The San Francisco call., 1899-10-10
PHELAN ASKS GRAND
JURY TO INVESTIGATE
REFERS HOSPITAL AFFAIRS TO
THAT BODY.
Charges Board of Supervisors With
Jobbery and Makes Other Seri-
Gus Allegations.

In letter to the Grand Jury apropos
Of the deplorable state Of affairs at the
City and County Hospital and the pest
house, Mayor Phelan yesterday made di-
rect charges of jobbery against the Board
of Supervisors, and, by inference, made
accusations Of even a more serious nature.
The contractors have daily urged some
plan whereby their claims might be paid
and fresh supplies provided the starving
inmates of the county's medical institu-
ton. Chairman Perrault of the Finance
Committee was willing to pay their back
claims, but declined to allow any expendi-
ture in excess of the one-twelfth act, or
that would result in a deficit in any of
the funds over which he exercised juris-
diction.
With mob Of hungry contractors and
another of hungry patients to hear from
each day, the matter became unpleasant,
to say the least, and yesterday the Mayor
unloaded it on the Grand Jury in the fol-
lowing letter:
To the Honorable, the Grand jury OF the
City and County. Of San Francsco-GentIe-
men: desire in pursuance of my duty under
the consolidation act, to call your attention to
the mismanagement of the City and County
Hospital. by which deficits have been created
In Its funds. causing suffering to the patients
and injury to the reputation Of the city.
In the fiscal year Of 1883 $50. COO was ap-
propriated for the hospital and sSOOo for re-
pairs. This fiscal year $50 900 has been appro-
priated for the hospital and $4,000 for repairs.
Ninety thousand dollars is all the law allows
the Board OF Supervisors to appropriate for
the maintenance of the hospital In addition
we have appropriated $500 for the smallpox
hospital for this year. The only tax levy which
has any legal validity is the tax levy adopted
by the Supervisors on the third Monday of
September, but in order to guide the Auditor
on August 7, 1899. the Supervisors passed a res
olution (S075) fixing the limit OF expenditure,
which they subsequently altered as to the item
of repairs in finally making the levy. In that
resolution $4,000 also estimated for the
maintenance of the hospital. but S23 210 was
allowed for repairs
Now, under no circumstances could the Hos
pital Committee Of the Board of Supervisors
under the provisions of the one-twelfth act eX-
pend more than $500 each month for the main
tenance OF the hospital, which, IL prudently
! employed, is, as your investigation will no
doubt show, amply sufficient for it's purpose.
For the months of July, August and September
of this fiscal year the Supervisors, through
their Hospital Committee, have exceeded the
limit and violated the law. l therefore ask an
investigation your part in order to fix the
responsibility for such violation and for the
extravagant prices, amounting to jobbery paid
for non-contract supplies. The Board Of Su-
pervisors is responsible for the supplies and
repairs and the Board of Health for the en-
poyes AS there is one employe for every
three patients am convinced that the number
is excessive and should be reduced
/ inclose to you a list of gentlemen who no
doubt Will aid you by testifying at your in
vestigation. Respectfully,
JAMES d. PHELAN Mayor