New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-31
ON THE PACIFIC SLOPE.
DamOcletian SSCOrd OUer Super
risOrs to insure Honesty.
IBy telegraph to ne Tribuae.l

san Francisco. March 3O-This has been
Geld week for the prosecution Of the alleged
local grafters as the Home Telephone scandal
has. been unearthed and full testimony taken in
regard to the alleged bribery of the supervisors
and Ruef TO grant the valuable franchises after
q large sum was already alleged to have been
paid for similar privilege by the Pacific States
Telephone Company.
Supervisor Sanderson gave his testimony be-
fore the grand jury, sustaining statements which
he had made in an afidavit. Sanderson is suf-
fering from consumption. and in the grand jury
room broke down and wept. His testimony Is
regarded as ample TO insure Indictment Of the
men who handled the bride funds for the flight
trust"
Every new witness adds to the evidence
against Boss Ruef and reveals the reInarkaole
system that ne is alleged TO nave perfected Tor
extracting graft from every one who desired
10 carry on business in San Francisco aIter the
disaster. The retention of the supervisors after
they have confessed TO receiving brides has eX-
cited much criticism hut il may be said that
there Is no assurance of getting men. as a new
board would have TO be appointed by the Mayor.
The prosecution holds the sworn statements
Of the supervisors, and if they do not unite TO
carry on municipal affairs honestly and efficient
~ they can be indicted and punished With
tkis menace over them, II is expected that they
viii adopt only honest measures.
The increase in the number Of skilled meehan-
Ies and in the wages that they earn has been
great since the fire. The State Labor Commits
sion has gathered statistics which show that in
forty-four BUILDING trades there were employed
in January Of this year 2S459 mechanics.
against l4.4G0 in January. 1906. The aggregate
daily wage this year is SAB 629 against S51,10l
a year ago The bricklayers have made the
largest gain. their numbers jumping from 4O2
in 1906 10 l.S06 this year. and their wages ad-
increased from 3O67 20 $500. and their wages
from 81 TO 81 a day. This large daily payroll
explains the big business done by all retail deal
ers who are carrying good stocks. WIN me
beginning Of score or more large Class A
Office buildings next month the number Of me-
chanics win be greatly increased.
Heavy losses in the Sacramento and San
joaquin valleys have been caused by floods
more widespread and destructive than for many
years. The result will be the loss of this years
crop many of The rich island ranches, and
the ruin of celery and asparagus farms. Fruit
has also suffered severely in these valleys as
Well as throughout the state from excessive
rains during blossom time. The apricot crop is
practically killed and the prune crop will not
be - per cent OF its usual size. Peaches and
other fruits were also damaged severely. The
long continued rains have rotted seed wheat
and barley. and there viii be time for
sowing the ground Take it all in all, this Will
ne a poor crop year in California for everything
except the tOurist-a crop that is largely respon-
sible for the great growth and prosperity Of
Southern California.
one Of the main checks TO the rebuilding Of
the san Francisco business district viii be re-
moved next week, when the ordinance limiting
the height of Class A buildings viii be amend
ed. This ordinance was adopted soon after the
fire. limiting the height TO one and half times
the width Of the street, and it was expected to
result in the widening Of number Of business
streets Instead. ii simply resulted in checking
the construction of the best class Of buildings.
The Mayor declared frankly that the ordinance
m Ike adj
During the last few months the proprietors OF
many of San Francisco's largest retail stores
have decided TO return TO their old locations.
Among these are the managers Of the En-
porium, the largest department store in the city.
They have from the Parott estate a twenty-five
year lease of their old building on Market street,
opposite the Flood Building. On the site of the
old Orpheum, in O'Farre street, near Stockton.
viii be built a new and handsome home Of
vaudeville, 10 cost 100000.
Hay is selling here at $50 ton the highest
price on record. Dealers declare that the rail-
roads are largely responsible for this increase,
as IT is impossible to land shipments here be-
cause Of the congestion OF other and more valu-
able freight. These railroad managers say the
trouble is due to failure to unload hay cars.
R. X. Ryan. one of the best known railroad
men on the coast died this week from pneu-
New Orleans and had been connected ever
since with the San Francisco & Northern Pa
cihc Railroad
Emma Culver. a young white woman, recently
OF Monrovia. near Los Angeles, has decided TO
follow TO China her Monaghan husband who
has just been ordered deported because he had
a forged certificate. The girl came to know the
Chinese through her aunt, Mrs Upham. being
interested in Chinese mission work in Los An
geles.
The widow of a saloonkeeper Of Aberdeen,
Wash, who committed suicide after a debauch
Of drinking and gambling expressed her opinion
Of saloonkeepers by the order that none should
enter her house. although the funeral services
were conducted by a society OF saloon men to
which her husband belonged.
general tie-up OF shipping on Puget Sound
Is threatened because Of the demand of the
marine engineers for an increase OF 25 per cent
IN wages Coal viii also be advanced 50 cents
after April /.
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