History of California, Volume VI, Part 85

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe
Publication date: 1885-1890
Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : The History Company, publishers
Number of Pages: 816

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761

MARKED REFORM.

more prudent administration of the county was sus- tained by placing the financial control with a board of supervisors, composed chiefly of the city board of al- dermen.11 Under the new charter was elected a mu- nicipal body of high-class men,12 chiefly independent candidates of different political creeds, intent upon reform. Headed by Charles J. Brenham 13 as mayor, they proceeded to carry out this aim, midst general commendation, and in so thorough a manner as to reduce expenses for the fiscal year to one fifth of the amount wasted by their predecessor, from $1,700,000 to $340,000, besides paying off $92,000 of the debt, fostering education and other measures, and still leav- ing a balance. In order to do this, however, taxation had to be more than doubled, partly owing to the lessened value of property, which sank with the abat-

11 And mayor, supplemented by one member from each of the three town- ships into which the county outside of S. F. was divided. A tax of one half per cent was authorized for paying the accrued debt of the county. Members of the board were to receive $3 for each day of necessary attendance. Text in S. F. Manual, 235-7. Other regulations for city and county officials, in Id., passim; S. F. Ordinances, 1853-4; Cal. Code, 662-78; Cal. Statutes, 1851, etc .; Id., Jour. House, 1851, p. 1857, etc. The legislative representation of S. F. was reduced from one eighth to one ninth.

12 The election took place on Apr. 28th, 6,000 votes being polled. The other officials were G. A. Hudson, controller; T. D. Greene, collector; R. H. Sinton, treasurer; R. H. Waller, recorder; R. G. Crozier, marshal; F. M. Pixley, attorney, etc. R. S. Dorr and J. F. Atwill, a successful music and fancy-goods dealer, became presidents of the two boards of aldermen, wherein W. Greene was the only reelected member. For the county, Hayes was reelected sheriff. See Blurome's Vig., MS., 12-13; Farwell's Stat., MS., 8-9; Alta Cal., Cal. Courier, etc., for the month.

13 Born at Frankfort, Ky, Nov. 6, 1817, and well known on the Mississippi for nearly a dozen years as a steamboat captain, he came to Cal. in 1849 and assumed command of the McKim, running between S. F. and Sac. Able and genial, he quickly became a favorite, and received in 1850 the unsolicited nomination of the whig party for the mayoralty, although taking no part in politics. Geary held the position, however, and Brenham continued a cap- tain, now of the Gold Hunter, which he partly owned. In 1851, he took part in the canvass, and succeeded in defeating F. Tilford. His term ended, he joined B. C. Sanders in the banking business, and was chosen president of the whig state central committee. Reelected mayor in 1852, he declined the appointment of mint treasurer, and displayed throughout his official career an unimpeachable integrity, together with a laudable firmness and sound judg- ment. Henceforth he devoted himself to business, notably as agent with J. Holladay for the North Pacific Transport Co., although accepting in the seventies the appointment of director and commissioner of public institutions. He died of apoplexy on May 10, 1876, leaving five children by the daughter of Gen. Adair of Or. Alta Cal., May 11, 1876; S. F. Call, id .; S. F. Bulletin, May 12, 1875; portrait in Annals S. F., 735.

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ANNALS OF SAN FRANCISCO.

ing gold excitement, and chiefly to provide for the interest and cost of the debt-funding scheme.14

The election as well as zeal of these men was greatly due to the popular spirit, which gave a first sig- nal manifestation in February 1851, roused by the startling increase of robberies, murders, and incendi- arism, by Sydney convicts and other scum, and by the apathy and negligence of officials. This outburst was followed by a scathing report from the grand jury, and by June it unfolded into a formal committee of vigi- lance. While mainly directed against criminals, and for the better administration of justice, the movement left a salutary if short-lived impression in other quar- ters, after a vigorous purification of three months.15

Owing to a vagueness in the charter, the question arose whether the next municipal body should be chosen at the first succeeding state election, or whether the April officials should retain power until September 1852. Eager for spoils, the democratic party decided upon the former interpretation, and took steps for se- lecting a new government. The existing authorities, as well as the majority of the people, took a contrary view, and abstained both from presenting candidates and from voting. With the field wholly to themselves, the opposition thereupon proclaimed the election, by a meagre partisan vote, of a ticket whose doubtful aspect stood relieved by few creditable names besides that of Stephen R. Harris,16 the mayor elect. The

14 The regular tax was still limited by charter to one per cent, but pacific objects raised it to $2.45 per cent, besides 50 cts for state purposes and $1.15 for county, total $4.10, upon an assessed value of $14,000,000, reduced from $21,600,000 in the preceding year. Compare later financial showing with the former chapter on S. F.

15 A criticism on the inactivity and inefficiency of Judge Parsons of the dis- trict court at S. F., by Editor Walker of the Herald, caused the irate judge to condemn the editor to fine and imprisonment. Newspapers and people rose in behalf of the liberty of the press, and Parsons narrowly escaped im- peachment. The superior court reversed Parson's judgment. Parson's Im- peacht, Rept Com .; Alta Cal., March 10 et seq., 1851; Sac. Transcript, March 14, 1851, etc. Shortly before, the Gold Bluff excitement had led to a rush from and through S. F. for the northern coast of Cal. This was the year of the greatest and final sweeping conflagrations.

16 Of Poughkeepsie, N. Y., born in 1802, and a physician of 25 years' stand-

763

MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT

existing official at first ignored the democratic claim- ants, but when these were sustained by a decision of the superior court, at the close of the year, they withdrew.17 .

Finding themselves obnoxious to circumvented peo- ple, the so-called accidental officials had less scruple in seeking to promote their own ends; and but for the firmness and integrity of the mayor in vetoing several obnoxious schemes, the abuse might have become extensive. As it was, the popular indignation turned upon them for the purchase of the Jenny Lind thea- tre for a city hall. Not only was the price excessive, but costly changes were required to fit the place for offices, and then it proved so inadequate as to call for speedy extension and additional purchases.18

ing. He had held several public trusts in N. Y., as health commissioner, etc., and arrived in Cal. in 1849 with a high reputation for honor, moral worth, able zeal, and generosity. After a brief mining experience he opened at S. F., in partnership with Ponton, the most extensive drug business in the county, but was repeatedly overwhelmed by fires. His opposition to the obnoxious measures of his official associates confirmed the popular estimation, and we find him later selected for other municipal charges, as controller and coro- ner; also as president of the Pioneer Soc. in 1855-6. He died at Napa asy- lum on Apr. 27, 1879. S. F. Bulletin, Apr. 28, 1879; Stock Exch., Apr. 29, May 1, 1879; S. F. Call, Apr. 29, 1879. Portrait in Annals S. F., 740; S. J. Pioneer, May 10, 1879; S. F. Post, Apr. 29, 1879.

17 Although they might have retained office, for the courts had adjourned when the surrender took place. The district court had decided that officials elected in Sept. should take possession in April, so as to leave the old board a year in power. The old officials offered to resign if the new body would do likewise, and so permit a more general and valid election; but this did not suit the rapacious claimants. The new government embraced J. W. Hillman, S. Clarke, C. McD. Delany, D. W. Thompson, G. W. Baker, D. S. Linnell, for controller, treasurer, attorney, marshal, recorder, and collector, respectively. I. H. Blood and N. Holland headed the alderinen, among whom were four reelected members, including Meiggs, later notorious as Honest Harry.

18 The former purchase, similarly underhanded, was burned in June 1851, and offices being scattered at a high rental, of about $40,000 a year, a new hall was required, and an act of Apr. 10, 1852, authorized the purchase or erection of one at a cost not exceeding $125,000. Cal. Statutes, 1852. Yet, by bringing in the county for a half-interest, $200,000 was paid for the Parker House, including the theatre. This was the stone structure on the east side of the plaza, of great beauty and comfort, seating 2,000 people, which had opened on Oct. 4, 1851, at a cost of $160,000, but proved a losing speculation. The $200,000 represented little more than the bare walls, for the interior was torn down and reconstructed at a cost of over $40,000. Harris vetoed the purchase, but it passed, sustained by the superior court. One result was a duel between Alderman J. Cotter and Editor Nugent of the Herald, wherein the latter had a leg broken for his insinuations against aldermanic probity, as McGowan testifies in the S. F. Post, Feb. 8, 1879. See Alta Cal., Placer Times, and other journals for June 1852, etc. In 1854 the Alta Cal. office

764

ANNALS OF SAN FRANCISCO.

Popular outbursts like the denunciation of the city- hall purchase proved too ephemeral to frighten legally fortified officials, and by proper collusion it was easy to overcome the veto or opposition of a solitary mayor. Accordingly, by propitiating tax-payers with the de- serving Brenham once more for chief city magistrate, and a few other respectable men, politicians smuggled into his train a number of their own fold more unsa- vory than the preceding,19 with whose aid extravagance steadily increased Nevertheless the conscientious few suppressed any very glaring abuse that might have disturbed the pervading lull. The democratic faction herein saw its opportunity, and by further deluding the public with a reduced rate of taxation, they foisted upon the city at the following election a larger horde of creatures, under whose voracity the expenditure rose to $1,441,000, or double that of the preceding year, and more than quadruple the amount for 1851-2, and far in excess of the receipts.20

Corruption and disorder permeated every depart- ment. Even reforms, like the reconstruction of the police department,21 were distorted to serve for plun-

adjoining on the north was bought for $50,000 as a hall of record and occu- pied in July, and a building on the south. The place became a sink-hole of corruption, the prison in the basement, with its refuse of humanity, and health and police offices. On the first floor were the offices of sheriff, clerks, and collector around the mayor's court-room, with its calendar of dissipation. The second story was occupied by the upper and lower house of aldermen, the treasurer's office, and the district court. One flight higher led to the jury-rooms and offices of the surveyor, engineer, board of educ., the whole surmounted by the bell-ringer watching in his cupola for fires. The same council sought to arrange with the state for foisting the Colton grants upon the city.

19 The aldermen were presided over by J. P. Haven, the pioneer insurance agent, and J. De Long. The officials embraced R. Mathewson, L. Teal, H. Bowie, G. W. Baker, R. G. Crozier, and J. K. Hackett, as controller, col- lector, treasurer, recorder, marshal, and attorney, respectively.

20 Adding county expenses, which had grown from $115,700 in 1851-2 to $292,700 in 1852-3, and to $391,000 in 1853-4, the total was $1,831,800, while the receipts amounted to $1,200,000 from a tax rate of $2 for the city, and $1.282 for the county, while the state tax was 60 cts. Under the general prosperity culminating in 1853, the assessed value of property had risen to $28,900,000. Corruption entered into every branch of administration, as may be seen from the item of $265,300 for wharf purchases, $479,000 for streets, $213,400 for hospitals, $149,300 for police and prisoners, $126,600 for the volunteer fire department. Salaries were $253,000.

21 By ordinance of Oct. 28, 1853. The force to be composed of 56, each alderman appointing three, to be confirmed in council; one district and sta-

765

HONEST HARRY MEIGGS.

der. Money was spirited away among controlling men and partisans, and business transacted on trust, contractors and employés being paid in warrants or municipal promissory notes. Without definite pros- pects for payment, these naturally depreciated, and creditors sought compensation by adding losses to their bills, so that the city had frequently to pay double or treble for work itself, besides other filch- ings. Warrants were moreover signed loosely in blank, and allowed to circulate as security or as dis- counted paper, without inquiry as to their extent or nature, till the accumulation of funds brought forward a part for redemption. This neglect on the part of officials, as well as business men, favored such frauds as were perpetrated in 1854 by Alderman Henry Meiggs, who decamped after victimizing the commu- nity for about a million, chiefly on forged warrants.22

The success of spoliators whetted the appetite of the opposition element, which, uniting with a number of earnest men to form the knownothing party, raised

tion house in the city; pay of 54 policemen, $150 per month, captain and his assistant $200. In Dec. $300 per month was added for a detective police. S. F. Ordin., 1853, 183-5, 199, 171. Names of men in S. F. Direct., 1854, 209. The office of city engineer was also created in Sept.

22 Honest Harry, as he was called, had become a general favorite, owing to his genial manners, generous disposition, and tact. In 1850 he was a prominent man in S. F., notably as a lumber-dealer and mill-owner, with his depôt at North Beach, in which region he consequently become interested by large purchases of lots. He sought to direct the city extension that way, and to this end expended large sums on improvements, grading, wharf, etc., aided by his position as alderman during three administrations. This proved a heavy drain upon his resources, and just as he expected to recuperate by sell- ing lots, real estate began to drop rapidly. Deeply involved, he sought relief by forging purloined warrants and other notes, and borrowing money upon them at several per cent per month, $75,000 being raised on $300,000 over- issue of stock for the lumber company of which he was president. Prospects growing darker, and ugly rumors starting, Meiggs fitted out a vessel in a lavish manner, and departed in Oct. 1854 for Chile with his family and brother, the latter having just been elected controller, with a view of cov- ering the manipulations of the other. The extent of his failure was at first magnified to about $2,000,000, and by others reduced not below $750,000. Rich and poor, merchants and toiling workmen, suffered. Many preferred for their own credit to hide their loss, others, including confederated aldermen, took advantage of the incident to repudiate as forgeries genuine indebtedness, and so the case remained involved in mystery. Meiggs gained riches and renown as a railway contractor in Chile and Peru, and bought up most of his notes at a low figure, and the California legislature passed an unconstitutional act of pardon, which the governor vetoed.

766

ANNALS OF SAN FRANCISCO.

the cry for reform, and so won adherents in every direction. Under the plea of gaining indispensable support for their young party, the scheming lead- ers introduced an additional proportion of tools upon the ticket, upon which a number of influential names also of the existing régime served to insure a de- lusive confidence. Then with cunning manœuvres calculated to defeat the democratic ballot-stuffers at their own game, they wrested the victory at the polls, and S. P. Webb replaced C. K. Garrison 23 as mayor in October 1854.

During the preceding term there had been some Justification for expenses in the general prosperity and demand for improvements, but midst the settling gloom of 1854-5 retrenchment should have followed. Instead of this, however, the expenditures for the city and county increased more than one third, with a doubling of the street department bills, and a large increase in the accounts for salaries, hospitals, and fire and police departments.24 Expenses for the following year decreased for lack of accessible means and fall- ing credit,25 but corruption in judicial and civic ad-

23 A self-made man, though born of a Knickerbocker family, near West Point, March 1, 1809. He rose from cabin-boy to builder of houses and ves- sels, and to the command of steamboats. The gold excitement induced him to establish a banking house at Panamá, and in 1852 he received the agency at S. F. of the Nicaragua steamship line, and of two insurance companies. Despite the loss of steamers, he acquired a princely fortune, with which he transferred himself in 1859 to his native state, there to continue figuring as a magnate. Larkin's Doc., vil. 222; Sherman's Mem., 100; portrait in Annals S. F., 744; and Shuck's Rep. Men., 143; Alta Cal., July 8, 1869, etc. Despite the many promises in his messages and acts, he failed to check the extrava- gance and corruption around him. The career of Webb turned in another direction, and in 1877 he was reported as living in blindness and poverty at Andover, Mass. S. J. Pioneer, May 12, 1877. Among the political associ- ates of Garrison were S. R. Harris, W. A. Mathews, H. Bowie, G. W. Baker, B. Seguin, S. A. Sharpe; and of Webb, W. Sherman, E. T. Batturs, D. S. .Turner, R. H. Waller, J. W. Mckenzie, L. Sawyer; both parties respect- ively as controller, collector, treasurer, recorder, marshal, and attorney. J. F. Atwill was president of the aldermen in 1853-4 and 1854-5, and F. Turk and H. Haight successive presidents of the assistant board. For Webb's inaugural speech, see Alta Cal , Oct. 3, 1854.

24 The total swelled to $2,646,200, upon an assessed valuation of $34,763, - 000; the city tax was $2.15 per cent, plus $1.70} for state and county, and the city and county receipts $1,076,000, more than $120,000 less than for the preceding year.

25 The city and county revenue falling to $702,000.

767

VIGILANCE REFORM.

ministration grew more flagrant than ever in other respects. 26

The city had fallen into the hands of political dema- gogues from New York, which formed the majority of the dominant factions, and came versed in all the arts of Tammany Hall for manipulating elections. With farcical party conventions and a subsidized press they hoodwinked the public, while offering votes to the highest bidder or to their own adherents. Then, with the aid of the interested and corrupt officials and judges who stood ever ready to sell their influence to schemers and criminals, they tampered with the ballot- boxes, and enrolled ruffians to intimidate honest voters, and to repeat their own illegal balloting in different wards.27 These creatures were subsequently rewarded either with city money or patronage, and with ap- pointments on the police force or in other departments, in order to sustain the installed plunderers.

This state of affairs was mainly due to the indiffer- ence of respectable citizens for their political duties, intent as they were on amassing wealth, for enjoyment in an eastern home.28 But even their apathy was

26 The officials for 1855-6 were Jas Van Ness, mayor; A. J. Moulder, controller; E. T. Batturs, collector; W. Mckibben, treasurer; J. Van Ness, recorder; H. North, marshal; B. Peyton, attorney. J. M. Tewksbury and H. J. Wells presided over the two boards. For the county Thos Hayes held the position of county clerk since 1853, as successor to J. E. Wainwright and J. E. Addison for 1851 and 1850, respectively. H. H. Byrne had been at- torney since 1851, succeeding Benham. The sheriff for 1850 had been J. C. Hayes, reelected in 1851 and succeeded by T. P. Johnson; W. P. Gorham acted in 1853-4, D. Scannell in 1855-6. The successive treasurers in 1850, 1851, 1853, and 1855 were G. W. Endicott, J. Shannon, G. W. Greene, and R. E. Woods; recorders for the same periods, J. A. McGlyun, T. B. Russum, Jas Grant, and F. Kohler. Van Ness, who is well remembered for his land ordinance, and through the avenue named after him, was the son of a Ver- mont governor, born at Burlington in 1808. As an able lawyer, he quickly assumed prominence in S. F., and held repeatedly the office of alderman be- fore becoming mayor. He subsequently moved southward to pursue agricul- ture, and was in 1871 cliosen state senator for S. L. Obispo and Sta Bárbara. He died on Dec. 28, 1872, at S. L. Obispo. S. F. Bulletin, Jan. 2, 1873; Santa Clara Argus. Jan. 4, 1873; S. L. Ob. Tribune, Jan. 4, 1873. S. Diego Union, Jan. 16, 1873.

27 As more fully explained in my Popular Tribunals, ii., with illustrations of false ballot-boxes.

28 And so they neglected voting, jury calls, etc., and left ruffians to hold sway, often allowing a momentary caprice to decide their choice. For in-

768

ANNALS OF SAN FRANCISCO.

overcome at last. The assassination on May 14, 1856, of J. King of William, who in the Bulletin had under- taken to expose official corruption, gave the decisive impulse. The people rose almost en masse to avenge their champion. A vigilance committee formed again to supervise and purify the city, especially the political and judicial administration, chiefly by driving forth the miscreants through whom politicians carried out their election trickery, by calling upon the people to nominate candidates of high character, and by guard- ing the ballot-box from fraud. So effectually was this task performed, that after a vigilance session of three months, San Francisco stood transformed from among the most corrupt and insecure towns in the union to one which within a year came to be lauded as a model for wise and economic government.29

The reform secured a sound basis in the Con- solidation Act, the chief aim of which was municipal retrenchment by merging the double city and county governments into one, and reducing the pay and fees as well as number of officials. The combined county and city limits were by it restricted to the tip of the peninsula, north of a line skirting the southern extreme of Laguna de la Merced, and divided into twelve dis- tricts, equal in population, each of which elected one member to the governing board of supervisors. The

stance, Robinson of the amphitheatre received a large vote for alderman simply because his metric ridicule of local authorities caught the public fancy. See Annals S. F., 338-40. Citizens in general smiled at the advantage se- cured by officials, and so kept rogues in countenance. Party spirit will be considered under state politics. McGowan's version of local politics in S. F. Post, Sept. 12, 1878. Special points are given in Coon's Annals, MS., 2-5; Manrow's Stat., MS., 2-3; Farwell's Stat., MS., 13-14.

29 This grand and beneficent vigilance movement stands fully recorded, in the corruption which caused it, in its extent, method, work, and glorious re- sults, in my special work on Popular Tribunals, 2 vols., this series, and the brief synopsis in a previous chapter, which are chiefly based on the state- ments and hitherto secret records intrusted to me by the men who figured as leaders of the committee, and by several score of its supporters. The progress of reform growing out of it will be noticed in my next volume, based on the MS. records of such men as Coon, who reformed the police department, of Coleman, Bluxome, and others. The Bulletin follows among journals most closely the entire movement. In its issues of July 14, 1856, etc., it gives the summon to and refusal of the city officials to resign.

769

CONSOLIDATION ACT.

mayor was replaced by a president of this board, chosen by popular vote, together with the necessary staff of officials, among them a police judge with special powers, a chief of police to relieve the sheriff of the police management, and two dock-masters to replace the harbor-master; all, with four minor exceptions, elected for two years in order to abate the evil of rapid rotation. Taxes, aside from the state levy, were lim- ited to one dollar and sixty cents per centum, of which thirty-five cents were for schools. The contraction of debts by the government was prohibited, and the ex- penditure of different departments specified and limited, with no allowance for rent, fuel, and other incidentals. The police force was reduced to thirty-four, and offend- ers were awed by greater strictness, including sen- tences to public labor.30

30 The charter, approved April 19, 1856, contains the following features: Art. I. Sec. 1. The boundaries of the united city and county of S. F. remain as before (defined in 1857), except on the south, where the line begins on the eastern border, due east of Shag Rock, which lies off Hunter's Point, and running west through a point on the county road, one fourth of a mile N. E. of Lilly's county house to the s. E. extremity of the south arm of Laguna de la Merced; thence due west out into the ocean. See. 4. Existing regula- tions for county officers, excepting supervisors, remain in force unless changed

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History of California, Volume VI, Part 85

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe Publication date: 1885-1890 Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : The History Company, publishers Number of Pages: 816

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe
Publication date: 1885-1890
Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : The History Company, publishers
Number of Pages: 816