The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-11-12
FIRE ORDINANCE VETOED,
Mayor Sutro's Reasons for Stamp
ing It With His Disap-
prevail.
The MiSsion.Street Outlet for Refuse
Was Never Completed by the
Contractors.

AS was anticipated by the members of
the Board of Supervisors, Mayor Sutro
placed the stamp of his disapproval on the
recently proposed fire ordinance at yester
days session of the City Fathers and sent
in veto message that throws the measure
back on the hands of the board. The sub
stance OF the message is as follows:
To the Honorable the Board of Supervisors
GENTLEMEN: On October %, 1895, your hon.
orable body passed an order defining the fire
limits OF the City and concerning the erection
and use OF the buildings therein. 1t is adj
United that there is public need of the pro-
posed legislation, as our City is expanding in
population and apparently entering upon an
era OF Improvement. The proposed law is very
long and difficult OF mastering in its details.
For this reason the proposal OF Gener raj Hart to
point out some objections to and defects in the
law was gladly accepted. He appeared Tor him
self and others.
Chief Sullivan and Mr.. Spinetti of his depart
ment were present at my office when General
Hart presented his argument. His objections
may be very briefly summarized
first-Section provides for two characters
OF buildings, class and class B. Neither of
these classes are absolutely freproof. But il is
proposed by the Blythe estate to erect an alb
solutely freprOot building. using wood or
infiammable substance. Perhaps others will
want to erect such buildings. They are not
described in either class a or B. 1t was sug-
gested that the law should provide for three
classes A, and c. Let A apply to buildings
OI any nelSll, DuI maze SCtenllHcdlly nreprOOI.
Let apply TO those as proposed in class A
and described in section z. Let apply 10
non-ffreproof buildings; These three classes
would then embrace all kinds of buildings
Second-Section provides for maximum
height OF $50 feet. Table l in section 13 fixes
the height OF different stories of buildings
eight stories high and reaching 100 feet in
height. 1t does not provide for the two other
stories that would make the height up to 100
feet. The proposed order, permitting such
ninth and tenth stories, is defective in not
nrOVi6inp for additional strength and G. Of
materials in the lower stories.
Third-The tables, bodily copied from book
give the crushing strength and tensile strength
OF different materials and show the exact line
OF demarcation between good wall and poor
one. AS drawn they all apply to building of
eight stories and 100 feet high, but do not ap-
ply to 1o-story building and $50 feet high.
.Fourth-One of the tables applies to white
beams" These are woods that are rarely used
here. The tables are entirely silent as to
Oregon spruce pine" and redwood" which
are the common materials in use in this CITY,
Fifth-One of the tables gives the crushing
and tensile strength in pounds per square inch
in natural and artificial stones, and describes
the State OF California. The point is made
that by implication it excludes all California
products from use. The order should prescribe
the sizes and qualities of the materials that
Will be required in building, leaving the
owner TO make his own selection as to the ma
terials, but compelling him to furnish those
having the CnATACISrlSUcS demanded Tor q
specified kind of structure.
1t seems to me that some of the above points
are deserving OF careful consideration by this
body, before the order becomes a law. 1t is a
document, expensive 10 print, and has con-
sumed a great deal of time in its preparation
some or the objections urged were admitted by
the Chief OF the Fire Department to be valid
IL Is greatly to my regret that it cannot at
this time be amended, but Notwithstanding
the expense, 1t has seemed to me best that It
should come back to this BODY for further con-
rrnJ YSan to
referred to the committee, with the request
that the public be allowed time and place for
the presentation of their objections and
anne ndments. In this manner the CITY will
most likely obtain good order.
1t is therefore returned to you without nv
approval. Very respectfully submitted
ADoLPH sUTRo, Mayor,
The ordinance theus goes back to the
committee for further consideration.
Attorney Van Duzer sprung mild SEN
satlon on the meeting in a short communi-
cation which he sent in Just before ad journ-
ment. AS a representative of the Mission
Association for Sewer Improvement he
gave the board to understand that some
peculiar work had been done in the past
in the MisSion-street main sewer
While pursuing the Investigations for
which it was formed the association ran
across the fact that the Fifteenth-street
sewer was doing a tremendous amount of
work and seemed to be giving away under
the strain. No cause for the matter could
be assigned until one of the members sug-
gested examining the M ission- street sewer
by means OF the manholes, to ascertain
why it was not doing its work.
Then the startling discovery was made
that for space of ten to fifteen feet in the
block between Fourteenth and Fifteenth
streets the sewer was never built. The fall
being toward the water front all the sewer
age from the district beyond Fifteenth
street runs into the sewer on that thor
oughfare, which is not adequate for the
purpose. The main Mission-street sewer
was perfectly dry for some distance on the
Fourteenth-street side OF the place where
the break occurred.
The board was asked to investigate the
matter and remedy tie defect as soon as
possible before the winter rains cause more
trouble on Fifteenth street. Referred to
the Street Committee.
Mayor Sutro filed protest against the
passage of the order establishing grades on
Corbett and Caseli avenues and on Ash
bury streets on the ground that the order
need to be rectifed before decisive action is
taken.
j. j. Sullivan's appeal from the action
of the Auditor in refusing to sign his de-
mand for services as bond clerk OF the
Board of Examiners was referred to the
City and County Attorney for his opinion
as to the power of the board to make the
appointment and provide for the payment
OF the salary attached to the office.
w. S. Hinkle's appointment as assistant
to the District Attorney for three months,
to aid in prosecuting criminal charges,
was extended three months from Novem-
Der Il, the salary being fixed at $3.50 per
month.
Arthur NJ. Willette was appointed spe-