Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-08-26
BY E. N. SMITH.

san FRANCISCO. cal, august rs
TO continue the 2"c0Hnt of how
Abe Ruef sold out the city OF San
Francisco.
The Home Telephone ordinance was
rushed through shortly before the
great fire and the date of the bidding
md sale OF the franchiGe was nl@"ed
OF April 23rd 1906. When that date
came around the city lay in ruins and
the Committee of Fifty had feen work
ing night and day to get order out OF
the panic stricken community.
On the morning OF the 23rd how
GER Robert Frick an attOThev Of the
firm of Thomas, Gerstle and Frick
called upon Me Ruef at the ha9d-
nn"rters ri the Committee % Fifty
Kcpre! enting the Home Telephone
pnor le he wanted the franchise offer
cd for sale on that dav as originally
agreed upon. Ruef didn't see how
ANYTHING could be done. but Frick
stated that under the law unless the
franchise was sold on that day all the
work md time and money 90 far
srent bv the company would be
thrown away.
Rref felt that fhe franchise was
worth q great deal more now because
the Home Telanhane would he on
enraI terms with tho old comnanv in
GETTING rn-es+ak'ished in the DESTROYED
city. The romDanv however felt that
thera wa legs need for te1enhone
service and TIE future looked DIRK
but they wanted the franchise never
| thnless
Puef felt that the citv did not need
Great revenue at tHnt time but know
! the Committee % FIFTY was terribly
handjcanned for funds 70 carry On
the safety work. and that il the
! money was nlaced in the civ t"oa"-
ury there WIS no legal wav TO pot "
ont fer urgent relief necessities. Ruet
therefore nronoeed Tho" the pome
TeIenhopa nav the S10n.hn0 &c o"'e1n.
alIy agreed unon. hut tho fr"" "h'sp
/ uo11ld~ha sold tHem for S2h hIP ann
tkey were to make a nreeent nt the
other S75 mo To the Relief Funds Th'"
having heen agreed unon Rue' AMI
| Gallagher called together the Snner-
yisors in a formers saloon on Haves
street, which had become in these
time OF stress municinal headnuarers.
Rids were nromntlv npnned. Tho
! Home Telerhnna hid Of coz hnn V'os
the onlv one rendered. Tho franch'sn
was nromptlv sold for s25. nm and at
the same time check for s75. 400 was
| nreseHted 70 the Relief Committee
This contribution. with. the statement
that the Home TeIepHone Compapv
were going r;uht ahead with the eT-
- ~ e a. nm nm =, oooofr,, ofi n,
wac received with cheors the first
evfdenca that canital still had faith in
tho DESTROYED citv.
To go back little. after the Suner-
visors were elected the established
telenhone nomnonv. tho pacifc States,
harame "friendlv" with the newly
elected, and bv 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.
Naturally the interviews Of 0etwiler
Of the Home Comnanv wac with Rnet
and GALLAGHER were reported to t"e
Pacific States peonle. and thew got
busy with a vengeance. A majority
of the Supervisors were landed with
asrument against dunHoate phone
system. end with ather "thinos." The
crafty Wilson however went direct to
headunarters. and informed Halsey.
the outside man FOR the Pacific States
company that $4,000 would be about
right for him if the new franchise was
to he blocked. and the remaining mem
bers of the Board could make t>afr
own terms.
Halsey didn't need to he told twice.
Wilson arranged for interviews in
secluded office. There he received his
SIC. 900 and each supervisor called, in
turn. made his vow Of fea'ty to tho
cornoration and received the amount
he had the nerve to demand. Several
received $4,000 one man got s250n and
came back the next dav for S25A0
more. Others received valuable bust
ness contracts Fourteen man were
brihed and Halsev distributed $50 900.
When it came to a vote and Ruet
and Schmitz had urged the Home
Telephone deal successfully. the Sup
e1visors were quite ready to double
cross" the telephone comDany. Only
FIVE voted against the Home Phone
franchise. One man voted against the
Pacific States although he had receiv-
ed $4,000 from that company. He