The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-03
SAN FRANCISCO ITEMS.
Engineer Holmes Changes in
the Ferry Depot Tower to ::
Be Made.
a BIG SAVING TO THE STATE.
No More Work. to Be Let Until the
investigation Is. COM II
pleted. y.

The Board of Harbor Commissioners at
its regular meeting yesterday, decided to
modify the plans and specifications for the
tower foundation outside of the seawall,
in accordance with the suggestions of State
Engineer Howard Holmes. Instead of be-
ing a. solid mass, the foundation will be
arehed as the completed portion has been.
"A. Page Brown, the architect, objected to
the changes some time ago, and addressed
the following letter to the board:
SAN FRANCISCO, March &c, 1895.
To the Honorable Board Of State Har6or COM
nlissiOners, San Francisco, EdI.-DEAR SIRs: In
answer to the reply of Chief Engineer Holmes
to my letter dated December s.. 1894, | beg
leave to submit the following statement:
Regarding the matter of making. a change
from 270 piles. as shown on original plans to
196 piles under tower pier, as suggested by MI.
Holmes. would say that do not deem 1t I'M
possible to drive the number OF piles shown on
original plans if the piles were driven each
way from the east and west center line OF pier.
and do not think that, if proceeded with in
that manner, it would cause unequal displace-
ment OF mud The concrete pier over the pill
ing is shown in the contract plans as one
monolith tied together in every direction with
Steel beams and railroad iron, thus distribut:
ing the accumulated weight of. the tour legs of
tower equally Of 40X53 feet. The Change pro-
posed by Mr.. Holmes virtually cuts this pier
into four parts, whereby the possibility OF un-
do not believe that the amount saved Just1hes
the risk;
AS regards the question OF anchorage it is i'm
possible to figure the resistance on a dead
weight basis, as the items of leverage and pos
sible earthquake disturbances tend, in my
opinion, to demand sufficient anchorage and
q monolith foundation. The tower, with floors
in and carrying q floor load of 40 pounds per
foot will weigh 1902 tons, as shown on the ac-
cepted drawings, and l certainly fail to see
where a saving of 500 tons could be made in
i01t trith
safety of the structure. Very truly yours, "
A. PAGE BROWN.
Engineer Holmes argued that the
changes could be made, and at a saving of
about $4,000 to the State. Mr.. Brown has
evidently concluded that the engineer s
way of thinking is correct, for yesterday he
submitted joint report in conjunction
with Mr.. Holmes recommending the modl-
|. fcations.
Commissioner Cole drew attention to the
fact that the foundation would be com
pleted in July and that it was time to re-
ceive bids for the Union ferry building
President Colnon objected to any more
work being done ON the seawall until the
investigation started by Governor Budd
was completed.
"There has been great deal of scandal
attached to the ferry foundation" said
Mr.. Colnon, land the public is DESTROYS
that the matter shall be probed to the bot
TOM. / know that Governor Budd is
anxious to see all doubt as to the character
of the work cleared up before any more
money is expended. / would suggest that
Professor Soule of the Berkeley University
and the professor of engineering of the
/ Stanford University. be appointed to go
over the foundation and report to this
board
On motion the secretary was instructed
to notify the professors of their appoint
-,