The San Francisco call., 1897-06-03
Treasury DEPARTMENT.

WASHINGTON, D. c., June 2. I
Hon z. F. Loud, House Of Representatives.
Ny DEAR SIR: Referring to the matter of the
new public building at San Francisco, 1t gives
me pleasure to inform you that the Supervis-
ing Architects Office viii be ready to adver tise
for bids on the 18th inst Yours very truly,
o. L. SPALDING, Assistant Secretary.
Too much credit cannot be given to Con-
gresham Loud. He has been alert and
energetic, and the decision of the depart
ment is due to his efforts His position
as chairman of Committee on Postofices
and PostroaGs of the House makes him a
Congressman of commanding influence.
Especially this is true at the supervising
architects office and at the Postoftice De-
partment.
Mr.. Loud is now bending all of his en-
ergies toward getting an assurance from
the department that California stone will
be used, and he is likely to be successful.
Mr.. Aiken, the present supervising archI-
tect. will DE superseded on July l, and he
has practically been relieved OF the duties
already.
Mr. Kemper, the chief executive ofic er,
is acting as architect and will continue to
do so until Mr.. Aiken's successor is ap.
pointed. Mr.. Aiken is still in the Office.
Spondenr to-day:
"0f course we cannot tell what stone will
be used until the bids are opened. II l
had my way about it Calitor MIA m material
would certainly be used, but still if the
Eastern quarries should underbid the Cal.
ifornia people the contract would go there,
provided they were responsible bidder.
MY idea has been all along to use
that is to say, that part of the building
up 10 the first or, maybe, up to the third
story-and construct the upper part oil
marble.
"In this case the marble would not be
rough hewn, but cut smooth, like the
granite of the Treasury building here.
The California granite is excellent, if ac-
cessible. l do not think that Eastern
firms could transport granite to California
and underbid the Raymond quarries.
CAS- for the marble, L will say that l
think the Inyo stone of excellent quality.
OF course, it may be said that it is some
what inaccessible on acc cunt Of the lack
of railroad facilities in that part of the
country, but at the same time 1 believe
that it could be laid in San Francisco as
cheaply or more so than the Eastern mar
bic. But, of course, these are problems
for the quarrymen 70 solve themselves
The department cannot act IntelIi-
gently until the bids ere opened. 1t may
be that the lnyo quarrymen would have
10 expend a considera bic amount of money
to put in plant, but they would doubtless
be quite willing to do that if they should
get this contract"
Chief Executive Officer Kemper said
that it was his opinion that granite
would be used in the construction of the
building. He explained that formerly it
was the practice of the department to ad-
vertise for bids without specifying whether
the building was to be constructed OF
granite, marble, sandstone or limestone,
TINS matter not being decided until it
was seen which would be tie cheapest
when the bids were opened; but latterly
1t had been the policy to decide what
character OF stone would be used and then
advertise for bids. This will be done in
the case OF the San Francisco building.
Inc chances are altogether, therefore
that one OF the Raymond ouarries will Get
the contract and if part of the buildinp
should be constructed of marble. the Invo
County people Will doubtless be able tn
underbid the New England people.
The KIND of stone to be used will not ba
settled, however until the new supervis-
ing architect takes charge of his Office.