The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-07-06
President Colnon Outlines the
Work to Be Done by
the Board.
WILL CALL FOR NEW PLANS.
Only the Money Drawn by Brown
Will Be Lost to the State by
the Changes.


Fitzgerald was rendered to the Harbor
Commissioners regarding the superstruc-
ture of the union ferry depot the letting of
the contract, the furnishing of plans and
work on the foundation much has been
written which is of a contradictory nature,
and with view of getting the exact con-
dition of affairs President Colnon was in
terv1ewed yesterday, and he has clearly set
forth the position of the Commissioners.
"What is now the condition of affairs re.
garding the union depot ?" was asked.
''The Attorney General has informed us
that we have no legally employed archi-
tect, replied Mr.. Colnon. 'tAs the pro-
posed building cannot be erected without
plans regularly adopted and the services
of the designer to see that the construction
is in accordance with his formulated idea,
the first step will be to employ some com
petent person in that capacity. The reason
that the pres ent architect is not legally
employed being that he was selected with
out advertising for competitive plans, the
thing to be done before anything else is
undertaken is to proceed to advertise, &C
cording to the provisions of the act of 1872,
for such competitive plans" nit
"1n what particulars did Brown com
breach of contract?"
'tIn not supervising the construction OF
the foundation at all times and reporting
to the board the manner in which the
work is DONE. The language within the
quotation marks is the exact language OF
his contract with the board. 1t is true that
he maintains that it was the business of
the chief engineer of the board to do the
supervising, but find nothing in the law
relating to the duties of the engineer which
makes it incumbent upon that officer to
look after any construction other than that
for which he as such engineer furnishes
the plans on the order of the board.
The board did not order the engineer to
draw the plans for the ferry foundation
but it did enter into contract with Ar
chitect Brown to perform that work and
look after the construction"
Can Architect Browns plans be used?'
81 see no reason why they might not be.
But before they could be used he would, it
appears to me, have to enter them in COM
petition with such other plans as might be
submitted for adoption"
"Will you follow the decision of the
Attorney General or the judgment of the
Superior Court, and Why's"
1--WE shall follow the opinion of the
Attorney-General, who is by law the legal
adviser of the board. Why we shall do
this will become obvious when it is under
stood that to take any other course might
the other hand, they, as well as all other
State officers, are safe when they follow
the advice of the States law officer"
"Can or will proceedings be brought
against Brown for money collected on his
contract?"
"This is an aspect of the matter that l
have not given much consideration to. AS
a general proposition, however, when
man draws money from the public treas
N on n al
legal it is difficult to compel him to make
restitution. Besides, the architect did no
more in this respect than any other man
would have done in his situation"
"How much will it cost the State to
make the changes necessitated by new
set of plans?"
ut may not cost the State anything to
make the change. The $4,000 which the
architect has already drawn as commission
on the superstructure q give the amount
from memory will be lost, but that is a
comparatively small item when the total
amount OF the contemplated expenditure
is considered. Thus by getting lot of
competitive plans in we may be able to
secure Just as safe, durable and ornate
building for a good deal less money, or
taking the other side of the proposition,
we may be able to get much stronger,
more lasting and handsomer structure for
the same money. You must remember
that the architectural talent OF even the
City of San Francisco has not exhausted
itself in making designs for the $4,000
depot, not to speak of the talent that
might be found elsewhere than in this
City. Mr.. Brown became the architect by
private selection without other architects
being consulted or knowing anything about
it probably"
when will plans be advertised forP"
GAS soon, presume, as the attorney for
the board, who is on brief vacation, re-
turns"
How long will be the delay occasioned
by the changer
"There should be no delay at all. We
should have the competitive plan selected
and the contracts advertised for by the
time the foundations are finished"
''Is it best to let one contract, or sew
eral2"
1--WE have nothing to do with whether it
would be best to let one or many. That is
regulated by law. An act passed by the
last Legislature requires that there shall be
separate contract for the brick or stone
work, another for the iron work, another
for the carpenter work, another for the
plumbing, another for the heating appar-
atus, another for the thinning or roofing,
and another for the painting, the act being
made to apply specifically to this board by
SO stating in its closing lines"