The San Francisco call., 1898-03-27

the profit that has accrued to the painting contra ctors or to those who aided and abetted them in avoiding the provisions of their contract Since the painting work was commenced it has been prosecuted with such a lack of care and so little attention to the terms of the contract that much of the struc- tural work in the building has suffered past all repair. Iron and steel work has been allowed to rust and become cor roded and the woodwork has suffered in like proportion. Workmen in other branches of trade have been hampered and delay after delay has resulted all along the line. The loss consequent to this action on the part of the paint ing contractor cannot be computed
 What can be computed, however, Is the profit that has accrued to the con- tractor on account of the numerous changes that have been made in the terms of his contract. AS originally planned the entire interior construction of the building, where wood was to be used, was to be of quartered oak. An of this oak was to be polished by the painting contractor. a proceeding that involved a great amount of time and labor. When the plans were changed, substituting Oregon pine for oak, as the material for interior finish, it be- came necessary to bring about change in the specifications covering the painters contract. This was done by substituting three coats of paint, to be put on the Oregon pine finish, for the polish that was to be used on the oak finish. How well this was done and how the contractor turned the incident to his own profit may be seen by careful perusal of the following propo- sition submitted by the contractor:
 December 16 1S97
 Gentlemen: Referring to changes made in our contract for painting and polishing for the union depot and ferry house, San Francisco, Cal, we hereby agree to f1n- ish work on the building in accordance with the following schedule of additions and deductions:
 ADDITIONS:
 To paint the under sides of all the I-beams and box girders in first story.
 To polish the piers of weatherly sides of waiting-rooms, second story. To paint and san the galvanized iron work above the line of -12 feet 8 inches from. floor and extending to under side of roof of westerly side of waiting rooms
 To paint and sand the partition in southerly end of rear gallery section en- closing baggage-room.
 To repaint in bronze-green color the ten northerly trusses in grand nave.
 To paint all the other trusses in grand nave, and all of the trusses in waiting room and srear gallery section, bronze green.
 Amount charged for above. sS35 90.
 REDUCTIONS.
 To omit the painting of the difference in area of first story partitions from that shown on original plans as against re- vised plans.
 To omit the painting of the original gates shown on westerly sides of waiting rooms, first story.
 To omit for not painting the gates and frame of shutters, except those enclosing lavator1es, waiting room section, second story.
 To omit the polishing of the wooden partition originally shown between piers on easterly side of grand nave, and also omit the painting of the original steel shutters shown on the same side.
 To omit the polishing of all work in chief engineers private office, draughting room and laboratory. second story.
 To omit all painting and polishing work in mezzanine story.
 To allow the difference in all of the first story partitions, originally of oak, pol ished. now changed to Oregon pine, paint ed three coats.
 To allow for the omission of the sand ing on the ceilings of the second story throughout, on the grand nave, waiting room and rear gallery sections, and to al- low for the sanding of all trusses but ten