The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-29
HANGING IN THE BALANCE,
Contractors for the New Ferry
Depot Are Still in a
Quandary.
Awaiting Decision by the Board OF
Examiners That Is Slow in
Coming.

The new ferry building and the ways
and means by which construction on it
can be begun, were again under considera-
ton by the Harbor Commissioners yester-
day. Contractor Bateman reported that
he had sent the $33 warrant, for building
the fence, to Sacramento through Wells,
Fargo & Co. The bank presented it for
payment, and was informed that it must
take its usual course.
President Colnon announced that the
Board of Examiners would act on the mat
ter next Friday, and in view of the urgency
| of the case he said something should be
done by the board at once. On the motion
OF Commissioner Cole it was decided that
President Colnon should go to Sacramento
| tomorrow morning in order to see that
something in the matter is done at once,
Postmaster McCoppin appeared before
the board and urged that new and more
commodious structure than is now given
to the Postoffice on the water front should
be erected. He said it would be long
time before the ferry depot was finished,
and that in the meantime the postal facili-
| ties of the City were suffering. The idea
is to make a great distributing depot out
of station d at the ferries, and from it
| send all the mail for far-away points by
| the cable and electric cars.
Postma ster McCoppin presented his
views in neat speech, and the Commits
sloners promised to do everything they
possibly could. If the United States Gov
eminent will agree to inaugurate postal
delivery by electric and cable cars, then
| the Commissioners will erect the necessary
building 10 accommodate the postal au-
thorities.
The owners of the steamer Gold thought
| $25 a month for dockage an exorbitant
r. "a HnT vic rad in ln 1icrI+ IS
other steamship lines had to pay. The
! Commissioners thought the charge excess
| sive and reduced it to SIS. The owners of
| Cousins drydock also wanted reduction,
on the ground that it had never earned
| the rent since it was built. The matter
was referred to the Chief Wharfinger, but
the chances are that reduction will be
made.
| The Board of Health wrote asking that
| place be set apart in which meat and
| milk landed from steamers can be in
! spected. The commissioners were in
favor OF the movement, but, as the request
| is so indefinite, nothing could be done.
Meat and milk are landed from a dozen
vessels and at dozen different points,
and at no one point could they all be con-
| centrated. In order to arrive at a definite
| understanding it was decided to ask one of
| the members of the Board OF Health to be
present at the next meeting Of the COM
mis- sion.
The pilot boat Jessie, which was recently
purchased for use on the Columbia River
bar, managed to slip away without paying
a 81 so wharfage bill. AS Wharfnger
Walkup was to blame he was ordered to
pay the amount into the State treasury at
once. Mr.. Walkup can now recover the
amount from the Columbia River pilots,
McNab d Smith, whose truck was dam
aged to the extent of $67 so by the Belt
Railroad engine, will not get their money
without a legal battle. Acting attorney
Stratton has advised the board that the
accident happened on State property, over
which City laws have no jurisdiction, and
that, therefore, the board is not liable On
the motion of President Colnon it was de-
dided to sustain the yardmaster and allow
Messrs. McNab & Smith to sue for the
$67 90 if they so desired.