The San Francisco call., 1897-09-03

X
ability of the judiciary committee ap-
pointed by myself some time ago to look
after this portion of the work. They are
George D. Shadb burne, Daniel Rogers and
w. H. Bodfish. They will call on the Su-
pervisors in the near future and see if
greater speed cannot be made on the work.
As it now is it certainly injures the prop
erty Oh Kearny etreet and the cross streets
leading INTO it, as people give those streets
wide berth in consequence of the OBJ
structions at the corner of Washington
and Kearny streets.
F. W. Becker, who VIII lead the
nroperty-owners to the rooms of the
Supervisors, is the most indignant OF them
all. at is an outrage" he said, 18th at the
interests, the pockets OF citizens, should
be jeopardiZed by the caprice of
a contractor, if he is to blame.
or by the action OF the Board of
Supervisors If the cause of this delay can
be laid at its door. Several M months ago
started restaurant in one OF my build
ings on Kearny street IN full belief that
the hall would be completed according to
contract, but was mistaken. In conse-
quence 1 lost considerable money, and
presume that will continne to fall be-
hind ior many months to come"
Joseph Wores of 600 Washington street
said that he was thoroughly disgusted
over the matter. He was at loss to un-
should be tolerated even for day, much
less for months. He was firmly of the
impression that there must be a lar e
sized coon" some " here in the cord wood.
The Building Trades Council has at last
decided to take a hand In the matter of
assisting the contractors in speeding UP.
Alta meetin, of the council last even
ing at $751; Market street the matter Of
delay on the hall came up for discussion
and the contractors were roundiy scored
for not performing the work acc riding to
contract. Several spirited speeches were
made in which the subject was handled
without gloves. The position of The CALL
was heartily indorsed for placing the mat
ter before the public in its true light. A
committee wes appointed to draw up suit
able resolutions consisting of w. NJ.
Page, c, w. Doyle and ]. McDougald,
who presented the following, which was
indorsed:
WHEREAS, The Building Trades Council
views wi III indignation the action of the Con-
tractors on the Hall Of Justice for the dilatory
course displayed by them in the tulfllment of
said contract; and whereas, it being a we'll
known TACT that $500, 900 for the same is tied
up in the City vaults and diverted from the
channels of trade and which. if circulated on
the immediate construction of this building,
would alleviate the many distresses of our idle
mechanics; therefore, be 1t
ResotUsd, That we, the Building Trades
Council, in meeting assembled, demand an
immediate procedure of construction OF the
Hall of Justice or forfeiture of the contract;
and also be 1t
Resoiued. That no extension OF time be
granted TO them on said Hall of Justice con-
tract; and be it further
Res0tred, That the Building Trades Council
commend the action of THE CALL in the course
pursued by it relative TO the action of the
contractors on the Hall of Justice.
John c. Bateman of Bateman Bros,
contractors, having IN charge the erection
of the hall, pleads in extenuation for the
delay on the building tha the contractors
who den molished the old hall are largely
res ponsible forFthe delay, and further
more th at he has progressed much farther
than his critics know.
Regarding the delay on the part of the
men who RACED the old structure and in
consequence delayed him, Bateman refers
to section OF the specifications in which
he find much soiace. The section reads:
by the municipal building is en-
tirely and completely cleared of
all the walls to their foundation
footings, and of all the rubbish which
formed part of the recently removed old
City Hall, together with all the sidewalk
and area walls throughout, the contractor
is to then take possession. of the said
premises and proceed with the work here
matter mentioned in these specifications"
knowing full well that the people of
this City were anxious TO have the build
ing com pleted as soon as possible we went
to work sooner than was necessary" said
Mr.. Bateman last evening. Excavations
were commenced about April /, but
we were constantly delayed by the
owners OF adjoining properties, who
tore up the ground to underpin their
buildings, which were left insecure
W hen the old hall WAS torn down. Next
we found that many of the old walls had
not been removed to their foundation
foo tings. On June 7 we communicated
with the Board of Supervisors regarding
the old walls, and they were removed--a
labor which delayed US another week or
so. Then we found two old wells. twenty
feet deep, which had to be cleared out and
refilled properly.
"FinaIlv the work of constructing the
building began, and since that time many
thousand dollars worth of work has been
done. At the present time We are delayed
by lack of stone and the steel frame WORK.
have been informed by the Colusa quarry
that the stone will commence coming in a
few days and then work on the building
will progress much faster than it has dur
ing the past few months / have also
been informed by the manager of
the Pacific Rolling Mills that 800 tons
of steel pillars and girders will be ready
for shipment to the site within a few
weeks. When the pillars and giroers ar
rive a small army of men will be put TO
work and in a short time the now desolate
appearance of the site will be greatly
changed. Nothing can be done until the
stone arrives and the steel work is fin
ished, then matters will be different"
Three men rolling stone over tramway
at their own sweet pleasure, while two OF
their friends sat close at hand and dis
cussed politics was all that tended to give
an appearance of life around the site of
the temple of justice yesterday. When an
interesting point in the argument OF the
politicians was reached the toiers would
cease their toll, listen until the point had
been disposed OF and then return to their
la Dor, glad in that they had such pleasant
entertainers so close ut hand.
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