Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-08-26
BY e. N. SMITH.
ial Star Bulletin Correspondence"


SAN FRANCISCO, Gal, August H.
TO continue the 2"Count OF how
tbc Rnef sold out the city Of San
Francjsc0.
The Home Telephone ordinance was
rushed through shortly before the
great fro and tho hato Of the bidding
md sale If the frnnchiHe was nla"cd
or April 23rd. 1906 When that date
c"Tp around the CITY lay in ruiuS and
tho Committee Of Fifty had Teen work
ing night and dav to get order out OF
IN" manic stricken community.
On tho morning Of tho 23rd. how
ever Robert Fri"k an attorney OF the
firm Of Thomas Gerstle and FrirI
called upon Abe Ruef at the head
uuc rters oI tho Committee ~ Fifty
Reprer enting the Home Teleph"ne
pe6, Ie he wpntn1 the franchise offer.
Cd for sale on that dew az ORIGINALLY
agreed upon Rref didn't see how
ANYTHING could he done. hut Frirk
stated that unde~ the law uTless the
franchise was sold m that dav all the
work ahd time and monev 60 far
srent hv the company would be
thrown away.
Rref felt that +he franchise was
worth gren+ dn"1 more nov because
the Home Tclenhona would he on
ncraI terms With tho old COMPANY in
rrttinu ~o-eStatiished in tho DESTROYED
ritv THO cnnrnanv however fc1t that
there wa LOGS need for to'enhnne
earvion and TIE fnturn lool,ed d9rF--
trt thnv wanted the franchise never
th~1eSs[
PueF felt that the "it" did not need
rreat revenue at thNt time hut know
tho rnmmittten of Eiftv was terribly
h~nJicanred for fu~ds n na~rv ~
tho safety work. end that ~ the
money was nlaneh IN tha CITY trea".
rry there Voc M local WOW IN got u
nut fnr urgent roIiof nor nss'ties, R"ef
the~efnre nrnnoeed that tho porna
TeIenhnna nav the s1en.nnA 90 o~toin-
oily ,greed rnon hIIt tho frnnchie n
wonId he snld them for s25 nnH and
tkav were IN male q nrosnnt nf tho
other $75 nna tn the Relief Finds Th'"
having hpen agreed pnnn RDe' an"
Gallagher called together the S"ner-
visors in former SELDOM on Hnve9
street. which had become i'm these
tirna Of stress munieinal head"Ha~o~e
pids ve~n nrountlv nnn~nd Tho
Home TeJenhnna hid nf s2S nhn wa
the ONLY one tendared. Tho franohisn
was i1romutlv sold for sos .nan. and At
the same time check FOR $4,000 was
presented 70 the Relief Conrrpittee
This contribution. with the statement
fiat the Homo Telenknnn Companv
wero going rioht ahnad with the e~-
vas received with chenrs. the fret
evidepca that, Genital still had faith in
tho destravnd citv. -.
To 60 hack little. after tho Suner-
visors were elected the established
telephone comnapv. the Pacific States.
became Friendly" with the newly
elected, and by free TELEPHONE service
French dinners, and places on the paw
roll. endeavored to line nm enough
votes to control any possible franchine
that might come up. -.s
Naturally the interviews of Detwiler
of the Home Company was with Ruet
and Gallagher were reported to the
Pacific States people. and thew got
busy with a vengeance. A majority
of the Supervisors were loaded with
Argument against duDlicate phone
system. and with other things" The
crafty Wilson however went direct to
Headquarters. and informed Halsey,
the outside man for the Pacific States
ccmpauy that $4,000 would he about
right for him If the new franchise was
to he blocked. and the remaining mem
hers of the Board could make tNeir
own terms.
Halsey didn't need to he told twice
Wilson arranged for interviews in
secluded Office. There he received his
$4,000 and each supervisor called in
turn, made his vow Of fealty to tn"
CORPORATION and received the amount
he had the nerve to demand. Several
received $4,000, one man got $4,000 and
came. back the next day for $4,000
more. Others received valuable bust
ness contracts Fourteen man were
bribed and Halsey distributed $4,000.
When it came to- vote and Ruef
and Schmitz had urged the Home
Telephone deal successfully, the Sup
elvisors were quite ready to double
cross" the telephone company. Only
five voted against the Home Phone
franchise. One man voted against the
P@cific States although he had receiv-
ed $4,000 from that companv He