The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-11-07
THE PoSTOFFICE SITE.
Commissioner John p. Irish Makes
Explanation.

Explanation.
To the Editor L thank you for the courtesy
your columns in which to deal with the only
two issues OF fact that were raised by the oppo.
nenis OF the public building site selected on
venth and Mission streets. l would have been
glad to have put this Information before the pub
lie through the Chamber OF Commerce or the
Board Of Trade, In order to prevent the judg-
ments OF men being affected by the ex-parre
statements which have been urged with honest
earnestness by few who deserve consideration,
and with unseemly vltaperation By some who
are not entitled to respect.
The first issue OF fact related to the foundation
OF the size selected. This was easily disposed OF
by reference to The many Federal and local sur
veys, and the maps aud topography drawn there
from. The memories OF men sag. The most
truthful will diner widely In their recollection
OF topography OF events. A survey Is mathemat-
ical testimony. and by that best OF evidence the
siteis proved 10 have been hill. rising to an ati
tuds of fifty feet In addition To this The Govern
ment Is III possession OF the atiidayiIs of tile con-
tractors who graded hIs hill down. and OF the
sworn testimony Of such reliable citizens as Max
Popper, Senator Sullivan, N w. Spauldug
Cornelius OConnor, David Hewes ana scores OF
Others, all agreeing as to the fact that The site
was a hill. covered with scrub oak and chap
arral. Ordinary wells dug on the sits to a depth
otforty feet and attestan bOriugs show The foau-
dalton 10 be hatdpan and solid cement sand,
which every architect and builder In The civ
Will recognize as the Ideal conditions of perfect
foundation.
The next question OF fact relates to the as
sessed value of The property for taxation as af-
fecting lis market price. IL Is OF public knowl-
edge that this size had Two rivals that were
supposed to press II closely. One was what Is
Known as the Uni0n-square site, which Mr. n
/. Jones has told the Chamber of Commerce and
Board OF Trade that he bonded for a site. The
other was The Mechdnics Pavilion. represented
by Mr.. Toomey. Ii is fair TO say that The sup
pOfters of these TWO sites have promoted the
futile agitation that has passed with so little
effect upon public sentiment Let US see how
these sites stand IN comparison with Seventh
nd tt
and pilce:
UNIoN-soUARE SITE.
ttlce..... 2OO,OO0
assessment. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 437.275
-, epahc5 1oz,as3
Price per square foot..................... sIS Sc
MECHANICS PAVILION.
Price. 100000
assessment. ..-........................- 40S,0J7
Net area square S4SSs
Price per square foot..................... SIS Al
SEVENTH AND MISSION STREETS.
frlce. $1,000
Assessment. Observation-Disclosures. 253.O45
Net area, square feet .,.................. 9s,32s
Price per square tOOt............... &c.. $40 81
To recapitulste The assessment OF each site Is
this percentage OF the price asked:
Union square .:....---.......-.....,.3 30 per cent
Mechanics Payuton........ .........32La per cent
Seventh and Mission streets ........2iJ "a per cent
II Will be seen. then. that In this Issue OF fact,
taxing assessment az approximate proof OF
value. there Is only 1O12 per cent between the
extremes, between Uuion- square aud Seventh
aud Mission, and only per cent between the
latter and tie Mechanics' Pavilion 1he reason
Tor this small difference lies IN the improve
meats. The Unioi,- square sie Is covered with
cosby aud rrinuneratlyo buildings, and tue same
Is true OF the Mechdnic>' Pavilion, while two
thirds of Seventh and Mission are vacant. with
no buildings, ana there are only humble I'm
pToyements upon The remaining third. III other
words tile Government Is buying land which IL
wants. and mol buildings which II does not want.
Going TO the question of comparative area OF
these sizes, the Government gets al Seventh and
Mission nearly an acre more than In either OF
the others, or. III percentages again, 1t gets 52
per cent more Than in the Uuion-square or Me-
chaUics Pavilion site.
Addressing the inquiry 10 comparison Of
prices, Ihe Seventh aud Mission site is 43 per
cent cheaper per square foot than the Union
square site and 80 per cent cheaper than The
Mechanics Pavilion.
Tie Government wants land, not buildings,
for these do not as a rule bring enough to pay
for tearing them down and The cost of clearing
the ground. Any site chosen must be stripped
down 10 The land, which Is all tnaI the Govern
lnent buys that IL can use. Therefore, let us
leave out the assessed value OF The Improve
alone.
Tie land in the Union square site is assessed
at 1922. SIC; that i'll the Mechanics Pavilion al
S2S2 go. ahd that In the Seventh ana Mission
| al Sl7l $50, emitting IN each case the amount
! added by the state Board OF Equalization, which
| is the same percentage In each.
We mud, then, that the land In the Union
square slle Is assessed only 500. 766 more than
| that In Seventh and Mission, and that its price
-
| or its assessment, while Seventh aud Mission Is
| only SS6S,l50 In excess and The Mechanics
Pavilion is s7l7,37 in excess. Reasonable men
! viii zee that In all this series OF comparisons
| Seventh and Mission does not suffer, while its
mnch larger area gives 1t a standing superior to
either.
Let me say. In conclusion, that the percentage
OF discrepancy between assessment and market
price has been encounterrd by The officers Of the
Government In the case OF every site offered OF
sufficient area 10 meet the requirement of the
law and the Instructions of the Treasury, as IL Is
by every private Investor i'll real estate, and /,
| would be encountered II the search were pro-
longed indefinitely. and II accepted as a bar to a
bargain would render fnality Impossible.
There is no invarable standard OF human judg.
ment and opinion, therefore do not discuss the
site IN respect OF its location In relation TO the
people and the Interests 10 be served by the Judi
cla postal and financial uses to which the build
| ing Is TO be put. My own opinion is that IN all
its aspects 1t is the very best selection that could
| have been made, and AN satisfied that the hon.
orable Cabinet officers who have elected IL upon
| the nomination OF the local commission nave the
| apr obation and support therein of seven-tenths
| of The people Of this city. Very truly,
JNO. Z. IRISH.