The San Francisco call., 1903-01-27
AIMS To STOP
ROCK CRUSHING
Supervisors Consider
Ordinance Limiting
Operations.
Bill to Prevent Tampering
With Gas Meters Final
ly Passed.

The ordinance designed to prohibit the
maintenance of stone quarries within the
limits of the city and which is aimed at
stopping blasting on Telegraph Hill and
in the vicinity of Clipper and Douglass
streets was considered by the Board of
Supervisors yesterday.
Curtiss asked that a night session be
held In order to give every one a chance
to be heard. Wynn called attention to the
fact that there were some 200 men wait
ing In the corridors who were out of en-
plcyment owing to cessation of work as
n result of the agitation against rock
crushing. Eggers said that because men
are out OF work is good reason for dis
posing of the matter at once and the con-
sideration of the ordinance followed.
Martin Stevens. representing the con-
crete workers, stated that several hund-
red men had been out of employment
since Wednesday because of the contem-
plated prohibition of rock-crushing.
Braunhart demanded to know why the
owners Of rock crushing plants had re-
fused to supply rock and thus paralyze
the building industry. G. Wetmore of
Cushing-Wetmore Company answered
that his concern intended to store its rock
in order to provide for contracts which
would mature about the time the prohibi
tory ordinance would go into effect, his
firm did not desire to be compelled to go
elsewhere for rock at an increased cost.
BILL TO GO INTO EFFECT.
Braunhart's amendment that the bill go
Tito effect six months after its passage
was adopted in order to give the rock
crushers an opportunity to continue sup
plying rock if they so desired.
William White, attorney for petitioners
that rock-crushing be restricted, told of
the dangers resulting from such opera
tions by flying rocks, choking up of sew
ers and clouds of dust that blow in the
vicinity. Mrs. Barstow of PA Union
street charged Gray Bros. with running
the houses on Telegraph Hill by blasting
operations and then buying the property
at its decreased value. A number of other
women testified that their houses were
being destroyed by the blasting Of Gray
Brothers.
Harry Gray stated that If the ordinance
went into effect in six months he would
have to take care of his own contracts
and could not sell rock outside of these
contracts. Gray said that the unemployed
concrete workers were not present at his
ilistigation, but had come on their own
responsibility.
WANTS MEN TO GO TO WORK.
Curtis asked that the contractors per-
NIT the men to go back to work pending
the settlement of the question NJ. Keat~
ing a contractor employing thirty men,
sefd his men would go back to work If he
could get rock. Braunhart said there was
TO provocation for refusing to furnish
rock because no action restricting the
business had been taken by the Board bf
Supervisors. Attorney Stevens said If the
ordinance would be passed TO go into ef-
feet one year from now the men would be
put back to work at once. The board de-
cided to meet next Thursday at $3.50 p. m
to consider the matter further.
The ordinance regulating the operation
of rockcrushers by requiring the install
lation of contrivances to collect the dust
caused thereby was passed to print.