Year: 1871

SAN FRANCIsco, March 3, 1871.


One of our city papers had an editorial the
other day instructing its readers how easily
they might make fortunes by getting appointed
Commissioners to open Montgomery street
straight" 1t is certainly good thing to be
Commissioner" Notwithstanding that the Off
cial feelings are liable to be lacerated by such
differences of opinion respecting the value of
services rendered occurred in the recent case
before the County Court. The Commissioners
for extending Montgomery street straight -
it is anything but straight extension-thought
that $50, 900 in gold coin would be but modes.
recompense for the arduous duties they had per-
formed, while the people, on the contrary,
through the City Attorney, demurred to the
charge as being exactly $40, 600 too much Un-
der these circumstances the dispute refer
red to Judge Stanley and he so far sustained the
views of the people as to reduce the amount to
$8, 433 in currency, and with that sum the Com
missioners will have to be content AS the
So 433 represents the value of one hours labor
per diem for eighteen months, which labor was
for the most part delegated to assistants who
also charge the city for their work, it will be
seen it pays better relatively to be Montgom-
cry Street Commissioner than President of the
United States.


| MONTGOMERY STREET sINECUREs.


1t is fortunate thing for taxpayers that
there is but one Montgomery street, and that
what there is of it is rather limited In extent or
an ingenious Legislature would certainly have
devised some plan for saddling few more Com
missioners upon it. At present, the street aver
ages one Commissioner and third to each
block. Three of these Commissioners have
been drawing $500 month for the last year,
and keep so quiet over it that their official exis-
tence has been nearly forgotten. They were
appointed to open up Montgomery avenue, a
street which it was intended. should have run
from the Metropolitan Theatre on Montgomery
street, through the Barbary Coast to Stockton
street, and thus furnish a decent thoroughfare
between North Beach and the southern portion
of the city, but if they have done anything in
the matter those who pay the piper are pro-
foundy ignorant of it. | believe, however, that
they have done something for one of the clerks
in the Commissioners Office who has 5000 a
month-apparently for oscillating between the
Mint and Bank Exchange Saloons-tod an ac-
quaintance yesterday that rough estimate of
the cost of the proposed avenue so appalled, the
Commissioners that they hesitated to initiate
the necessary work without obtaining further
sanction from the Legislature. This unlikely
story-unlikely as inferring that Commissioners
have any respect for the property of others
may account for the delay in carrying out the
avenue project, though such phenomenal hon
esty as this statement implies is so marvellous
that it ought not to be credited without further
testimony.


CHAT ABOUT MENDrCANTs.


The fine spring weather of the last few days
has had very pcrceptbe effect in increasing
the number of street corner mendicants. Some
of them are old hands who have been hiberna-
ting during the Winter, and whose couutenances
are familiar to every San Franciscan, while 9TH
ers are veteran professionals from Eastern cities,
recently arrived here in search Of fresh fields for
their vocation 1t is the easiest thing in the
world to tell Californian mendicant-that is
one who has been in the State for some years
from Eastern importations. The former always
appeal for aid with a meek, pleading counte-
nance, but never ask for aims outright, while
the latter is either pathetically or imprudently
aggressive, active instead of passive sup
picant The GOODNESS of these new comers is
almost past belief, indeed, don't know how the
acclimatized fraternity able to stand such
INSCRIPTIONS competition. They don't even
make pretence of selling cigars, grinding
organs or having been blown up in a coal mine
but violate the accepted Californian code of the
profession by walking up to you in the street
and openly asking for 4" dimes"


was standing with some others in front of
the Hibernia Bank yesterday, when woman
followed by little girl approached and in do
lorous voice asked for charity. Either from
lack of coin or benevolence, no one responded to
the appeal, and the woman turned away and
went into the Bank There, in full view OF
those whom she had just implored for help, she
deposited some dollars in silver, and then
started on her begging expedition. 1t seems
hardhearted sometimes to refuse the assistance
ence has invaribly demonstrated that street beg
ging is only resorted to by imposters.


"THE MILK PAM


The clever story by T. E. Jones that recently
appeared in the JOURNAL under the above ttle
has elcted high enconiums from San Francisco
readers. The Call copied it into its columns
and it was generally pronounced to be far above
the average Of Overland articles. If its author
has any more such sweetly charming tales to
TELL they will be read by apprecatve thousands


THE TRIAL OF SHERIFF JACKSON


for collecting the Foreign Miners License Tax,
will probably be concluded in time for the result
to be announced in this issue o: the JOURNAL, so