The San Francisco call., 1904-09-22
PUBLIC
WORKS BOARD
Supervisors Braunhart and
Connor Engage Freely in
Criticism of It's Methods
FIND ECONOMY LACKING
Street Committee DiSclaims
Responsibility for Holes
in the Phelan Pavement

Supervisors Connor, Braunhart and
Rock, sitting as the Street Commit
tee, yesterday freely voiced their dis
approval of the Public Works Board.
Supervisor Braunhart was particularly
severe in his remarks and Connor gave
him good reinforcement.
The Works Board, it was said, con-
stantly makes demands on the super
vlsors for appropriations when II Is
we'll known to all conversant with the
municipal government that there can
be no such appropriations, no pro-
vision having been made for them In
the budget. The Supervisors declared
that the Public Works officials are
aiming at campaign of annoyance
A communication from the Fire
] Commission that had been transmitted
by the Board of Public Works aroused
warm discussion in the committee. Inc
fremen complain that the grade OF
Grant avenue, between Bush and SUIT
ter streets, is so steep that on foggy
or rainy days the pavement becomes
dangerous to the department. horses'
A basalt pavement fourteen feet wide
/ in the middle of the street is desired
to replace the asphalt, the cost belng
estimated at $500.
There is absolutely no justification
Tor that complaint" declared Chalr-
man Connor hotly. That is the best
pavement in San Francisco and L
never heard of a fire horse falling
/ there. 1 don't believe there is any
necessity whatever to tear up that un-
usually good pavement to replace 1T
with basalt."
And the Public Works Board and
the Fire Commission" added Braun
hart, Ought to know the Supervisors
can appropriate no money Tor TINS
purpose, because there is no fund
available. The complaint and petition
should have been presented before the
budget was made UP. 1t is really re-
Election on the Board of Supervisors
to ask us to appropriate funds when
it is a well-known fact that after the
budget has been made up there are no
other funds available
We'll it comes from the intelligent
Board of Fire Commissioners, and let
it go at that" remarked Connor sar-
castically, and the matter was dropped.
Braunhart objected to auditing
the claim of Gray Brothers for 81 a
month rental for each of the three
street sweeping machines used by the
Public Works Department. He learned
that the machines could be purchased
new from the factory at 1920.
vestment amounts to extortion," said
Braunhart. The machines of Gray
Brothers are old, too. The Public
Works Board has never made requisi-
ton on the Supervisors for rental OF
the machines, as required by law. in
sist that the city ought to purchase
machines or prevail upon Gray Broth
ers to reduce their exorbitant price"
1t was decided to ask the Finance
n
Committee at 2:30 o'clock Friday to in
vestigate thoroughly the Street Sweep
ing Department as conducted by the
Works Board.
Chairman Connor took occasion to
make public statement of the fact that
previous to the knights Templar con-
clave the Street Committee had tried
to have the regular contracting f1rm,
Yorke & Co., repair the pave
ment repaired in time for the parade OF
Phelan building, where members of the
Public Works Board established the
notorious signs while thousands of
strangers were in the city, charging
the Supervisors with political aninus
in their denial of sufficient funds to
improve the streets.
1.-THE contractors reply was, I would
never hear the last of 1t if 1 complied
with your request, explained sup
he meant that inasmuch as he was the
regular contractor of the Board of
] Works he did not wish to do anything
| that would displease it. We made every
effort to have that bit of street patched
up and the Public Works Board, which
made such a hue and cry, was really
responsible for not having the pave
ment repaired in time for the parade OF
the Knights Templar."