The San Francisco call., 1908-03-31
CITY HALL DOME
MAY Be SAVED
Supervisors Decide to Obtain
the Views of Engineers
and Architects
Ordinance Prohibiting Smoking
Inside Streetcars Goes TO
the Mayor

The supervisors decided yesterday to
obtain the opinions OF committee OF
engineers. builders and architects as
70 the possibility OF rehabilitating the
city han and dome. This decision was
arrived AZ after a lengthy discussion
which followed the reading OF reso-
luton At the board meeting appropriat-
ing $500 10 defray the expense OF
taking down the dome
Broderick. who while auditor some
years ago was 2 member Of the COM
mission which supervised the construc-
ton Of the city hail. led the fight
against the razing OF the dome. He
said that several we'll known builders
had advised him that the city hall and
dome could be restored at comparative
~ small cost TO the tax payers. He
presented . protest signed by the on
GERS Of the Suffer street improvement
club against the proposed destruction
Of the dome. A letter Of protest from
Frank j. sullivan q o was read.
Former City Attorney Harry Cres-
well and A. p. Mcneil spoke in favor
OF the rehabilitation Of the building.
CresWell said that the foremost archi-
fect in the city had informed him that
10 destroy the hail and dome meant the
throwing away OF two millions of the
tax payers money. as they could be
repaired. Creswell in conclusion said
that the dome could be rehabilitated
for much less than il would cost 10
tear Il down.
A vote was taken on the resolution
- eppropriating the money 10 raze the
dome and II was lost. Giannini. Muir
ply, Rixford and Pollok alone voting
tn favor Of it. Sachs, Jennings and
Stafford were absent
MAYOR AUTHORIZED TO ACT
The mayer next was. authorized to
name a committee of three supervisors
70 act in conjunction with the build
ing committee and report within sc
days on the practieabilfty of restoring
both the dome and the. entire city hall
The committee was authorized TO ex-
pend not more than $500 in the en-
pioyment Of engineers. builders and
architects 10 pass on the structural
sOundness Of the building.
The matter Of renting or leasing
new quarters for the board of public
works viii be delayed pending the re-
ceipt Of the report on the condition OF
the city hall Although arrangements
had been made TO secure a portion OF
the building being erected in City Hall
avenue of the Western Methodist Book
concern for the use of the public works
commission, the supervisors voted
down a resolution authorizing the
mayor TO sign the lease
The ordinance prohibiting smoking
tnside street railway cars or upon the
Sront platform Of any inclosed car was
passed and viii be sent to the mayor
for bis approval or veto.
bill permitting the employment OF
prisoners undergoing sentence on roads
within q distance OF one mile OF the
exterior boundaries Of the county jail
on the house OF refuge lot was passed
Bancroft introduced & resolution
which was referred TO the artificial
light committee. making il unlawful
for any lighting corporation which
had agreed to furnish lluminant al
less price than that fixed by the city to
raise the rate 10 the consumer during
the period for which the agreement had
been signed without first obtaining the
consent Of the supervisors. The reso-
luton is intended to prevent the light
ing corporations which have giVer
special rates where there is competi-
ton from advancing the price wher
business rivalry ceases.
WATER RATE INQUIRY
Payot and AIcLeran were ADDED L
the special committee which viii NEE
Wednesday night TO resume the water
rates inquiry. Mayor Taylor, who wa:
named on the original committee
withdrew from ii yesterday. as he sale
that he believed it would not be proper
for him to serve. inasmuch as the en-
tire subject matter would come to hin
later for his approval or rejection
The resolution authorizing an appro-
priation OF $4,000 for the purpose o
rebsbilitating the old pesthouse of
the San Bruno road was lost TIL,
Mission promotion committee filed
strong protest against the hospital be
ing retained on the present site. as th'
neighborhood is being built up rapidly
A communication received from tn,
Preside and Ferries railroad company
asking for a franchise TO operate car.
along Larkin street from Union [,
Vallejo. along Vallejo TO Franklin anC
thence along Franklin 10 Union street
was referred to the public utilitie,
committee. The Union street system i.
being converted from cable to troIle,
and q change in route is necessary L
avoid the heavy grade in Union stree
between Larkin and Polk. Engineer,
say II is impossible for electric cars t
climb this grade. The original fran.
chise held by the company viii expir,
December 10. 1913
The communication from District At
torney Langdon asking that sI20.O0l
be appropriated IN the budget Of tn,
coming fiscal year for expenses TO bs
incurred in the graft cases was re
ferred TO the finance committee with
out discussion.