The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-06-02
CITY HALL DOME.
1t May Not Be Built This
Year.
AN OMNIBUS PREDICTION.
The Courts May Knock Out
Shea's Plans.
PROBABLE INJUNCTION WRITS.
The Shadow of Politics Cast by the
New City Halls Central
Ornament.
PROBABLE INJUNCTION WRIT:

There Is considerable talk at the new
City Hall on the subject of the proposed
dome just now.
Predictions are rife that it will not be
built this year. and the reason is assigned
to that source of all nun icipal evils-poli-
tics. This prophecy is made, notwith-
standing the fact that the contract is let,
building the scaffoIding has commenced
and bonds given by the contractors.
The meeting of the City Hall Commits
sioners this morning will decide the ques-
ton. At this session the firm of O'COn-
nell & Lewis, which has the contract, will
explain to the commission the position it
will take in regard to the using OF blooms
The Commissioners claim that steel
blooms are manufactured articles and
must be made in California under the
terms of the contract and the law, which
is very strict, saying that all materials
(which can be produced or manufactured
ia California are the only ones that can
be used Ia the construction" The terms
of the contract arc very strict and plain.
Blooms are manufactured and made in
California, and the contractors have no
loophole for escaping the necessity to use
California-made blooms. OF which 1000
tons will be used in construction.
The contracting firm, OConnell IL Lewis.
claim that there is only one firm that pro-
duces blooms, namely the Pacific Rolling
mills, and that that firm wants TO charge
too high o price. There will be $25, 000
more profit 10 the firm if it can use the
Eastern article.
Shortly after the contract was let to
0'Connel 81 Lewis and before it was
signed, this firm complained to the COM
missioners that the local firms had formed
a combination against them. and on account
of raising the prices OF various necessary
articles TO be used in construction the
firm would be unable to construct the
dome for the bid made, S249,OO0. When
Mayor Ellert heard this he made an III
VestigatiOn, and was Informed by different
firms to which OConnen q Lewis had
gone to SUIT let contracts that they had fur
nished O'Connell & Lewis with written
guarantees of the prices they would charge
for supplies In case the firm got the con-
tract 1t was on these figures that O'Con-
nell & Lewis had made their calculations
and presented their bid.
When the Commissioners learned these
facts there was some talk of forfelting
the certified check of OConnell q Lewis
and readyertising for bids.
The firm came to time and signed the
| contract. Within week work was COM
menced, but it was suddenly stopped. foF
the firm had a new dodge to spring. The
contractors claimed the right to use Eas'-
ERIN made blooms in the construction.
"This whole matter" said a well-in-
| formed City Hall official yesterday, ''is no
surprise to me. saw it coming long
while ago. The question is purely one of
politics. You know that if this dome were
| completed within six months according to
contract the present Commissioners would
| have practically completed the new City
| Hall and could then turn it over to the
control of the Board Of Supervisors. The
| City Hall Commission would then go out
1 I,ra hAn
| lert's desire, and he has had this one idea
all along. 1t was for this reason that he
fought the mansard roof business which
would have cost 81, 100000 and require saw
eral more levies.
NOW, there are many politicians who do
not wish to see such choice commission
as this 60 out of existence. First, II means
500 a month extra to the Commissioners,
and secondly, there is considerable patron
age at stake.
Suppose the contractors do not abide by
the decision of the Commissioners and re-
fuse to use California blooms, there will
be only one result. All the Commission
els can do will be to declare the 25-per-cent
bonds of the contractors forfeited. The
contractors would then throw the matter
into the courts. They might ask that tie
Commissioners be en1olned from proceed
ing further until the bloom question was
adjusted In the courts. This would tie up
everything, and the proposed dome weufd
not be erected during the life oil this COM
mission.
so. you would have another City Hall
Commission, for the main tenance OF which
the people would have to pay.
"a succeeding commission OF different
pnlitical com pleXion might upset the dome
plan altogether, and Architect Shes's
creation in the present shape of plans
might be con sgned to the oblivion of the
basement. where so many City Hall arch
ives are forgotten. | have heard onc ex-
CITY Hall Commissioner who favored the
LAYER tower say that he would yet have
his finger in the work of constructing the
tower that will ornament the center of the
new City Hail."
The Commissioners are very much dis
turbed at the situation of things. One of
them, Auditor BrodericK, is in favor of al
lowing the contractors TO get their blooms
where they please. as it will make no diff
ference to the city in the cost of the dome,
for the firm has its con tract price and can
not go behind it. But then, as Commits
sioner Cresswell says. there is the law to
stand "