The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1906-12-21
Louis Levy Uses Position
With Board Of Public
Works to Sell Sweets
BUILDING STATUTES
EMPLOYED AS CLUB
Find That It Is
to Their Advantage to
Stand In on the Deal

The young millionaire in embryo OF
the Board of Works staff, Louis Levy,
does not rely wholly for his prospec-
tive millions on the advertising graft
which he carried out with such success
r connection with the official publica-
ion of the city's building laws.
The candy graft is the most recent
method by which this resourcefuI
young gentleman is using his Ofacial
position to round out his fortune. His
partner i'm this enterprise is Leonard
Leavy, who keeps the books of the |
Works Board, of which Louis is secre- |
tary.
The field of operation of the Board of |
Works Candy Company is confined to
the theaters. The result is that those
temporarily constructed playhouses in
which the Board of Works sweetmeats
are peddled between the acts may be
assumed for all practical purposes to
be safe structures. entirely complying
with the city ordinance on theaters.
The official caramels and peppermints
may be received by the patrons as a
sort of life insurance--they are sold
only in theaters with which the Board
of Public Works finds no fault
EXCLUSIVE PRIVILEGE
Although. this sweet and insidious
graft has been organized scarcely
more than a month, IL has already Sc
cured the exclusive privilege Of selling
candy in nearly every theater in town.
The Dreamland Rink would naturally
be found among the first on the list,
and administration candy will sweeten
future meetings of the Looters' League,
which are wont to be held there. The
Colonial and the Central. are also on
the list, and a booth is being con-
structed in the Novelty Theater build
sweetmeats. 1t is, in fact, intimated
that Sam Loverich has been taken into
the candy company.
Influence was exerted by the two
Board of Works employees all along the
line until only three theaters remain
which have the hardihood to sell other
than Levy candy. They are the Wig
wan, the Empire and the Mission, and
the proprietors of these houses have
been notified that they must come into
line or their houses will be declared
unsafe for public patronage.
AS nearly every theater in the city is
built on temporary forms of construc-
ton, and for that reason not held
strictly within the letter of the law,
the opportunity open to the enterpris-
ing secretary of the Works Board to
force his candy upon the -playgoing
public is apparent at glance.
DEFECT DODGE USED.
Houses which were tardy in recogniz-
ing the logical force of the situation
would receive call from deputy of
the board late in the afternoon, and
some defect in the management of the
footlights or an exit would be pointed
out to the management. When it was
urged that it was too late to per-
NIT the change to be made before the
evening performance the deputy would
gently insist that 1t would take but an
hours work to make the change. But
after one hour had been lost in hur-
ried search for an artisan the job
would still be uncompleted when the
audience began to arrive and the lady
patrons would have to lift their skirts
over the sawdust and other debris re-
sulting from the change insisted upon.
A little of this and nearly every
manager in town saw the wisdom of
having none other than Board of
Works candy sold in his establishment,
and the candy worked the charm that
the carpenter failed at.
Frank Leavy, brother of Leonard,
had some previous experience in the
theater candy business, and his assist
ance was lent to the corporation,
which sells its wares with club to
reluctant managers. At first East
ern sweetmeats were handled by the
lusty young trust, but that limited
the profit, and as the trade does not
depend on the quality of the goods
sold, Levy is bargaining with manu-
facturer of less than worldwide fame
for his stock.