The San Francisco call., 1899-03-15
FOLSOM STREET
WHARF FOR THE
U. S. TRANSPORTS
The Chamber of Com
merce Requests 1t.
THE BERKELEY'S SMAsH-UP
MR.. MCCARTHY AND HIS WAR
REVENUE STAMP.
Ferry Building Rents Are Yet in
Confused and Slow-Moving
State of Adjust
ment.
THE BERKELEY'S SMASH-UP

At a meeting of the Board Of Harbor
Commissioners yesterday afternoon the
matter of assigning a berth to the United
States transports was considered, and II
was decided that Folsom street wharf be
set apart for that service.
The question was opened by Commits
eioner Herold submitting a resolution
that the assignment of that wharf for
rnerly made to the Alaska Commercial
Company and Alaska Packing Association
be rescinded from May and they be given
the Fremont street wharf as soon as
needed alterations can be made there;
also that Folsom wharf be assigned to the
Government on that date.
Captain Nelson, heading a delegation
from the Chamber of Commerce, and Mr..
Sherwood of the Merchants Association,
appeared at this Juncture and spoke of
the urgent need of quickly providing
suitable berth for the transports. If the
United States could find no wharves in
this port for the use OF its steamers it
would send them to other ports, and the
commercial interests of San Francisco
would suffer in consequence. Captain Mel
son asked, If docks were so scarce here,
why the naval militia vessel Marion was
permitted to occupy Howard street
wharf right in the busiest part OF the
water front. He complained of excessive
dock charges, and referred to the nomi-
nal wharfage charged at other places
Seattle, for instance.
Commissioner Harvey interrupted Cap
tain Nelson by reading a communication
he had recently received from Mayor
Thomas of Seattle. The substance of this
letter was that the Port Warden and har-
Dor master of that port, one person, re-
ceived $500 per year, and there were no
wharf charges on vessels loading and un-
loading there, as only one wharf was
owned by the city, the others belonging
TO private persons. Cargoes, however,
were charged % and 80 cents per ton
"
charged by the private owners from 81 to
$40 per day. Mr.. Harvey stated that this
system Of charges made the outlay for
charges of San Francisco.
Here Commissioner Colnon offered an
amendment to the resolution to the effect
that Folsom street wharf be turned over
to the transports April 10, which amend
ment Harvey and Herold voted down.
Harvey stated that it would be thirty or
forty days before any transports came
along and the rains would be over before
the Alaska companies would have to
move out from under the shielded Folsom
street wharf.
United States Quartermaster Long by
telephone stated that April 10 would be
more satisfactory than May /, and his re-
quest for the former date prevailed.
Relative TO this change President H. T.
Fortmann OF the Alaska PACKERS, Asso-
ciatie2 states that his company will move
from Folsom to Fremont street wharf
most willingly. Since October the asso
citation has permitted the transports to
use the Folsom wharf, though 1t has paid
S1S7 so rental to the State. The firm has
even loaded vessels from other wharves.
President FOrtmann objected to some of
Captain Nelson's statements regarding
the position of the Packers Association
in the matter. He said there would be
more practical sense in the association
removing to Seattle than the trans
ports. The company could get its sup
plies, especially coal and lumber, cheaper
on Puget Sound, and as 95 per cent Of its
market was in the East, the railroad IA
cilities were as good from those ports. as
from San Francisco. He repeated that
any intimatiOn that his company placed
any difficulties in the way of the Gov
ernment acquiring a wharf was incorrect.
Then came the opening of bids for re-
pairing the wrecked dolphins at the en-
trance Of the ferry slips. These piles
were smashed on several occasions by the
new propeller ferry steamer Berkeley
when she became unmanageable and
plunged her nose in among the wharf
The State will have the work of repair
done by contract, and send the bill to the
Southern Pacific Company. There were
eight bidders, and their proposals ran
from $34OO to S2742, the lowest bid being
that of the Dundon Bridge Company.
This proposal was itemized as follows:
1873 new piles at $16...............S212S
90 old piles driven at S6.......... 174
20 NJ feet new lumber at S22.... 440
Total ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. $2742
Mr.. Mccarthy, whose bid was about
k32GO looked over the other proposals and
IOuHQ iIidI MS was bliS Ol4lS one duOiI
with a war revenue stamp. He demanded
that the other seven bids be thrown over
board. Mr. Mccarthy was informed by
Attorney Budd that mere proposal was
not taxable commodity and that his
stamp was a dead loss.
BY resolution of the board all the bids
for work on the Broadway wharves were
rejected.
The matter of the rents of the new ferry
privileges are still in a confused state of
adjustment and the subject did not come
hefnre the hoard II has been deCided.