The San Francisco call., 1906-09-06
BIC SUM REQUIRED
FOR CITY HALL.
Committee Says Two and a
Half Millions Will Suffice
to Restore the Building
MUCH IS IN RUINS

After carefully examining the ruins
OF the City Hall the committee ap-
pointed by the Board of supervisors
for that purpose has submitted re-
port to Mayor Schmitz. stating that
the building can be restored for about
$2,40S,000 The Hall of Records, they
State, is structurally sound and can
properly be repaired for about s110. 900
The Hall of Justice was found to have
been damaged to the extent of about
two thirds of it's original value. 1t is
recommended that the Hall Of Records
Immediately be repaired. Following is
the report:
Hall of Records-The Hall Of Rec
ords we found structurally SOUND with
wall Of the third story and small
section Of the second story.
We would strongly recommend. In view
OF the urgent necessity for safe place
for the housing and care of records,
that this building be rehabilitated on
lts former lines. The present value OF
the building is SO far in excess of the
cost OF repairing it that it would seem
sound Judgment to do so, especial at
tentfon being given to secure inclosing
and covering of its door and window
openings on modern fireproof lines We
estimate that this can be eff1ciently
and properly done at an estimated cost
of $4,000.
CONDITION OF CITY HALL.
City. Hail. main building-We find
that the. foundation walls and base
damaged; that the basement is struc-
turally intact and injured only to the
extent of the destruction of the finish
ing work.
The northeast wing adjoining the
Hall of Records and the recess portion,
fronting on McAllister street, connect
ing the northeast wing with the Lar
Kin street wing, could be repaired, al
though the interior of the Public LII
brary, including floors, gallery, roof
and library main staircase, are prac-
tically destroyed. Our estimate of the
cost to repair this portion is 100000.
The southwest end of the Larkin-
street wing from the south and to the
main courts, except the corridors. is
of the basement walls to and includ-
ing the roof the entire Larkin- street
front is practically in the same condi-
tion, except a small portion of the
wing lying between the McAllister-
street division and the main corridor
running east and west which Is In q
falr state OF preservation.
In that connection We would
state that most of the corridor floors
and walls of same throughout the
building are structurally good
WING TO COME DOWN.
That portion of the building above
lying between the. Larkin- street wing
and the main dome is practically de-
stroyed and should be taken down. The
structure supporting the main dome up
to the second gallery level is in fair
condition, except fracture on the
east side, but the balance of the ma
sonry above this level should be taken
down. Above and beyond this point
the steel members supporting the main
dome are vertically out of plumb and
horizontally out of level, more or less
twisted and damaged. but in such con-
dition that the main dome can be saved
by means of proper repairs in the way
OF reinforcement to the supporting
members The upper dome appears to
be practically intact.
Three of the main staircases are
| practically sound, The roofs, includ-
ing the towers and the greater por-
tlon OF the roof structural frames, are
Estimate:. Before preparing our es-
innate on this work we employed
and prepare a ground plan as to enable
US more readily to estimate the actual
| damage done and the cost of repairing.
We estimate that the repairs of the en-
mate cost Of s2,408,0 600.
we believe IT to be within our prov
lnce (even though it may seem desir-
able to prepare the northeast wing and
McAllister connecting portion) to rec
ommend that the Larkin- street wing
! be entirely taken down for the reason
that the present foundation walls are
inconsistent with the building of a
modern building on economic lines,
giving due regard to light air and
practical efficiency.
Hall of Justice-We have examined
the Hall of Justice. on Kearny, Wash
ington and Merchant streets, and with
out going into details will say that
In our Judgment the building has been
damaged to the extent of two-thirds
of~its value, or, in other words, there
is one third salvage in case the build
ing is rebuilt on the same plan. Re-
spectfully,
WILLIAM sCORLETT.
HENRY A. SCHULZE.
o. E. BEADY.
JOHN j. MAHONEY.