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

MIA brick is mentioned, not metal MADE IN
San Francisco or the State is mentioned in
the schedule.
Mr. Hart said the ordinance had been
prepared too hastily. 1t was drafted from
Kidder, very nice young man, an au-
thority on Colorado stones. 1t mentions
Connecticut freestone, of which there Is
not foot used in San Francisco except in
the Flood residence on Mob Hill. 'lf this
ordinance is allowed to stand, " said Cen
eral Hart, sit will discriminate against
every California product OF every nature
and description. And yet the same Board
of Supervisors found fault with your
Honor in reference to your franchise sim
ply because you have been forced to
get materials from other sources that you
could not get here in the market at all.
Instead of designating certain stones the
ordinance should require thatin buildings
of certain heights there should be certain
thicknesses of walls, and that material
should be used of certain tensile strength.
Then there would be no trouble
Chief Sullivan of the Fire Department,
who was present, stated that there had
been no haste in the preparation of the or
dinance; that it had been under consldera-
ton for three years; that the ordinance
had been prepared by the local chapter of
architects and afterward submitted to Mr..
Cushing of Cushing IL Hamilton, and he
was warned that if anything was wrong
with it he must take the blame. He (Chief
Sullivan) admitted that there were obiec-
lions to certain sections of the ordinance,
but it had been printed, and to have it
vetoed and reprinted would cost $3.50 more
it had already cost that much.
The Mayor said this was a question in
volving millions, and he would not hesi-
tate about vetoing il on account of $3.50. it
ought to have been more carefully pre-
pared in the first place-he would certainly
veto it.
Il would call your attention to the fact"
said General Hart, "that where persons
here in the far West and in cities of this
size undertake to construct modern build
ings, it is absolutely necessary that they
take into consideration the life of the
building and the wants of the City thirty
wears hence. That is to say, if modern
building is to be erected and constructed as
nearly tireproof as the experience OF the
present age will dictate, the persons con-
structing the same must go to excessive
expense in a small City like this to make
the building good enough for a City of
million population. Therefore, you can
readily see that a person who has large
amount of property, for instance block,
would not have money enough within
his own Golfers to put up such building
the money unjust come from elsewhere.
The capitalist inquiries and reasons that IN
building of such and such height there
will be rents sufficient to make the return
of his money certain. But if you are going
to limit the property-owner SO that he
cannot erect an opera-house or hotel. or
have rooms enough to secure an income
sufficient to pay the interest upon the
capital invested, he will say, i cannot
lend you the money
The principal fault l have with this
building is this: Section provides for
two classes of buildings, but neither of
them are absolutely tireproof. The Mills
building would come under class A. 1t is
not freproof building. 1t is faced
with stone that melts at 312 de-
grees; its trimmings are OF wood,
its bannisters are of wood and some
of its supports are of wood, while the par
titions to which the lath are nailed are of
wood. We propose to erect an absolutely
fireproof building consisting of metal ex-
clusively throughout Why should we oe
compelled, and all other buildings made
absolutely fireproof within the range of
human ingenuity, to come down to the
level of class A? Glass A buildings are
limited to 100 feet in height. But we are
going to build better building than is re-
quired in class A. Why should we be re-
stricted to 100 feet?"
Mr. Sutro said he was not disposed to
limit the height of buildings.
General Hart said that they would be
satisfied with It's feet, which would give
them their fifteen stories, and he did not
building (17U feet, the Mills building (154
feet) the Chronicle building Q35 feet) or
the Spreckels building (3o6 feet) should
have a monopoly in the matter of height.
He said if the ordinance stood as 1t has
been passed they could not put up the
Blythe block, as they could not get the
money.
The Mayor thanked General Hart for
calling his attention to the defects of the
ordinance and said he would certainly
veto it.
BENEFITS .0NTHOUGHT.