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Bonds of the City and County of San Francisco 1851-1908 Treasurer James McDougald and Mayor James Rolph, Jr. No mayor ever signed as many bonds as did "Sunny Jim" Rolph. At least $157 million in bonds were issued during his administration, from Polytechnic High School in 1910 to the Panama Pacific International Exposition of 1912. Rolph was to sail on the liner Matsonia for a vacation in the Hawaiian Islands, and had spent most of the night before departure signing 3000 bonds. Later that morning Treasurer James McDougald walked into the mayor's office with a large box under his arm. He informed the Mayor that another 3000 bonds had to be signed. Rolph let out a roar of protest until McDougald opened the box to show it was empty. The newspapers loved it. |