The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-09-15
HURRYIuG UP
CONTRACTORS
Supervisors Investigate Hall
of Justice De-
lays.
Bateman Bros. Declare That
They Are Utterly Pow
erless.
Can Get Neither Steel nor Stone
to Garry on the Building
Work.

In response to numerousiy signed petit
tons asking that the contractors for the
Hall OF Justice be required to hasten
work on the building and prevent the
property interests of the north side from
suffering, the Building Committee of the
Board of Supervisors began an investiga-
ton into the matter yesterday.
Bateman Bros, the contractors, were
called before the committee 10 explain
their reasons for not hurrying the work,
and stated that they were ready and
anxious to 60 on, but could not do so be-
cause they were not able to get the steel
and stone required by the specifications
from those to whom they had let con-
tracts for the same.
Shea & Shea, the architects, bore out
assertions of the contractors, submitting
q written report that concludes as follows:
The cause, therefore. of all delay is in the
steel and stone work, for all other work is i'm
posi- bic until these materials are placed and,
though we have ever been DESTROYS 10 follow
the dire ctlOns OF your honorable body, and
take advantage of the conditions of tn specf-
cations which empowers us throu, n you TO
engage workmen when operations on the
ground are diScontln ned, We TO und 1t impos-
sible to get the material up TO this date and,
as we have hitherto stated, no progress what
ditions until the mills and QuarrieS have fur
nished the material This decay could only
have been avoided by the letting of all snb-
contracts the very commencement of con-
tract time
The committee wanted to know whether
it wouII not be possible to get portion
of the steel work delivered and place it in
position, but the contractors declared that
he rolling-mills wanted 10 fit the various
pieces in their own workshops and would
not deliver anything until all was fin
isheG.
The committee decided to address COM
munIcatlons to the sub-cOntractors, ask
ing III m to deliver the stone and steel at
the earliest possible opportunity.
The petition OF the North Side propertv-
owners, fl ed yesterday, reads as follows:
To the Honorable the Board Of Supervisors cf
the City and County OF san Fl aaciScO-GENTLE-
MEN: We the undersigned property-owners of
the North End and others interested in the
construction OF the Hall of Justice res pectfuliy
state:
That the contract for said structure was ex-
ecuted in January, 1897, requiring the COM
pletion thereof on or before the LIST day OF Oc
tober 1897.
That by unforeseen delays complete posses
sion OF the lot upon which the same should be
built was not delivered 10 the contractors en-
gagged in said building until about March L.
1897, which would necessarily extend the
time aforesaid until January 1, 1898,
elapsed only the foundation walls have been
constructed, and there no indications of
greater speed an the work for the next six
N his, or six years for that matter.
That said construction is attended with a
monthly expense Tor superintendent of $3.50.
and for brick inspector So per day, besides
fees for architect.
That while this work Is delayed property in
the vicinity thereof is OF but little value
houses are vacant, streets are neglected, gem
eral air OF decay Is witnessed and business
nc hng dol ~
CITY.
Wherefore, we respectfully ask that you sum-
mon ID contractors before you and deal with
them &C ;ordiug to their contract and the law
in the premises.
The Hibernia Savings and Loan Society, by
Robert J. Tobin, secretary; the Sather Bank
ing Company, by James K. Wilson, president;
Tillmann & Bendel, 327 Battery street; G. W.
McNear, p r James H. Cutter, cashier; Eppin-
ger Co., 81 California; Rosen baum & Bros,
204 Front; Daniel Mayer, 2l6 Pine; Louis
Sloss & Co, 80 Sansome; Siebe Bros. d P ge-
mann, 1913 Sansome: Levi Strauss 4 Co.. 1915
Battery; l.. D!nkelsriel Sons, 1879 Battery
Madison & Burke 626 Market; Bovee, Toy &
Sonnt8g, 80 Montgomery; Luning Company
per L. H. Clar; w. H. Grim & Co.. 118 Mont
gomeTy; F. w. Becker, 705 Davis; The Pacific
Mutual Life Insurance Company OF California,
northeast corner OF Montgomery and Sacra-
mento; J. de la MontaDya, 1910 Taylor; +. w.
Dohrmann; Louis Schulz. owner of New West
ern Hotel; John Van Bergen. by J. Van
Bergen, southwest corner OF Clay and kearny:
Il
retarv; John Shirley, $50 Kearny; J. Abrams
534 Kearny; B. Jacobs, 512 Kearny; Ade.s.
dorfer & Brandenstein. by AdeIsdorfer; Hol-
brook, Merrill & Stetson, by John F. Merrill V.
P; Hswley Bros. Hard ware Company by A.
Arnold. secretary; F. S. kohn, 305 Market:
David w. Hanley, George Webb A iexander
401 Market; Johu Butler 500 Market and
suffer; B. f. Jellison, 500 Kearny; Abby NJ
PARROT, by Oh. de Guigne, her attorney in
fact; Sutro & Co.; NJ. II. Lichenstein
GIT Washing ton; California Safe Deposit and
Trust Company, by j. ID. Brown. secretary;
Alfred Borel & CO.. by AL Borel, 311 Mont
gomery; Nevada Bank of San Francisco, pc
]. J. Bigelow, vice pres ident; Bank of Calftor-
mia, by Thomas Brown, cashier; Mutual Life
Insurance Company of New York. per A. B.
Forbes; B. A. Becker, treasurer German Saw.
ings and Loan Society. 500 California; AL bert
Miller. president San Francisco Savings Union;
Kolb-De nhard. 400 Montgomery; J. d. Max
well. 421 California; c. B. Ilsam. AL Califor-
MIA; A. Sbarbaro. 515 Montgomery; Horace
Wilson, 421 California; s. Bachman d
Co.: northeast corner Battery ana Pine;
A & T. Well e. Co., 10Y Battery; Psyot Upham
& Co., 204 Pine; The Wertheimer Company,
by Josenh l.. Hess, vice-president and m an
ager, 115 Battery; Oppenheim 4 Bros, III
Battery; Baker & Hamilton, by Hamilton
George d. Shad burne. 616 Sacramento; f. p