The San Francisco call., 1897-02-06
DAY OF HOLD-UPS
IN THE CITY HALL
The Auditor and Supervis-
orial Committees Oh.
durate.
Havens' Fees and Superintend.
ent Condon's Salary a.Glim.
mering.
Meant time the Grand Jury Puts Fire
Under the Already Bubbling Mu.
nicipal Kettle.

There are great times at the City Hall.
Bits are being held up on all sides. The
architect of the Mission High School will
not be able to collect his fees without
suit ct law. The superintendent of con-
struction OF the new mu nicipal building
yesterday had his bill for services for the
last month thrown out. Smaller bills are
disputed and rejected. Meanwhile there
are mandamus proceedings under way
others are threatened and the atmosphere
of the City Hall corridors is filled with
mutterings, obiurgations and heat
lightning.
Yesterday, in fact was sort of field
day for holding up bills and bringing to u
focus pending matters. City and County
Auditor Broderick toiled on the lower
floor OF the hall; the Finance Committee
the Board of Supervisors worked on the
floor above. 'Meanwh hie. to add to the
excitement, the Grand Jury was seeking
information from the BOARD of Education,
asking for the originaH plans and specifi-
cations of the Mission High School and
also all I he contracts appertaining thereto.
The Grand Jury's attention has been
called to the Mission High School matter
through the opinion of Auditor Broderick,
publicly expressed, and to the recital OF
the facts as publicly made by him. An
investigation concerning the reasons for
the excess of contracts over the estimated
cost as made up originally by Architect
Havens is probably the next move in
that direction.
So far as Architect Havens' fees are
concerned, the issue was plainly made up
yesterday. Auditor Brode rick had com plet-
ed his study of decisions and authorities
and had finally determined to rest upon
the opinion furnished to him by City and
County Attorney Creswell. This ne made
clear to Mr.. Havens, who called at the
Auditors Office to ascertain what was to
be done. Mr.. Broderick said that he had
determined to return the architects bill
to the Board of Education. With this
also went the premiums for the plan and.
practically, all that is left undisputed is
the purchase of the site, as the situation
is interpreted al the educational depart
ment.
The situation concerning Architect
Havens' fees has been so fully explained
in these columns that 1t may not be neces-
sary to say more on that point. The
cost Architect Havens estimated for the
building was $137, 900. The contracts
amount to $l40, 900 in round figures. The
architects fees at per cent amount to
$600O The pill, which must be collected
through the courts If at all, is for 2L per
cent, one half of the total.
The Auditor had hardly notified Mr..
Havens OF his final determination when
papers were served upon him in the man
damus proceedings brought by Joseph H.
Mogan to collect salary as Fish and Game
Warden for the City and County of San
Francisco for the month of January.
These proceedings later in the day resulted
in the instruction by the Judiciary Com
mittee of the Board of Supervisors TO the
City and County Attorney to represent
the Auditor in the matter
The Finance Committee of the Super-
visors had the next innings in the game
of financial battledore aud shuttiecock
going on in the City Hall. Daniel Z.
Condor, superintend ent of the work upon
the new municipal building, sent in his
bill for $3.50 for the month of January,
The Finance Committee, upon motion of
Supervisor Rottanzi, refused to recon-
mend that the bill should be paid, the
ground of the refusal being that no work
is being performed and, therefore, there
was nothing for Condon to superintend.
For the preceding month the salary of
the superintendent was forthcoming.
Then some grading was done upon the
site. The cornerstone was laid and some
other work was performed in preparation
for the actual construction OF the build
ing The refusal of the Finance Com
mittee will undoubtedly influence the ac-
ton of Auditor Broderick when the bill
shall come to him for services in January
and more proceedings in court may possi-
bly, result.
Bills from J. Millard, extra Chinese in
terpreter. and S. II. Simon, extra German