The San Francisco call., 1904-04-12
FIRE LIMITS
ARE EXTENDED
Board of Supervisors Passes
to Print Bill Recommend
ed by the Commissioners
REFUSES TO LAY MAINS
Spring Valley Company De-
clines to Aid in Protec-
tion Against Confiagration

The recommendation of the Joint
Fire and Finance Committee that the
fire limits be extended on a line 1875
feet north of Pine street, from Stock
ton to the easterly line of Van Ness
avenue, thence to Market street; also
Steuart, East, Howard and Folsom
streets, was adopted by the Board of
Supervisors yesterday. An ordinance
to that effect was passed to print by a
unanimous vote.
The extension was agreed upon by
the Fire Commissioners and the Fire
Underwriters at a previous meeting
and the matter was discussed at con-
ference held just before the Board of
Supervisors met Formal recon-
mendation for the extension of the
fire limits was then made by the Fire
Commissioners.
The Spring Valley Water Company
filed a communication stating that it
would be unable to comply with the
neer of the Fire Department that
hydrants. The communication says:
The cost of this work, exclusive of setting
the hydrants, Will be close to $3.50 600. The
amount of pipe necessary has q length of six
teen miles The revenue which you offer for
this permanent investment is 81 per hydrant
per month"; or total of $3S40 per annum. This
viii produce / 54-100 per cent per annum gross
revenue, while. in order to meet our annual
interest and taxes and operating expenses per-
tanning to this investment. the income should
be $50, 600 per annum continuously.
1t is apparent, from these figures. that the
company is not justified in performing the work
requested upon the revenue offered. We have
already set ten miles OF pipe. and propose to
lay IL, 600 feet on Mason, Taylor and Shrader
streets on which htty-three hydrants will be
set Before more hydrants are set on pipes
over eight inches in diameter larger sums for
setting than at present allowed should be
agreed upon.
Fire Commissioner Parry strongly
denounced the Spring Valley Water
Company for refusing to aid in the
matter of better fire protection, say
ing it should not expect to be paid in
terest on work which would not be
done for a year. The Supervisors,
however, held that the company could
not be compelled to lay the mains and
set the hydrants. Supervisor d'Ancona
thought the company should expend
$3.50, 900 of the money spent on its
Alameda system to give this city bet
ter fire protection. Chairman Bran
denstein said that the only thing to
do is to go ahead on the proposed
auxiliary salt water system, for which
the Board of Public Works will short
ly submit plans and estimates of cost.
The matter is now in the hands of a
special committee, consisting of the
Fire Commissioners and Assistant
Chief Dougherty, to ascertain through
experts the cost of installing the sys-
tenn in the downtown district.
The proposed amendment to the
building ordinance to limit the height
of buildings in the lodging-house dis
trict to three stories, which was rec
commended by the Fire Department
as an additional fire precaution, was
laid over for two weeks.
The committee decided not to re-
insure the Harbor Police station.