The San Francisco call., 1904-08-25
WILL SUBMIT
AMENDMENTS
Supervisors Comply With
Petitions for Changing
Provisions of the Charter
AFFECT CITY EMPLOYEES
Create Half Holiday on Sat
urdays and Raise Pay En-
gineers Fire Department

The Board Of Supervisors held a
. special meeting yesterday for the pur-
pose Of considering TWO petitions filed
for the submission OF charter amend
ments affecting municipal employees.
The petitions purported to have been
signed by more than y, 600 voters in
each case.
The FIRST amendments TO be consid-
Sred were those petitioned for TO give
municipal employees a half holiday on
Q Saturdays, fixing their hours of service
from 3 a. m. TO 4 2. m, and giving
them two weeks vacation with paw
IN each calendar year. Brandenstein,
who presided in the absence Of the
Mayor, stated that under the State
constitution the petitions having been
signed by more than Is per cent of the
voters, the board had no alternative
but 10 submit the amendments to the
people, without however. sanctioning
them IN any way. Braunhart thought
the proposed amendments were i'll
ADVISED, would entail endless compIi-
cations and affect all employees includ-
ing laborers, with the exception OF
those OF the Fire and Police depart
nents- The change would result IN
TIE substitution OF the contract system
Tor day labor and an enormous added
expense which would not be possible
under the proposed amendment limit
sng city expenditures TO the income re-
Seived BY an S5-cent tax lexy.
GIVE NOTICE TO PUBLIC.
we want the public to under
stand" said Brandenstein. that these
amendments viii be submitted to the
electors without the approval, express
or implied, OF the Board OF Super
Nlsors. but only because the constitu-
uon requires IL under the conditions
es they exist"
With that understanding each Su-
pervisOr Of the fourteen present voted
10 submit the amendments.
Similar action was taken on the pc
-tIrOn Of the engineers Of the Fire De-
tartment that their pay be increased
10 $3.50 yearly.
Brandenstein explained that the
amendment conficted with one al
ready adopted TO increase. among
others, the salaries of engineers to
S147O. but the board had no alterna-
tive but 10 submit the two opposing
amendments tOshe voters.
The Mayor was authorized TO sell at
suctiOn ten horses unfit for Fire De-
partment use.
TO LIGHT CITY HALL
The City Hall dome was ordered
10 be Illuminated from Septem-
Der TO September 10, it being
understood that the knights Templar
committee wIl stand half the expense.
The petition Of the odd Fellows TO
have the dome Illuminated during
their convention was referred 10 the
Light Committee.
The petition OF the Police Commis-
sicn that charter an endments be sub
1nitted 10 place the matter Of promo
lions in the Police Department in the
hands OF the Police Commission, inde-
pendent Of civil service, was referred
10 the Amendment Committee.
The petition Of property-Owners that
the Preside and Ferries Railway Com
rany. be granted a new street railway
franchise on Union and other streets
was referred 10 the Street Committee.
CANNOT RAISE PENSIONS.
City Attorney Long filed an opinion
in response 10 the boards request 70
the effect that the Fire Pension Fund
Commissioners have no authority 10
increase the pensions Of dremen claim
ants now receiving S17 so and $22 SO
per month TO $40 per month. Long
holds that the charter specifically
states the amounts Of the pensions IN
certain cases and upon the happening
of q contingency the designated fire.
man or his dependent relatives be-
come legally entitled 10 the sum SO
fixed
The recommendation of the Board
OF Works that street work be ordered
on Park Hill avenue, Tilden and South
LrOderrck streets, was referred TO the
A number Of resolutions authorizing
she payment Of certain demands were
6nally passed
Grades we're ordered changed or
Manchester street and Ounce alley
and the roadway Of Pacific avenue
between -Octavia and Laguna streets
was fully accepted
S