missioners believe they have the power to
appoint. DR.. Perrault objected to the in
creased expenditure, saying the $101 900
debt from the old board should be paid
before others are contracted. He said all
departments of the city government will
suffer this year if expenses are to be
kept within the dollar limit. His plea for
economy resulted in the defeat Of the
The park panhandle project is being
pressed vigorously by Mayor Phelan. a
resolution was adopted yesterday calling
on all property owners on the line of
the proposed Improvement to submit to
the board before February 4 their esti-
mate as to the value of their land and
they are willing to sell. The board
pledged itself to provide necessary reve-
nue. in the manner provided by existing
laws for the acquisition OF land for the
panhandle and boulevard.
The board was not apparently ready to
act upon the matter of setting aside ap-
preparations to the amount of nearly
100000 The matter was again referred
to the Finance Committee, which had
already approved it.
The Southern Pacific Company was re-
quested to grant a right of way for an
outlet sewer for the drainage of Sunny
side district at the intersection of Jarnac
street and Circular avenue.
The matter of the liability of the Suffer-
street Railroad Company to repair Bush
street where it's tracks were formerly
Attorney for his opinion and as to what
action should be taken by the board to
compel the railroad company to make
such repairs as the street requires.
Supervisor Lackmann introduced reso-
luton to the effect that all city printing
be done in union offices. 1t was referred
to the Printing Committee.
The bills for street lighting, amounting
to about $4,000, which We're referred at
the last meeting of the board to the
Street Light Committee, were transferred
to the Finance Committee for further
consideration.
The bills for the furnishing of the Stan
yan-street police station, amounting to
$500, were laid over one week until an
opinion can be received from the City
and County Attorney.
The Superintendent of Streets was en-
powered to employ an expert to assist in
making assessments for street work is
His compensation will be $50 per month.
l. L. Bevans is the man who has been
recommended for the place.
The City and County Attorney was re-
quested to furnish the board with an
opinion as to the obligations devolving
upon the lessor, DR.. d. F. Ragan. in the
matter of making repairs to the building
recently leased by the city from him for
the purposes of police station at 507
Stanyan street
Mrs. E. NJ. Casey, matron in the City
Prison, was discharged and Mrs. n. w.
Wright was appointed to the vacancy.
Mrs Wright was formerly in charge of
the insane ward at the Receiving Hos
pital.
The petition of the Mutual Electric
Light Company to erect peles on public
back TO the Stret Committee.
A resolution was introduced defining
the duties of the Water, Gas and Electric
Light Inspector. Supervisor Perrault had
some quiet fun with it, showing that it
was physical impossbility for one man
to fulfill all the requirements as proposed