The San Francisco call., 1897-10-08
HOPEFUL TO THE LAST.
The Temple of Justice Con-
tractors Full Of Good
Intentions.
The Pacific Surety Company as
Bondsmen Accepts the
Situation.

The Judicial seesawing by which the
Board of Supervisors mas been reinstated
into power after two weeks of condition al
retirement has in no way disturbed the
equilibrium of the Baieman Bros. in their
contract for the building of the Temple OF
Justice. A similar condition of ouietude
rests on the shoulders of the Pacific Surety
Company. which is the bondsmen tor the
Bateman Bros. ia their contract to have
the building done on Time.
The fact that an extension of thirty
! days was granted the contractors by the
| Phelan- Budd Supervisors is considered as
pu rely pro lorna in its character, assum-
ing that that body had at the time of this
extension an official existence.
The asking OF the thirty days was more
in the form of a courtesy to the board
than an actual necessity, as the con-
tractors claim that under existing condi-
tions they have until nnxt March in which
to complete the structure.
This view is accepted by the Pacific
Surety Company as being the true solu-
ton of the agreement between the con-
tractors and the city. In fact this COM
pany goes further in its reasoning over
the terms OF the contract. Inasmuch as
the city has violated its portion of the
contract with the contractors, it cannot
now force them to live up o theirs, and
from this standpoint of reasoning the
Bateman Bros. have their own time in
which to complete the work,
At ali events the surety company is
perfectly easy over its share of the re-
sponslbiIity in case the contractors should
not have the work finished on time. as the
president OF the company, Wallace Ever
son, is in possession OF sufficient security
TO indemnify his company against any
loss in this respect.
In the meantime Bateman Bros. are full
Of hope and good intentions that they " i'll
yet MAKE such a showing before the ex-
piraiion of their contract as will justify
the Supervisors in consistently extending
the time to co omplete the structure.
The cause Oh the delay at present is
with the Pacific Coast Rolline-mills in
turning out the uprights upon which the
eirders are TO rest. Until these uprights
are placed in position nothing can be
done either by the stonesetters or the
bricklayers.
W. II. Styles, who has the sub-contract
for the brickwor says he can perform
mis- section just as fast as the work will
permit him 10 go ahead. The same claim is
set forth by the McPhee Company which
has the contract for stonecutting. This
company has made rapid headwey with
the work assigned to it since it got the
contract.
1t is cutting and planning sufficient to
as fast as the settlers can handle the stone.
At the rolling-mills the work on the up
rights is being pushed as fast as men and
machinery can turn them out.
1t is thought that by the early part OF
next week sufficient will be cast 10 supply
the first story OF the building. The girders
are all ready TO be placed in position just
as soon as the uprights are hoisted.
After this Is done the stonesetters will
rush the front facing and the bricklayers
will be ready 20 do the backing. Thus
inside of the next thirty days the Kearny-
street edifice will assume shape. This is
the hopeful expectation of the contractors
aud their bondsmen.
Whist attitude the Supervisors will as
sumo in the premises remains TO be seen.
A ciasn between the parties interested
would only tend 10 throw the whole mat.
ter into court for judicial Interpretation
as to the exact condition of the contract.