The San Francisco call., 1907-01-07
Exact Large Sums
in the Shape of
Rentals

IN the disbursement OF more than
$4,000 month for the rental Of Offices
Tor the city officials Police Commis-
sfOner Leahy and Norris Levy are not
the only friends Of the administration
who are being benefited at the public
expense.
Despite the fact that a provision
IN the city charter makes II illegal for
a city Official 20 enter into con-
tract with the municipality, Fire Com
missioner Henry NJ. Werden and N. L
Asher. the attorney for the Auditor.
have rented 10 the city dwelling houses
in their possession, for which they
are receiving amounts out OF all log
fcal comparison with the value Of the
property.
Werden receives $500 a month for
the use OF the basement OF his house
at Sz7 Fillmore street, which is used
as headquarters FOR the Fire Depart
ment II is said that 500 month
would be a generous rental for the en-
tire house. which stands upon a steep
grade and OF which Werden continues
10 occupy the upper part despite the
fact that he draws $500 monthly from
the city.
Asher has been even more fortunate
Before the embers OF the FIRE had
oooled-on the 2Ist OF April last-he
cont tracted with the city for the use
Of two dwelling houses at 251l and
2513 Sacramento street for the large
sum OF $500 q month. Many realty
men declare that 500 would have been
g good rental for the houses. but
Auditor Horton was kind to his at
tOrney and very generously threw in
the other $500. Asher thereby exceeds
the good fortune OF Morris Levy, whose
famous bargain with the Supervisors
for the rental Of Mowry Hall nets him
only $500 each thirty days. Levy, while
he has no cause for complaint. the
premises had brought him only 500
g month previous 10 his lease to the
city, seems TO have been asleep al
the switch to have allowed the attor-
ney for the Auditor to go him 500
n better when the happy -go-luclCy distri-
button was being made IN those unob-
servant calamity days
Another member OF the house of
Levy appears on the prize rent roll II.
n Levy is down for $3.50 month Tor
the use OF the lower floor Of his dwell
ing al the corner OF Post and Frank
lin streets, which is used as an Office
by his Honor, the Mayor
RENT FOR CAUCUS ROOM
insignificant in amount but by far
the most picturesque Of all the items
on this roll is that OF SIS month
paid TO NJ RegensbUrger, for which
the owner OF Hamilton Hall permits
the Board OF Supervisors 70 hold their
regular Sunday evening caucuses in
Nllt 0A llf upper IODA-c VI AnG DAAA1-
ing. II looks small. this SIS, beside
the $3.50 the Mayor pays for his Office,
and the $500 the same board pays for
its public meeting place. but when the
fun history Of graft is written and
that unique feature OF municipal gov
ernment. the Sunday evening meeting
with Ruef, is given its proper proper
tion. it viii be different
Altogether the city IS paying each
month sS221-2o in fulhllment Of all
these strange bargains. Annually that
means SsS.65z, or in round numbers
500. 600 a year for the temporary quar-
ters OF the different departments. At
per cent that sum would pay inter-
est on $1,000, 900. But then. what would
become OF the Gallaghers and the
Levys?
Comparison Of the different items
show that the indolent generosity Of
the distribution was not without dis
elimination. For instance. the genial
Police Commissioner Leahy has driven
o. bargain with the city for the lease
'7f the premises on Eddy street Tor
a temporary Hall OF Justice at $1,000
a month. The building is but an in
different two-story brick structure,
but the lease Is twice the amount PAID
10 the Congregation Sheriff Israel for
the use OF the Temple on California
street by the Superior Courts.
RENTS TOTAL ssz2I.2o
Among the less famous landlords on
the municipal Lists is ". II. Talbot,
the lumber merchant, who has rented
four different pieces Of property 10 the
city at a monthly charge OF $685..
The full list IS as follows:
Board OF Supervisors ....-......-..l
Department Of Electricity. .....
Police Court No. 3......-..
county clerk $500 s.------
Tax Collector I.-----
Assessor .--.ss-r--..-- -..s.---.
Department 4, Superior Court. ........
Superior Courts ................t .t........
Departments 5 and S.----.....--..-
Auditor and Justices .-....-.--....
Headquarters Fire Department..-.-.
Warrant and Bond Clerk .....-..-... {
ttecOfoer y
Civil Service Commission. ...--.-.--.
City Attorney -----. - Z
District Attorney and Sheriff. .........
sunday night caucus. ......-..--. 7
juvenile court ..----. .s'-' 7
Coroner and Morgue .....---.-.-..---3 ;
FOllce EaLfOl 4
Police stations, three. !.
Hospital eldDle ----.s .-s--- :
Fire Department ................--. 2
Scnool department +.
PUBIC Library, -. .---.
Department u, Superior Court ----. {