The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-07-11

| planned it as fully as one could be expected
to in the short time occupied.
cat the present time,'' said Mr.. O'Con-
nell. ''there are about 700 tons of steel in
the Orders and pillars of the dome. When
it is completed there will be about 800. You
can see from where we now stand that it
has no connection with the wall of the
tower except at the top where it comes
together IN the steel work. That was not
done as a strengthening measure, but
merely to close up the two structures. The
girders in the entire six stories cross from
right to left alternately on each floor and
the building is thus absolutely rigid. l
never saw steel structure of such size SO
solid 1t is as firm as the ground beneath
it. The tower walls are from seven to
twelve feet in thickness, but the dome pill
lars are on their own foundation practi-
cally free from the wall. By this means
neither draws support from the other. We
are now ready to proceed with the con-
truction of the dome, which will be built
on the most improved plans.
Sat its spring line, or across the base, 1t
will be 10S feet in diameter and so feet high
from its center. Supporting this Will be
twenty-four ribs ten feet apart converging
at the base of a pedestal upon which rests
ball sixteen feet in diameter upon which
stands the figure thirty feet high. Be-
tween the steel ribs will be placed wall
of terra Gotta and over that copper cover,
the cost of which is about $24, 900.
Around the lower part of the dome will
be glass observatory windows six feet high,
placed between the twenty-four steel RIBS.
From this point the entire City, the bay
and most all the surrounding country can
be seen. AS you will observe. we are
almost in the center of San francisco and
I, act h1i n q
City. Below US at this present moment
there are about 10000 bricks in place,
and few more to go in yet. Every inch
of support in the shape of Orders and
pillars is solid steel, the best that can be
forged, and at this height we are yet over
100 feet below the apex OF the figure which
towers above the dome.
aThere are few courthouses In the world
superior to the one now spread out be-
meath US, and the dome of st. Peters
Church at Rome or the one on st. Paul,s
in London would not belittle ours, al
though they are little larger.
ut was originally intended that this
contract was to provide for finishing the
structure in six months, but the I'M
mensity of the work and the various DIS
tresses which all of US have been subject to
have heightened it out so that the entire
time consumed in completing the job will
bring it up to year and half. AT pres
| ent we have been at work year, and Will
| require six months more to finish. 1t can
| be done in good shape at the expiration OF
that time, and we can then turn over to
San Francisco monument that will last.
lone thing which is of great importance
| to me, and, / suppose to others, is that
during the time we have been operating
here not single accident has happened,
and, to be frank with YOU / never knew
similar run of good luck on building OF
this size. As a general thing two or three
men are either killed or injured, but we
have encountered no misfortune. If we
| get through without fatality it will be an
unprecedented case.
NOW, here on the sixth floor the Fire
Department will be stationed and electri-
cal appliances covering the entire City will
! be operated. Something on the order Of
| lookout l suppose. Fires in any part of
San francisco can be seen from here and
| the department will practically be able to
! take a birdseye view of everything as far
as human sight permits. An elevator will
operate in this tower and eyery floor will
be occupied. At first it was not intended
to make use of it in that way, but it has
since been found advantageous to do so,
Everything is progressing as fast as we
can expect and | have no doubt that by
the first OF the year it will be ready for
occupancy. The contract has been ex.
tented thirty day at the conclusion of each
month and is becoming good Joke around
the hall. / am doing all can to get rid of
this class of humor and will be delighted
when the finishing touch is put on"