ultation with
those who had proved their interest in the welfare of the city, he asked
Edward Robeson Taylor to serve as mayor, privileged to select sixteen
citizens to act as supervisors in place of the implicated incumbents,
who would be induced to resign. Dr. Taylor was an attorney of the
highest standing, an idealist of fearless and determined character. No
pledges hampered him. He was free to act in redeeming the city. In turn,
he asked no pledge or promise of those whom he selected to serve as
supervisors. He named men whom he felt he could trust, and he
subsequently left them alone, asking nothing of them and giving them no
advice.

It was the year after the fire. I was conducting a substitute
printing-office in the old car-barn at Geary and Buchanan streets. One
morning Dr. Taylor came in and asked if he might speak to me in private.
I was not supplied with facilities for much privacy, but I asked him in
and we found seats in the corner of the office farthest from the
bookkeeper. Without preliminary, he said, "I want you to act as one of
the supervisors." Wholly surprised, I hesitated a moment and then
assured him that my respect for him and what he had undertaken was so
great that if he was sure he wanted me I would serve. He went out with
no further comment, and I heard nothing more of it until I received a
notice to meet at his office in the temporary City Hall on July 16th.

In response to the call I found fifteen other men, most of whom I knew
slightly. We seemed to be waiting for something. Mr. Langdon was there
and Mr. Burns, the detective, was in and out. Mr. Gallagher, late acting
mayor and an old-time friend of the District Attorney, was helping in
the transfer, in which he was included. Langdon would suggest some
procedure: "How will this do, Jim?" "It seems to me, Billy, that this
will be better," Gallagher would reply. Burns finally reported that the
last of the "bunch" had signed his resignation and that we could go
ahead. We filed into the boardroom. Mayor Taylor occupied the chair, to
which the week before he had been obediently but not enthusiastically
elected by "those about to die." The supervisor alphabetically ranking
offered his written resignation, which the mayor promptly accepted. He
then appointed as successor the first, alphabetically, on his list. The
deputy county clerk was conveniently near and promptly administered the
oath and certified the commission. The old member slunk or swa