The San Francisco call., 1907-03-31
MUNICIPAL C0MMISSARY
DEPARTMENT IS DOOMED
Institution Created by Gal
lagher for Brother Tom
Ordered Closed
COSTLY FOR THE CITY
Salaries of Tax Eaters Have
Unnecessarily Cost
S8l0 a Month

Huother aImshouse for politicians too
-sronE 10 work is tOttering 10 its fall.
The Grand Jury demands Of the Board
OF Supervisors that the city be rid az
once of the municipal COmmissary De-
rartment.
The fnted ornament was set mp by
the Schn1ftz administration 10 Oblige
Supervisor Gallagher. He wanted n
nice. luscious job for hts brother Tom,
who was drawing only SIS n month as
an undervvOrIzed stenOErapher in the
Mayors Office.
..Pig Jim" got his wish. Nine months
ago the municipal Commissary Depart
gnent was created, with Brother Tom as
chief commissary at $3.50 8 month.
other salaries ran the payroll OF the
new arm Of the city government up 10
$50 p month. Supervisor Furey ana
Supervisor MamlOck also had brothers-
George Furey took on the awful dig
nitv Of an inspector at Sl25 month
Albert MsmlOck became the winged
Mercury Of the department. His heels
were leaden. but he drew $S5 as mes
seneer lust the same. And there were
other fortunate ones. Assemblyman
Sammy Beckett drew $50 month as
bOokkeeper. George Meagher accepted
q ti = month as clerk anu --dAAE
non kindly consented TO drive the
wagon for a similar stipend.
SALARIES ARE ILLEGAL
since July i OF last year this select
little group OF takeaters has drawn
S4s45.5O in salaries. According 10 the
opinion held by the Grand Jury, all this
money was illegally drawn from the
treasury. The department was estab-
lished for the ostensible purpose OF
buying the city's supplies through a
central station, but this was not done
The commissaries of. the various city
institutions held their places One Of
these officials was a brother Of DR.. j.
W Ward, then president Of the Board
Of Health. The commissaries OF the
County Jail and the Almshouse also
drew their salaries regularly, but the
buying for those institutions was at
tended to by Big Jim" Gallagher and
Brother Tom. Under the new system
there were increased opportunities for
graft. and possibly the Grand Jury has
turned up something. This would ac-
count for its rush orders to the Super
Kisors in regard 10 the municipal COM
missary department
OTHERS ARE TROUBLED
Numerous employees OF the city. be-
sides those mentioned, are troubled
over their financial prospects. The
protest filed by J. c. Ssulman with City
and County Treasurer Bantel seeks to
prevent the payment Of salaries
amounting to S19.271 Well up on the
list are MYRTLE Cert and Thomas Z.
Atkinson, assigned to the bureau OF
accounts at $500 a month each; John F..
Finn. assistant stationery clerk, $3.50;
Samuel ,. Priest, inspector 10 the
finance committee OF the Board OF Su-
pervisors, $3.50; George Di5eau, chauf-
feur 10 the finance committee. $125.
Ssulmau SAYS that all these men hold
positions not created by ordinance. but
by Supervisor Gallagher who fixed their
salaries and told them to go to work.
Since the protest was framed, Cert and
Atkinson have been separated from
their jobs
According to Saulmans protest the
appointment OF James A. Devote as
attorney for the Board of Health and
the Beard OF Public Works at $3.50 a
month was illegal for the reason that
the charter provides that the City At
tOrney shall attend TO all the legal
business Of the city government
Objection is also made against the
payment OF $500 a month to w H
Mead for stenographic work in Police
Judge Shortalrs court. This position
was created April &c, 1902. to give Sol
Bloom a job and was TO last sixty days
only. says Saulman. Therefore IL is
contended that the position lapsed June
&c, 1902, and thst since then $1,000
has been illegally drawn, from the
treasury.
LEFFINGWELL ON LIST
SaUlnan further protests against the
administrations kindness TO Elmore c.
Lefiingwell who similarly draws SIS q
month as clerk OF the high school board
IN addition 10 his salary Of $3.50 a month
as secretary Of the Board OF Educa-
ton. Objection is also made 20 the
payment OF $500 TO A. S. Newburgh, an
assistant City Attorney: to the pay
ment Of 500 a month 10 an extra clerk
in the Auditors Office without author
ity from the Board of Supervisors
The recent attempt TO increase the
salaries OF two messengers for the Cor
oner, twenty-four police patrol drivers
and clerks and deputies in the Audi
tors Office and the department Of cleo
tricity is denounced as illegal
In conclusion Saulman says: Sup
ervisOr Gallagher has expended $3.50
for automobiles alone without inviting
bids, although he often invites his
friends, in lieu OF bids. 10 ride in his
nOnunion car"