The San Francisco call., 1896-09-24
FOLSOM GRANITE
WILL Be USED
Convict Labor Stone for
the Affiliated
Colleges.
so SAYS JAMES RAE.
Contractors Think That the
Trade Unions Will Make
Protest.
CONTRACT HAS BEEN SIGNED.
Claim Made That the Terms Upon
Which Bids Were Based Were
Not Understood.
CONTRACT HAS BEEN SIGNED


will be constructed of Folsom granite,
ouarried by convicts. James Rae, of the
Rae Building Company, said yesterday
that this is the fact. The contract for the
mason work went to the Rae Building
Company, whose bid for the granite work
was SLAB, 500. This announcement will
occasion lively interest among the mem
bers of the trade unions and not less
among those who bid unsuccessfully for
the masonry contract. 1t is also probable
that the stone will be cut at Folsom, but
Mr.. Rae said that this had not been
decided upon. The general belief among
contractors is that this course will be pur-
sued. The contract was awarded some
time ago, but was not signed until last
week.
already the subject of convict-quarried
stone has caused a stir in various quarters.
This has been on the increase ever since
the bids were opened, when 1T was found
that the Rae Building Company had not
only underbid competitors to the amount
of several thousand dollars for the granite
work, but had actually blo less for granite
than for sandstone.
The bids for the granite work were as
follows: ). F. Riley, $14S, ,4S0; R. Ring
rose $l49, ,250; T. w. Butcher, $l1O. 800; G.
L.
McGowan, $163 600; Richardson d Gale,
$17S, coo; r. Mitchell, $4,000; j. Wagner,
$4,000; Rae Building Company, $l43, 800.
This was SI5 600 lower than any other bid
for the same work. The Rae Building
Company's bid for sandstone was $145, 300,
or $500 higher than for granite.
This fact naturally caused much surprise
among the competing bidders, for granite
is more expensive than sandstone. The
bidders at once jumped TO the conclusion
that this meant that convict granite would
be the building stone, and this is now con-
frmed by mem Der of the successful firm.
Allegations are already made by contract
ors that their understanding was that the
Folsom granite would not be used, and
that consequently their bids were offered
under misapprehension. The advertise
ment for bids made no specification con-
cerning the source from which the build
ing stone should be procured.
When James Rae was asked yesterday
whether 1t is true that the bid Of the COLI
Germ was based upon Folsom granite and
if that material will be used in the Affil-
ated Colleges, he promptly said Yes. /"
Then he made another statement. 1.-The
State" said Mr.. Rae, sis privileged to use
It's own material in constructing the State
buildings 1t would not have been possl-
bic to construct the colleges of granite in
side of the contract price OF $500 on any
other sort of an understanding. There was
no conceaIment OF our purpose 20 use Fol-
som granite. Three or four others men,
toned Folsom granite in connection with
their bids One of these concerns was
others. We are going to use the Folsom
granite. Whether or not it will be cut In
Folsom has not been decided"
The matter was discussed with contrac-
tors at The Builders Exchange yesterday.
A representative of a large stone concern
said that contractors had feared that the
use of convict granite would have in
voIved them in trouble with trade unions,
and so had not bid on that basis. One
contractor said he was asked by the archi-
tects, when the bids were opened, how
much less ne would make the bid with the
understanding that he would use Folsom
convict granite, and he had replied that
the difference would be from $12, 600 to
$4,000. The contractors whose figures
were comparatively low are not satisfied
with the result.
One cause alleged for dissatisfaction is
that the Rae Building Company is really
McCann, whose connection with work on
the City Hall will be remembered. But
this is vigorously denied by Mr.. Rae, who
says that McCann has no connection with
the company in any capacity other than
as stockholder, and that he will have
nothing to do with the direction OF the
work upon the Affiliated Colleges.
he dICulbeCtS WIZ pASpdtCu tllO SPSOiAl-
cations for bidders are ]. E. Kraft and
Mertens & Coffey in the Academy of Sci
ences building. Mr.. Kraft said yesterday
that he had supposed the idea that Fol
som convict granite might be used wa;
commonly entertained prior to the open
ing of the bids. The entire subject was
discussed openly and was publicly re.
ported in the daily papers something like
one year ago when the Board of Regents
OF the university had the plans for the
affiliated Colleges under consideration.
Mr. Kraft also said there was nothing in
the advertisement calling for bids which
gave out any hint or information thai
could lead any one to suppose that Folsom
granite was barred. The estimates upor
one set of designs that were su submltted tC
the Board of Regents were openly based
upon the Folsom granite proposition.
One contractor said that Governor BudC
had told him he favored the use of thC
Folsom granite in the Affiliated Colleges
The consumption of horsehesh is in
creasing in Vienna. Last year the resi-