The San Francisco call., 1908-08-04
ARCHITECTS DELAY
CITY HALL PLANS
Mayor Calls Special Committee
of Experts to Account for
Not Doing Work
District Attorney Authorized to
Appoint Special Agents for
Graft Prosecution

Yesterday was a bad day for archi-
tects at the meeting of the board OF
supervisors. They were roasted as a
class in general and then several were
picked out for special mention while
as a climax there was a general sortie
against Supervisor Rixford. who is
himself an architect.
Mayor Taylor took g hand in the
game by charging the blame for the
past TWO months of inactivity as re-
CARDS the new city hall to the specisl
committee consisting of Architec+s
Newton J. Tharp, Albert Pissis, James
Reid and John Galen Howard. who
were appointed last spring to report on
the structure, but who have so far
done nothing. The partial report writ
ten by the city architect and 10 which
are appended the names of the four
specially chosen committeeman was
pronounced by the mayor "of no prac-
teal value"
Last May" said his homer, "the CITY
architect himself presented q detailed
report on the condition of the city hall.
the conclusion to be drawn from it be-
ing as plain as pike STAFF The pres
ent structure should be razed to its
foundations"
Supervisor Johnson responded by
heaping the blame for the procrastina
ton on the shoulders of Rixford and
the special committee, saying that the
tearing down Of the old wreck would
have been ordered months ago If the
latter had stood by their guns"
Earlier IN the meeting Rixford had
already taken swing on his own ac-
count He was angeTed at having his
scheme OF grand. subsidized competf-
tion for the plans of the proposed hall
OF justice and hospital frustrated and
expressed fervent wish that Super
visor Payot knew what he was talk
ing about when the latter opposed as
extravagant Rixford's proposal for a
$4,000 appropriation to reft the in
terror OF the new Mission street quar-
ters OF the health board. The board
finally allowed this appropriation. with
the proYiso attached that the works
board have the work done under com
peitive bids TO secure a reduction.
hlxford suffered a severe running
IRE OF criticism throughout the after
noon for his conduct as head of the
building committee Of the building op-
eratiOns and speculatfons of the board
Despite his repeated efforts to secure
complicated competition of archi-
tects on the preliminary plans of the
hospital and the hall of Justice the
board OF works was directed to have
the city architect do the job in each
case, or have il done Architect Will
-1-- -AOOSS- appeared 10 claim the lob
from former appointment under the
old bond issue project, but Mayor Tav-
4or informed him he might look after
Whatever legal rights he might have
IN the matter elsewhere and that the
boards action would not damage their
integrity.
The board unanimously and finally
passed the ordinance authorizing the
district attorney TO appoint one spe-
cial agent and % assistants for the
detective work Of the prosecution the
authorization extending TO the end of
the fiscal year, June 80, 1909 An ap-
propriation Of ST27 was also made in
payment OF the July salary and ex-
penses Of Special Agent William ].
Burns. The sum of $1,000 was set
aside 10 complete the surveys of gov
ernment holdings transferred TO the
city IN the noor of the Hetch Hetchy
valley. The health commission was
given $4,000 with which to assist in
the special sanitation work of the
United States marine hospital service
during August.
Of the $4,000 infirmary adjacent to
the relief home, the plans for which
were yesterday finally adopted by
the board OF works after approval by
the health commission. and set aside
the money out OF the funds from the
1904 bond issue proceeds. The city
treasurer was authorized TO sell over
the counter the balance Of unsold 35L
per cent street and sewer bonds from
the sale issue in whatever amounts
offered at par. There are nearly $780,
600 worth OF these bonds available for
purchase.
The date Of leaving on the trip to
inspect the Hetch Hetchy water sites
in the Sierra was changed, at Payot's
motion, from the 10th TO the 18th of
the month. The board members will
depart at g. m. on the latter date
reaching Yosemite the same night
From there the journey will be taken
up the following day by horse and pack
to the Tuolumne. where for several
days the Hetch Hetchy gorge and the
Lake Eleanor site with their water
sheds viii be surveyed.