The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-06-01
NO PRICE LIMIT FIXED.
CREsWELL REMAINS STUBBORN.

the City Hall yesterday by his absence.
He showed up in the morning. but was re-
ceived with so much "chaff' anent his
knowledge of sculpture that after trans
acting necessary business he gave the plea
that he had TO go downtown. At every
turn the auditor was saluted with greetings
as How do YOU do, professor p or ''Where
did you study art, AuditOr?" until the
City Hall Commissioner was nearly be-
side himself His reception in the Mayors
Office was not less annoying to the esthetic
nerve centers of the fine art critic. (Which
statue looks like pump" pleasantly in
CURED Secretary Newman. and, as the
Auditor turned away with a snort another
asked him to pointtO 1.-THE lady that looked
like a ebppie."
In fact of all the Commissioners Auditor
Broderick seems to have placed himself in
the most absurd position. Confessing to
the superiority of Gulilemo's statue he yet
hides himself behind an alleged financial
obstruction, which serves the same
purpose as the sand to the ostrich.
The Auditor claims that Gulelmo's bid
was $1,000. but that in his offer to do the
work Tor $4,000 he did not specify the modi-
fcations. This is not true. At the City
lielmo's bid was found on the file with the
rest, and one perusal of ii is sufficient to
show the small superficies Of the difficulty
with which the Auditor tries to do the
ostrich act. 1t reads thus:
To the Board Of Nel0 City Hall Commits
siouers-G GENTLEMEN: propose to furnish a
statue of the crOwning of the dome. as per
sketch model submitted, for the sum OF $1,000
The statue TO be cast in white metal, the com
position subject 10 the architects approval,
plated with copper, all TO be done in accord
ance with the architects specifications. Yours
respectfully, VICTOR GULIFLMo.
p. 81 also propose 10 furnish the above
statue, with slight notifications, for the sum of
$4,000. SAID notifications TO consist OF the
simpliticatiOn Of the drapery, the abbreviation
of the wings (Which add materially to the cost
OF casting. etc, but leaving the general con-
tour Of the statue the same. Very respectfully
yours. VICTOR GULIELMo.
In this letter, as may be seen, every
thing necessary to guide the mechanics"
eye of which the Auditor boasts is there.
He admits that the clay atrocity of Wells
is not up to the perfection of the finished
statue. but excuses this neglect on the
ground that it will be ultimately remedied.
In the same breath the auditor adds that it
would be impossible to know what modifi-
cations were meant by Gulielmo. although
those changes were specified. 1t may be
added here that the sculptors were not con-
fined to limit of $4,000. nor was the con-
tract for the statue ever advertised, other
than in the dome contract. The circulars
sent to the various artists contain no ref
erence to price whatever. and, although
1t may have been understood that the
price was not to exceed $4,000, this circular
utterly refutes the Auditors claim that
the contract was advertised at $1,000. The
circular read as follows:
Dear Sir: The honorable Board of New CITY
Hall Commissioners will receive competitive
sketches for the statue intended to crown the
dome of the new City Hall.
COnditiOns-The competition will only he
open to residents of the State OF California
All sketches must be sent TO the office of the
architect Of the board On or before April %.
1884.
Sketches may be made to any scale and of
any material. The figure is to be twenty feet
high, and is intended 10 be placed at a height of
$50 feet from the ground.
Competitor is to submit, with his design.
description, specifications and estimate OF cost
OF statue, delivered on the ground, cast in
white metal plated with deposit OF copper
weighing 10 ounces per foot. Bracing, hoist
ing and setting up will be done by another con-
tractor and not by the sculptor.
The statue, subject to the Commissioners
and architects approval, being embodied in
contract 50, Will be paid out of the appropria.
ton set aside for said contract.
All this effectuaIly shows I'D the falsitv
of the Auditors position, and the question
now naturally arises, IF the bid of
Gulielmo was $1,000, and the Auditor
thought it a better work than that Of
Marion Wells for $1,000, why did he not
vote to award the contract to Gulielmo p"
The answer is to be found in the fact
that Auditor Broderick was introduced tn
Wells by mutual friend day or two be-
fore the Wells idyIs were sent in to the
City Hall. They all visited Wells studio
They drank together, and the Auditor
went away feeling that Wells was pretty
good sort of fellow for a sculptor. Now
that the objections of Auditor Broderick
as regards the price are set aside by the
letter OF GulielmO, the general opinion
among art-lovers is that he should do the
graceful act and move to reconsider the
vote.
So far as City and County ATTORNEY
Creswell is concerned, he positively re-
fuses to retreat a step. 81 am always will
ing to change my opinion" said he yester-
day, provided that [ am shown to be in
the wrong, but have seen nothing so far
that would induce me to change my opinion
in regard to the Wells statue. To tell Won
the truth. Gulielmo's statue was not even
second in my estimation"
The attorney would not tell whose was
second. but repeated that be would not
change his position in regard to the statue,
The artists of this city are following the
various phases of the question with the
deepest interest and have nothing but
praise for the work of THE CALL in draw
lug attention TO the unjustness of the
award.
II was very much astonisned that
Gulielmo did not receive the award" said