The San Francisco call., 1907-02-12
RUINS OF PALACE
HIDE FORTUNE
Clash Between Management
and Contractors Likely
When Jewels Are Found
OWNERS ARE ANXIOUS

With 100000 worth of precious
stones ornaments, valuable bronzes
and heirlooms at stake, there is likely
tel management and E. w. Mcclellan &
Co., contractors, when the work of
clearing away the debris on the Market
street side of the old site begins next
week.
When the walls of the building
crumbled and collapsed during the fire
of last April great quantities of pre-
cious stones, precious metals, many of
the jewels being family heirlooms be-
longing to guests, were buried under
the 2s s0O0, 900 bricks and 1000 tons of
iron that had once stood as the most
famous hotel on the Pacific coast.
All the valuables in the two safes
were taken out before the crash, but
the riches stored in the apartments of
most of the guests in the front portion
of the structure were not saved
When the Mcclellan company sub
mitted contract to the hotel manage
ment stipulating that all of the debris
should belong to the contractors Man
| ager Kirkpatrick baked He insisted
that all of the gold and silver found
! should be returned to the hotel COM
| pany for restoration to the guests He
! was informed that 1t would cost lust
| $4,000 more to have the work done If
the clause were inserted. Kirkpatrick
agreed to these terms and the silver
and gold will be carefully turned over
| by Mcclellan. But not so the precious
stones. bronzes, etc There is not a
word in the contract about them and
all those not identified by the owners
will be retained by the contractor
BUT LITTLE RECOVERED
So far nothing has been taken out
except odd pieces of tableware and
/ Jumps of gold and silver coins melted
together, but the big gang of laborers
digging in the debris is rapidly eating
| its way from the rear toward the Mar
ket street front and will reach the
huge mass of bricks lime and iron
among the workmen is intense The
hopes of the high graders" in the
richest gold mine in Goldfield were
never raised to higher pitch than
those which put ginger into the mus
| cles of the debris laborers on the old
hotel site. They work with feverish
! haste and their eyes are continually
bulging with the expectation of SHOW
cling out $4,000 pearl necklace or a
glittering string OF diamonds and
| smuggling it unnoticed into grimy.
! tobacco stained pocket.
But the men are closely watched and
the contractors believe they will be
able to secure everything of value
! found
OWNERS ARE ANXIOUS
Mcclellan is kept busy answering in
quiries regarding the progress of the
work from those who lost jewelry and
silverware in the building. Frequent
| ly the owners of lost articles take him
/ to the exact spot where they are sure
their treasures lie buried and implore
him to be careful when the workmen
reach the place. Men and women
prominent in business and social circles
are among the anxious ones
Mrs. e. s. Pillsbury who was Miss
Kohl, lost wedding presents valued at
/ $4,000; DR.. Breyfogle silver valued at
$4,000; l.. C. Sheldon and friends,
pearls and diamonds worth $4,000;
| Mrs. William Cluff, rich silver and jew
elry Others who suffered great losses
were Captain Friele John Morrisey
Mrs. Dr. Whitney, Mrs. j. C. Kirkpat-
rick, Mr.. and Mrs. C. l. Garfield and
| Kenneth Jackson.