The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-04-26
FE STIVE BUILDERS
Exchange Men Gather in
Social Union.
An Important Event in the History
of the San Francisco Building
Fraternity.

The seal of success was impressed in a
very agreeable m amer last night upon the
constitution of the Builders Exchange,
which in its present form is little better
than year old.
Instead of a business exchange with
desks and chairs covering the floor the
large meeting-place on Post street. near
Montgomery, presented merry spectacle.
Banquet tables were spread out side by
side, with just enough room left for two
men to pass in the aisles between. There
were about 800 chairs and every one of
them was occupied. Painters. plumbers,
masons, etc., sat around the tables, and
many of the leading architects. honorary
members of the exchange, were guests.
A delicious repast was spread and only the
best brands of California wines and liquors
were to be seen. At $3.50 P. NJ the festive
builders and their guests sat down to enjoy
themselves, and about an hour later Presi-
dent Terrill called them to order.
He congratulated all present for their
spirit of unanimity and generous support
of the Exchange, after which he called on
Oscar Lewis to respond to the toast OF
"Our State and Country"
Mr.. Lewis began with statement that
he thought his theme a subject on which
have word to say on all occasions. He
| was proud of his country and babe his
| hearers to remember that in all America
there is but one State of California, which,
with all its natural resources, stands al
the head of the list. Among other things
he declared that California can raise the
biggest beats, which created laughter and
| applause.
The band in the gallery played Amer
ica' and every man in the hall sang the
national anthem, after which a fashllghl
| photograph of the banquet scene was
taken ''for the benefit of the new police
as the president humorously remarked.
George W. Percy, the architect, re-
sponded to the toast of The Archltects
and Architecture of San Francisco. The
| local architects, he said, stand very well
| with themselves: but how they stand
with others he could not say definitely.
| The architecture Of San francisco STANDS
by itself also. in more ways tnan one, ou'
in the one to which his remarks were con-
fined he declared it is the most remark
able collection of wooden architecture to
| be found anywhere on earth. why Ban
| Francisco Is go thoroughly wooden CITY,
no doubt. was because the majority OF the
early architects developed from ca pen ters.
| Probably also the fiction that redwood is
| almost fireproof. Another cause las been
| the foolish dread of earthquakes. Mr..
| Percy believed that San Francisco de-
| serves shaking up anyhow.
| he had no excuse for the riotous forms
OF wooden architecture as evolved by
molding-mills and mechanics. and ex-
pressed a conviction that the present day
points to better things, to purity and ele-
eance in buildings and refinement in the
| modern styles. His speech was a happy
lecture on local architecture. and was
warmly applauded.
| Charles c. Terrill spoke to toast OF the
Builders Exchange and Building Inter-
ests." The interests, he held, stand among
| the first OF any country. ana buildings in
| the character might be taken as an indica-
! tion of the moral and intellectual develop
ment of the people. AS in America archi-
lecture in general is on high plane, he in
| ferred logically that there is q cores pond
| ingly high development in the people.
Fifteen years'ago the first builders ex-
| change was founded here by sixty men,