The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-06-13


TO withdraw his objection"
Il cannot do So replied Holland, "as
I believe a call Is unnecessary"
The Mayor asked the opinion OF the
other members and Supervisor Angel
finger declared that while he had no
objection TO the presence of the Mayor
he insisted that the meeting was regu-
lar and no call was needed. Mayor
Phelan then decided that the call
should be spread upon the minutes and
thus become officially a part of the
meeting.
Are we TO consider them" asked Su-
pervisor Aigeltinger, that by permit
ting this proceeding we admit that
what we have already done is illegal?"
Not at ALL" was the Mayors reply.
Il accept what you have done up to
this point and will not question 1t"
After the transaction of considerable
routine business Supervisor Perrault
moved that the rules be suspended and
the board listen to a statement which
the representative of the gas and cleo
trio light companies wished to make.
Attorney Bishop was then given all OPP
portunity to speak. He related how the
Mayor and the minority had met in
conference and had finally agreed upon
a compromise in reference to electric
and gas light rates. The compromise
was described in detail and when the
attorney had finished Supervisor Deasy
moved that it be accepted and adopted
by the board.
This gave Mayor Phelan the oppor-
tunity to commit perhaps the most bril-
liant mistake of his administration.
He suggested that it would be far bet
ter to have the terms of the compro-
mise placed in the form of written
resolution. This was done by the at
torney for the gas and electric light
companies and was presented in the
following gem of crafty manipulation:
Resolved, That all existing contro-
versies between the City and County
of San Francisco and the San Fran
cisco Gas and Electric Company and
Pacific Gas Improvement Company
be and the same are hereby settled
upon the following basis of compro-
mise, as agreed to by the said light
ing companies with his Honor the
Mayor, and this Board, to wit:
l. Rate for gas to consumers shall
be fixed at the rate of 81 so per one
Thousand cubic feet of gas; this rate
to take effect July l, 1899.
2. Bills accrued and to accrue for
gas furnished public buildings shall
be paid for at the rate of 81 So per
one thousand cubic feet.
8. Bills accrued and to accrue for
gas furnished for street lighting
shall be paid for at the rate of 10
cents per lamp per night, instead of
IL cents per light per night.
q. All electric lighting bills accrued
and to accrue, whether for street
lighting or public buildings, shall be
paid with a reduction of Is per cent
off the face of the bills rendered at
the contract price.
5. If new contracts are let for light
ing public buildings with gas, the
said lighting companies agree to bid
for the same at the rate of not to ex-
coed 81 35 per one thousand cubic
feet.
The foregoing resolution was adopted
by the board by a unanimous vote.
The gas and electric light corporations
had won their victory. They NAV now
go before Superior Judge Seawen and
show that the city has rescinded its
action in fixing rate of 81 10 a thou
sand feet and has adopted a new rate,
at the same time and by its own action
abandoning it's claim to right to fix
gas rates once a year.
Upon motion of Supervisor Aigeltin-
ger the following resolution fixing a
maximum rate and establishing stand
ards was also adopted:
Resolved, That the minimum stand
ard quality and illuminating power of
gas to be furnished by any person, COM
pany or. corporation to be used in the
city and county of San Francisco is
hereby fixed and established at seven
teen candles, and the maximum rate to
be charged and collected therefor from
consumers by any such person, COM
pany or corporation is hereby fixed and
established at 81 80 per one thousand
cubic feet.
Second-All ordinances and resolu-
tons and parts of ordinances and reso-
lutions in conflict herewith are hereby
repealed.
Third-This resolution shall be in
force and take effect on the first day
Of July, 1899
The very important question of gas
rates had been determined and the city
had lost through the inability of the
Mayor and the minority to see the plot
which had been Matched for them At
ter the meeting Mayor Pbelan gave an
outline of his position in the matter
and claimed that the question of the
81 10 rate is properly before the courts.
The Mayor did not realize when he
made that remark that by the agree
ment, craftily framed by CORPORATION
agents and accepted by the city, the
81 10 rate had been officially aban-
doned. His Honor is probably wiser to-
day.
In his discussion of the events of the
session Of the board, the Mayor also
described the incidents of the various
conferences. and saw a victory In the
fact that the gas and electric light com
panies had at last, after bitter and
continued contention, admitted the
right of the city to fix rates for gas