The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, September 19, 1897, Page 16

16 THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, SUNDA SEPTEMBER 19, 1897. WEBSTER ROASTS THE DIRECTORS The Superintendent Brings Charges Against the School Board. NEGLECT OF DUTY IN MANY THINGS. Illegal Adoption of Books, Useless Hiring of Teachers, Nepotism and Political Jobbery Are Among the Allegations. Superintendent Webster of the School | Department tbinks the time has arrived | for him to give the public his version of | the school book scandal. He was busy all | day yesterday whipping data into shape, | and he has decided to decline the gra- tuitous offer of Director Carew and others | to saddle the blame on him. «] have remained silent long emough under malicious and untruthful accusa- tions,” said Mr. Webster, “and I do not | propose to be stabbed in the back any | longer without striking back. I dodge | nothing, but I object to being blamed for | doing things which I did not do, and I} believe a plain statement of facts will set matters right.” While making some notable exceptions the Superintendent was inclined to blame the board as a whole for many misdeeds, and felt particularly aggrieved that Di- rector Carew and others had circulated stories that he:was about to write a con- | fession that he was to blame for the school- | book jobbery, that he was in the babit of recommending removals and appoint- ments and that the sins of the board wére his fault. To state the matter in a nutshell, Super- intendent Webster indicts the Board of Education for zeneral incompetency, with suggestions that flavor of more serious charges. In view of the fact that Expert Hoesch has been examining all the books | of the department, and there are rumors | of a suit to remove the board for malfeas- | ance in office, the statements of Superin- | tendent Webster are pertinent to an issue that may soon be very much alive. Tbe charges may be outlined under the follow- | ing seven headings: { 1. The adoption of books contrary m‘ the law, and the extravagant expenditure of large sums for their purchase in such a reckless way as to savor of interested mo- [ tives. 2. The appointment of more than a score | of teachers and laborers whose services | arenot needed. It ischarged that the salary-roil is swelled as a payment of po- litical and personal debts. 3. The maintenance of a large and ex- pensive list of “una-signed’ teachers, whose services ought to be so placed as to do away with a n-eless list of substitutes. 4. The hiring of many teachers in the night schools, in face of the fict that the attendance in these schools is smalland | that the services of the extra list of teach- ers are not required. 5. The expenditure of large sums for la- bor and supplies, sums far ju excess of the requirements of the situation. The | Superintendent qualifies this charge with tlie statement that it is difficult to prevent fraud in this work. 6. That nepotism is rife throughout the department, much to the chagrin of old employes and to the demoralization of the system of proper rewards for faithful service. 7. That the directors continue to violate their own rules, upsetting all system and | encouraging jobbery and fraud in the ap- pointment of teachers and others. Speaking more in derail on these charges the Superintendent said: *‘‘Sec- tion 1874 of the volitical code provides that books selected must be continued in use for four years; that changes may be | made in May ané June only, and that no changes other than in the State series he made in reading, orthography, geography, | history, physiology and civil government. Changes require sixty days’ notice and the board must advertise for proposals or bids in the event of a change. The board this year adopted a new lot of books, claiming that they were not changes, but new and original adoptions, and that, therefore, their conduct was not amenable to the law. They adopted vertical copy books, Thompson’s drawing series, Swin- ton’sWord Analysis(which they originally tried to force even on the fourth grade), a new mental arithmetic, and a series of | books on heart culture, involving an ex- penditure of about $6000 a year in the sec- ond, third, fourth and fifch grades alone. “Gallagher, Ragan, Burns and Carew signed this recommendation, and then sought to say that I recommended the | books. The fact is that I opposed Swin. ton’s Word Analysis because I believed the adoption of the book was illegal. In regard to the books on heart calture I recommended them as manuals for the teachers. The first thing I knew the board railroaded thie bill through us a rider in a resolution transferring teachers, and I found that the bill had saddled these books on the whole of the schools, excent the very lowest grade. “The only warrant which in the least way justifies the purchase of such books as those on heart culture is found in sec- tion 1702 of the law. It is there siated that ‘teachers must impress upon the minds of pupils the principles of morality.’ 1 see no authoriiy in that for the purchase of books in the manner the board pur- sued.” The Superintendent makes some more startling suggestion on the subject of teachers, He says: “This board made a rule whereby thirty- six substitute teachers are placed on the primary list and grammar schools and eight on the secondary li Besides this there is a substitute list of about a dozan | list, in the night schools. Many of these teachers receive pretty fair pay whether | they work or not. Thirty receive $40 a month. Eight of the night school list re- ceive pay aiso. “1 regard nearly ail of these teachers as | unnecessary. Oneortwo teachers could do all this work. Now there are always from eight to twelve teacherson the unassigned They oucht to be kept teaching in place of the substitutes, but the policy of the board is to create all places possible for friends. When tney want a place for a friend they degrade some teacher to the unassigned list and place a friend on the substitute list. “The board has bsen appointing many night teachers unnecessarily. Since the beginning of the year there have been fificen or twenty such appointments at $50 a month. make places when there is no necessity ? *‘During the pastyear there has been a great expenditure under the heading of | labor and supplies, a term that covers a multitude of sins. During Juy this item ran to $22,000. Many a fellow getsa la- borer’s job at $2 or $3 a day. It is, of course, hard to correct this abuse. Chair- man Burns these political favorites always shirk, and there is a vast amount of loss. “Nepotism is r.fe inall the departments. Drucker’s sister, a new and untried woman, was given a vice-principalship at $100, going above old teachers who nad waited in line for years. Other directors’ nieces are in cffice, while Carew has two daughters in the department. 1 think an investization would show many others in power because they are relatives of the directors. The eight seem to get together and fix all these things up in their own way, greatly to the demoralization of the department and the subversion of all sys- tem. *The directors continvally make rules, which they at once violate. One man was pat on the substitute list for less than two hours, then promotel to a vice-principal- | ship, in face of a provision that teachers | cannot be thus promoted until they have been on probation for six months. I refer to the cas» of Husky, a good man, in the Hearst School. There is another rule that young ladies cannot enter the Normal School until they have passed an exami- nation. The directors constantly violate this rule by sending requests to the prin- | cipal to admit, favor and promote their friends and proteges. All this is subver- sive of good order and discipliue, and is sure to weaken the efficacy of the whole system.” The only important development in School Board affairs yesterday was the fact that the board took alarm at the re- port that an action for their removal was to be begun at an early date. Seeing the probability of having their actions iu- vestigated they 1issued a notice for a special meeting at9 o’clock Monday morn- ing, at which time they will act on the report of the committee of principals from the primary schools. That report was printed exclusively in THE CALL yester- day. Itsetforth that the lists selected by the board were in a iarge measure unfit for use. The ‘‘Heart Culture” series and Swinton’s Word Analysis were rejected. 1t is believed the board will seek to escape from the consequences of their illegal acts and to mitigate their misdeeds by grace- fully yielding to the suggestions of the committee. The meeting will be one of much interest to the public at large. BERF 1S HARD 10 GET Dealers Say That Eastern Buy- ers Have Depleted the Market. The Price of Meat Is Higher Than It Has Been in Years and Prom- ises to Get Higher. The price of beef has been steadily on the increase during the last three weeks, and the butchers predict that in a short time the cost of choice cuts will rival the prices prevailing on the Kiondike. The cause of the present high prices is the scarcity of desirable beef cattle. The deal- ers say that the California market has keen cleaned up of good beef cattle, and in consequence those who have any at all are asking big prices for them. The reason for the scarcity is said by the local dealers to be caused by Eastern buy- ers, who have come into the fieid and have practically captured this market. They have been steadily making inroads on the supply of the catile on the ranges in Cali- fornia, Oregon, Nevada and Arizona, un- til to-day they have virtually got control of the herds of those places. They have been enabled to do so because the ruling prices for beef in the East are so much higher than those which obtain here, that the Hastern buyers can afford to pay higher prices. A prominent butcher said yesterday: “The market for meat in the East h been growing stronger and stronger and the Eastern dealers are learning that they can buy good fecders here, ship them to the East aud still realize good profits i Why are they so eager to| has done all he couid, but | after paying for the treight. The cost of iattening beef there is very little on ac- count of the cheapness of corn, which is excellent for fattening. The prices in the East are such that there is a good profit on cattle shipped from this sice of the mountains.” Samuel C. Hammond, president of the Butchers' Board of Trade, when ques- tioned yesterday, said that meat had peen aovancing steadily in price for the last few weeks. 2 “Beef is higher now than it has been in years. The present wholesale price is | much above that of a year ago. At tbat | time beei was selling at from 4 10 4}4 | cents a pound. Now it is worth 614 cents. | It rose from 5 cents to its present price in | the last ten_ or twelve days, and promises to be still higher. There has been an in- crease of zbout 40 per cent in the price | over last year. I attribute this increase to the scarcity of desirable cattle. The East- ern buyers have come into the fietd and bave depleted the market. San Francisco hss (o depend for it< meat supply for the season from May to September on South- ern California. From September to Janu- | ary the source of supply is Southern | Oregon and Shasta and Siskiyou counties, | and from January to May the source of suvply is Nevada. “The producers, knowing that good cattie are scarce, are holaing back for bicher prices, and it seems to me that the out!ook is not very promising.” —_———— DAYLIGHT BURGLARIES. Two Men Operating in the Mission Cleverly Captured. Jack Martin, alias McGinnis, an ex- convict, and George Raymond and an- other man, broke into the residence of Mrs. Perrin, 1837 Market street, Friday at- ternoon, and after an exciting chase Mar- tin and Raymond were captured by Police- man Porter. They were charged with burglary. Yesterday it was ascertained that on September 15 Martin and Raymond en- tered the residence of Mrs. Loftns, 428 Diamond strect, but were scared off before taking any plunder. The same day the entered the residence of Mrs. Dewey, 907 Diamond street, end got away with a quantity of jawelry. A few days !ater they broke ifto the residence of William Clancy, Tweniy-second and Eureka | streets, and secured some jewelry. They | were booked on nnother charge of bur- glary and an attempt at burglary. The police at the Seventeenth-street sta- tion believe that they are the men | who have committed a number of other daylight burglaries in the Mission, includ- ing the one on Diamond street, when Policeman Winzler shot one of three boys, believing that they were the burglars. GRAND FINALE OF THE FAIR {A Gold Medal Presented to W, B. Rodgers by the Band. | Exhibitors Will Give a Banquet to the Board of Directors. The i Large Attendance at the Olose—A Long List of Awards for Exhibits. The principal event of the closing of the Mechanics' Fair last night was the pres- entation of a gold medal to Walter B. Rodgers, the musical director of the Expo- sition band, by members of that body, as | a token of their esteem, prior to his de- | parture for New York, which takes place in a few days. On one side of the medal is the name of | the recipient in black enamel, and under- | neath the word “California.”” On the | other face of the medaul is a picture of the Golden Gate, a diamond forming the cen- i ter. At the bottom is a cornet in gold. | Rodney Kendrick, vice-president of the | board of irustees and chairman of the | music committre, made the presentation speech in the foilowing words: It is with genuine pleasure that Icomply with the request of the gentlemen of this band, who have asked me to express their sin- cere appreciation of the earnest and masterly way you have guided and instructed them in their work during this engagement. They know that you have been properly firm in your demands of them, yet they feel that you have altyays been considerate. They :hank you for the kind end courteous treatment, and the assistance they ceived from you both at the rehearsal | the public performance of the band. As & token of their cordial esteem and of their high admiration for your skill as a mu- sician they ask you to accept this souvenir, boping that when you leave them for your Eastern home this will often bring to your remembrance, at least a reflection of the warmi | kindness their brief association with you has left in their hearts. At the close of the fair the directors were serenaded by the members of the band, after which the former, in returu, bade them partagze of a sumptuous sup- per, spread in the banquet hall. The exhibitors of this year, in apprecia- tion of the considerate manner in which they have been treated, have decided to give the board of directors of the fair a banquet next Monday night. A commit- tee of exhibitors, consisting of Geor-e Cumming, Julius Bunzl and R. P. Doolan, is arranging the affair. The fair has been a success in every way this year, both in the exbibition and financially, and the directors are well pleased. g A large list of prizes were awarded last evening, which, though not of so much interest to the public, formed one of the most interesting hours for the rival ex- hibitors. Z The Pavilion was jammed early in the evening, and it was long after the time that the fair usually closes before the crowd dispersed. Following was the mu- sical vrogramms Overture, «Tannhauser” (Wagner): selection, “Tuiti in Maschera” (Pedrott melody in ¥ (Rubinstein); sketch, “Huppy s in Dixie” (Milis); duet for tromboues, waltz (Gumbert), Mr. and Mrs. Tobin; caprice, “Awakening of he Lion"” (De Kontski); intermission; quartet trom “Rigoietto” (Verdi); cornet solo, “Sing, fmile, Slumber” (Gounod), W. B. Rodgers; S altz. “Wine, Woman and Song” (Sirauss); wurlesque, ‘‘Arkansas Traveler’” (Reeves), with bariations for a.l instruments; ‘‘'Songs of Scot- vand”, (Godirey); ““Americs.” —_———— Park Programme, The following programme will be rendered by the park band to-day. March, “Press Club’ Overture, *Tannbauser “Sinients’ ~ongs” . Waitz, *Wizard of the Scene from “kl Capian Overture. “Semir«mide’ Fautasie for two flutes mer”. £ A. Lombardo a Selection from “La Traviata’ nd 3. Logar. “Dance of the Gputs” éijenberg “My Darkiown Gal” Lée Johuson En o R Augustus Ihomas Dined. A dinner incompliment to Augustus Thomas of New York, the author of the play,“Ala- bama,” was given in the red room of the Bohe- misn Club last evening. The entertainiug after-dinner speeches were listened to and ap- plaude ! by fifty of the admiring friends of the chief guest. As a banquet orator Mr. Thomas enjoys renown in_his own country, and bis light last evening was not dimmed by the effulgence of Generul Burnes and urace Platt, BONDS OF THE VALLEY 'RAILROAD Purchase of the Six Million Issue by a Local Syndicate Highly Commended. A NEW DEPARTURE IN COMMER- CIAL ENTERPRISE. The Large Investment Will Stimulate Con-| fidence---Real Estate and Mercan- tile Estimates of the Event. ‘ The talk of the town yesterdav was the news, published exciusively in Tue CaLr, that a syndicate of San Francisco citizens had taken the bond issue of $6,010,000 for | the extension of the Valley road to Bakers- field and the construction of the line from this city to Stockton. The intelligence was happily received. The sentiment was expressed that the city in this forward movement had indi- cated plainly to the people of the Pacific Coast that San Franclsco was readily ac- cepting the oblizations devolving upon a metropolis; that her capitalists realized what was expected of them in measures advanced for the development of the coun- try. Many leading men expressed delight that the bonds were taken at home, in- stead of being sent for negotiation to agents in New York, Boston and Frank- fori. The fact was recalied that money for the extens:on of railfoads throughout the West, shortly aifter the ciose of the war, was supplied 1n large sums through the efforts of leading men of Chicago snd Boston. Great commercial benefits were gained to Chicago by the exiension of rail- road lines 1 _Minnesota, Missouri, lowa, Kansas ana Nebraska. The commercial advantage then secured to the merchants of Chicago has been maintsined ever since. Mention was made of the fact that San Francisco bad received many compliments for maintaining, at the expense of her tax- payers and public-spirited citiz ns, a noble park, free to all the people of the State and country; that she had sustained high- grade schools, an institute of art and pub- liclibraries, which are as free to the people of the interior as 1o the dwellers in ihe city. These were cited ay exampies of metropolitan enterprise. It was predicted that the announcement of the taking of the bonds by a local syndicate, when her- alded abroad, would place San Francisco several degrees higher in the estimate which the country makes of leading cities. Thnere was no noise or display in the taking of the bonds. The members of the syndicate talked over the subject in a busi- ness manner, and realizing that if the in- vestment was good for the bondholders in the East, it was equally good for in- vestors at home, having the money to invest in good securities, they subscribed for the bonds of the San Francisco and San Joaquin Valley Railroad. Progressive merchants and professional men whose confidence in the future was in no wise weakened by the long period of industrial depression said there was no ionger any donbt about the arrival of the advance agent of prosperity and the im- mediate coming of the main procession. The investment made by the Bank of California, Nevada Bank, L. W. Heliman, John D. Spreckels, A. Borel & Co., Abby M. Parrott and Balfour, Guthrie & Co., would encourage others to invest in enter- prises projected for the development of ihe resources of the coast. Wendell Easton, a man prominent in rea) estate circles, the magnitude of whose business interests is such as to keep him well informed on everyibing that tends to theiradvancement, wusespecia!ly gratified tolearn of the welcome news. Mr. Easton’s remarks may be taken as typical of the sentiment generally prevailing in real estate circles, He said: *I read the news with great pleasure in this morning’s CaLL. I think this st p taker by San Francisco capitalists indi- cates that we are in the line of progress. It shows that 1f we expect confidence in investment in California enterprises we must help that feeiing along by makinga few ourselves. This will go a long way to secure the confidence of non-resident owners of California property. “To make myself emphatic I might say that I regard this as oneof the most im- portant events that have happened here for a long, long time. I was always of the opinion that bonds offered by the United States Government, bandled by a syndicate, were run on a wrong principle. They should bave been offered to the peo- ple throughout the country at par, instead of being sold at a discount in order to permit some syndicate to make an im- mense profit, +In addition to the effect this event will | tbat there 18 a large accumulation of capi- | tal here and that Sin Franciseo is pre-| | eminently the commercial and financial | | acumen. have on the prosperity of the State by} Kkeeping the interest in circulution here | instead of sending it to Europe ana the | East, the people at large will grow to see center of the Pacific Coast. “In my judgment the bonds these peop'e have bought are going to be an excellent investment. lcnaturally insures the com- pletion of the terminal point of the road on the pbay of San Francisco. *This is a matter of vast importance to us, and it means more than appears on the surface. It isa great thing for San Francisco; it is an event of importance in the history of California, and it means | much for tire whole Pacific Coast, It 1s a clear demonstration that matters financial uue, turned into a more favorable chan- | nel.” George W. McNear, whose interests as a | shipping and commission merchant,grain- dealer and flour merchant are well known all over the State, was also free in his ex- pression of pleasure at the event. To him | it meant that the key has been tfurned | preparatory to opening the door of finance on the coast, “1 have been so busy that I have not had time to d the article in its en- | tirety,” he said, ‘‘but the headlines and | the list of names of the bond purcuasers are enough to show its importance. It is news L am glad to hear. “In the first place it will keep the money of the State in circulation here | and the interest where it rightfuily be- longs. Itisa practical application of the vrotective principle and will keep the East and Europe from uraining our treas- ur, ievi Strauss, president of a large incor- voration of importers and dealers in dry and furnishing goods, one of the citv’s representative men, he believed it to be an excellent thing that the bonds were taken here. “I was just at this instant starline in to read that the work on the Stockton end of the line is being pushed forward,” he stated. “Previously to that 1 bad read of the bonds being taken by local people and was glad to hear of it. It will have a ten- dency to awaken an interest in San Fran- cisco and in San Francisco capital that will be felt in a very short time. ‘Not only will the interest remain here and benefit the whole State, but I must say that the investors displayed a deal of It is a mighty good investment and the security 1s gilt edge.” HER LEG TAKEN OFF. Ah Kue, a Crippled Chinese Girl, Un- dergoes a Grave Operation. Ah Kue, the little Chinese girl who through the ignorance and cruelty of her people came so near to death, was oper- ated on at the Children’s Hospital yester- day morning. Her leg was removed from the hip and from the present indications she will live. The purses sav she is get- tng along as well as can be expected after such a severe operation. She did nos scem to fear the operation at all, in fact wisbed to have it come off as soon as possible. Her suffering< were very great and she knew tnat when the cause was removed she would not suffer 80 much pain. Last night she was resting quietly and the doctors held out every hope for her ultimate recovery. —————— Has Been in Kiondike. The Right Rev. P. T. Rowe, Bishop of Alasks, will this evening, at St. Pul's Church, California street, near Fillmore, give an ac- count of his missionary tour during the past summer down the Yukon. He crossed Chil- coot Pass early in May, visited Dawson City, Anvik and other points, nud reached Et. Micheel in time to take passage on the steam- ship. Excelsior, which arrived recently. On Monday evening, in the Guild Hail of St. Paul’s, he will speak of h's Visit to the Kion- ike. — e Iroquois Breakfast. The Iroquofs Club will give & bullshead breakfast nt Estendel'a Garden, San Leandro, to-day, at1 o’ciock. Several hundred guests ure expected, a8 these breakfasts have been very popular for some year: NEW 90-DAY A A ‘WepneSPAY SEpT.22” 8. N. WOOD & CC. (COLUMBIAN WOOLEN MILLS), 718-722 MARKET STREET. BOLTLr 8, # NFW 7C-DAY Colored — DRY GOCDS. i A and Black Dress Fabrics! During the past week we have re- ceived several large shipmentsfor these departments, and are now displaying a most complete assortment of Foreign and Domestic Black and Colored Dress Fabrics, which will be offered by us at UNUSUALLY LOW PRICES. Two Special Bargains! 3 cases DOUBLE TWILL ENGLISH SERGES, in all the new shades, also black, full 48 inches in width. Price 2 cases ENGLISH NOV=- ELTY TWINE CLOTH, 50 inches wide in all the latest shades, also black. Price, : 750 Yard We will also exhibit this week a magni-= ficent assortment eof entirely new styles, in wool. NOVELTY PLAIDS, all wool and silk and SAMPLES SENT FRE E TO ANY ADDRESS. CORPORA, S (802, 0 111, 113, 115, 117, 119, 500 Second=Hand Carpets. OWEST PRICES ARGEST STOCK ARGEST STORE J. NOONAN 1017-1019-1021-1023 Mission St. 516-518-520-522 Minna St. Above Sixth. Telephone, South 14. A REVOLUTION IN PLOWING. ez DEERE > PLOWS = ARE ALL RIGHT. ~DOUBLE, 2, 1895 Open Evenings. URETAR Patented Uctoher DEERE IMPLEMENT COMPANY, 209 and 211 Market St., San Francisco. In Our 'Repository You can find any kind of vehicle, suitable for park drives, country . or mountain roads. PRICES the lowsst QUALITY considered Stude?aker Bros. Mfg. Co., San Francisco, Cal. D3 HLY! REINVIGOR ITOR Five hundred reward §0- any case wea can 10t cure. THIS SkCRE ‘DY I losses 1n 2 tures. fecis of Se tsealed it Disenses and all was:ing relf-Abuse or Fxcesses. £ per botile, 4 HRiE cuaranteed (o cure any case. Address all orders (0 Do HALL'S . DICAL INSTITUTE, 855 Broadway, Uaxlund, Cal. alio Tor sale at 10734s Market st , San Fra.cisco. All private diseases quickly cured. tend for free book. v 121 POST SThrcd ¢ A STRIKING SALE! CLOCKS! ~ ® ® ALARM CLOCK 8-Day Walnut or Oa cased Clocks, with 3 bour gong st inches Ligh 8- Day Ebonized - case Clocks, 24 hour Cathe- | dral zong, 101{ inches high G Porcelain Decorated ) % Boudoir Clocks, 53 3‘1 50 inches high......... y L&~ Our selocti'n of Novelty, Bronze, Enameled Iron, Onyx and Porcelain Clocks is very complete. All Clocks Sold With a Written Guarantee. ® ® $2.95 V4 ) i EUGENE G DAVIS | I Former Branch Store f l® © GOLDEN RULE BAZAR, ¢ 12834 MARKET ST. | Sooveesenee 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-000 AN EXCELLENT Properly prepared ana | Decidedly the P L | ment in town. A ACE { Most Popular THE GRILL ROOM OF THE THOMAS LOUGHRAN, COMMISSION MERCHANT, Importer and Whelesale Deaier 1 Provisions and Produce, 217, 219, 221 and 223 CLAY ST. Libersl advances made on all kinds of consign- ents. VOICE—SINGING. FOICES STCCESSFULLY DEVELOPED IN Volume, compass and quaiiiv, and carefuliy (rained 8o prepared 1or Farior. Platform. Con- cext. Choir, ~tase or Overa. Former p pils and rofereaces: Franz Vetter, Dan Morrison, Abbie Whinne: Detchon, Marie Halton, Barrili, Alvaoi. L Grace Greepwood. Helen Poiter etg. For terms and 1nstructions apply to CLARKE'S VOCAL 5TUDIOS, 933 Narket sk Adeinide