The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-06-01
EASTERN BLOOMS.
Architect Shea Makes a
Discovery.
AT JUDSON'S IRON WORKS.
Steel Shipped From Carnegie's
Huge Plant.
CONTRACTORS CITED TO APPEAR.
The Architect and Superintendent of
Construction Reject the East
ern Blooms.

The Board Of City BALL Commissioners
yesterday issued a citation TO the members
of the firm of O'ConnelI & Lewis, which
has the contract for the erection of the
proposed dome over the rotuhda, to ap-
pear before the commission on next Satur-
day morning and explain a few matters.
This citation vas the result of visit made
by Architect Shea of the new City Hall
and Superintendent of Construction Mellis
TO the Judson Iron Works in Alamo ia
County. The result Of their visit was a
startling discovery and the City Hall Com
missioners were at once appraised of the
facts of the case.
Architect Shea and Superintendent Mel
lis discovery was that steel blooms had
been shipped from the Carnegie works in
Pennsylvania TO the Judson Iron Works
in Alameda, to be used by O'Connell &
Lewis in City Hall construction. The
architect and superin tendent when they
made this discovery promptly refused to
accept the steel blooms from the Carnegie
Works and reported the matter TO the
commission with the result stated. About
1000 tons OF blooms will be used in con-
structiOn.
The contract expressly provides that all
material used shall be of California manu-
facture. Some days ago the contracting
firm set up a claim that blooms were not
manufactured articles, and said they had
q right 10 ship them from the East The
commission denied this claim, and en-
phatically insisted on the enforcement Of
the contract
Auditor BrOderick is said to be the only
member of the commission who sides
with the contractors that blooms are not
manufactured articles. This claim has
never been set up before by any con-
tractor.
When O'Connpll & Lewis took the con-
tract for $4,000 TO construct the dome
another firm offered TO DO the work Tor
S20.0 600 less if materials of Eastern manu-
facture were used. This was denied the
firm and O'Connell q Lewis got the con-
tract.
Although O'Connell & Lewis claimed
about a week ago that blooms were not
manufactured articles it was not thought
that the firm had gone so far as to attempt
to use blooms from the Carnegie works,
as was discovered by Architect Shea and
Superintendent OF Construction Mellis yes
terdaY.
City and County Attorney Cresswell,
who is the legal head and front of the
commission. insists that the blooms must
be made in California.
'In all my experience of reading works
on metallurgy," said City and County At
torney Cresswel, 81 never heard that
steel was found in the earth, and the
blooms, being consequently manufac-
tGred article. must be made in California,
In accordance with the contract, the terms
of which were made according to the fol-
lowing law:
An material mentioned in these speciicati ons
shall be manufactured in the State OF Caiifor-
MA, ana all labor necessary In the manufacture
of said materials and all labor necessary in the
erection and conviction OF the WORK herein
mentioned shall be performed by residents of
the State OF California. No Chnaman or Mon
goiian shall be employed in the factory, mill,
foundry, workshop, or by the firm, company or
person doing any of the work bid and con-
tracted for.
These requirements shah be included in any
contract that may be let upon any bid on these
specifications, and violation of the same shall
work forfeiture of the contract, aud a forfeit
uTe OF any and all sum or sums of money that
might be due and unpaid al the time OF such
violation.
These provisions do not apply to such mate
rial as cannot be produced or manufactured in
this stale.
Il will insist for Ore." said the City and
County Attorney, that the terms of the
contract be strictly adhered to and con-
strued according 70 their literal meaning.
The contracting firm cannot go out of the
State to get its steel blooms"
Outside of few shafts erected in the TO-
tunda of the hall, little work has been
done on the dome by the contractors.
About month has already passed by, and
the dome, according to contract, must be
completed within six months. There is a
penalty of $3.50 day for any default in
this matter.
The whole question will be discussed at
the meeting of the Commissioners on Sat
day morning, which is likely to be an in
teresting one.