The San Francisco call., 1905-02-21
v ANTS WIRES
FUT IN GROUND
Finance Committee Investi-
gates Delay in Removal
of Many Unsightly Poles

The Supervisors Finance Commit
tee yesterday began an investigation
into the delay in putting the wires be-
longing to the city underground.
Chief Hewitt of the Department of
Electricity made the rather startling
admission that no wires had as yet
been placed underground in districts
l and 2, comprising the downtown
section, although he had promised
that such work would be completed
two years ago. Hewitt ascribed as the
reason for the delay that a switch
board had not yet been constructed.
He further excused the dilatory tao
tics of his department by saying that
the appropriation made for the work
was inadequate, when he was cut
short by Brandenstein, who said:
Now, that is not so. 1t has been
said that you had $250,000 to spend
That is not true" retorted Hewitt.
My impression is that it was $780,
000."
Hewitt then agreed to prepare a de-
tailed statement showing the total
amount received for underground con-
struction, the moneys actually ex-
pended for the work and other data
pertaining to the subject under inves-
tigation. Brandenstein then pinned
IICWllt dOWH TO lIl6 udI0 Wnen the
underground work in district No. 8
will be completed
If we are allowed to use our en-
tire allowance of $4,000 said Hew-
lit, I'VE will complete it on June 80,
1905. We will have to use S19SS 95
for work on Fourth street, and that
may delay US one MONTH"
The amended ordinance regulating
the placing of poles and electrical
Wi tn lNo
issued by the Board of Works as well
as the Department of Electricity was
referred to the joint Committee on Ju-
dietary and Electricity. Supervisor
Braunhart called attention to the ne
cessity of some constructive legisla-
ton to compel the removal of insight
ly poles.
The promiscuous way that poles
are being erected is an outrage" said
Boxton, ''and l hope that restrictions
will be put upon the companies re-
sponSible for their erection. 1t is a
fact that the dirt taken UP to make
room for poles has not been removed
in some places for months"
The committee received commune
cation from the Mayor that Commits
sioner of Works Maestretti had agreed
to file a new. official bond. The sure
ty company on his old bond gave no.
tice that it desired to withdraw there
from, without, however, offering to re-
turn the balance of the premium,
which had been paid in advance. The
committee decided that it had no
power to take any further action to
compel the immediate furnishing of
another bond.
The committee referred the petit
ton of Mahoney Bros. for the return
of $3.50 deposited as fees for the use
of streets for building purposes to the
Board of Works, with a request that
the money be returned. The coin is
part of the $4,000 embezzled by ex-
Cashier w. j. White, who absconded.
The sum of $3.50 was allowed out
of the urgent fund for sanitary work
in Chinatown up to March / next. The
same fund will be drawn upon to the
extent of 5000 in addition to the $3.50
appropriated for the safety station at
Market and Powell streets and $3.50
for the maintenance of the new port
able sterilizer.
The committee decided to make
temporary repairs to the Fourth
street bridge, which is in dangerous
condition. The sum of $1,000 was set
aside out of the urgent fund for the
purpose. Engineer Lane of the Unit
ed Railroads said the piles under the
bridge had rotted, endangering the
safety of the public. Lane will pre-
pare plans to put the bridge in first
class condition and an appropriation
will be made in the next budget. The
committee asked Lane to urge the
United Railroads to bear share OF
the entire expense, which may aggre-
gate $4,000.