The San Francisco call., 1909-04-09
REPORT ON CITY HALL
Ihe oommittee savs


The committee says:
First-That we have carefully and thoroughly
Examined tbe remaining part OF the city hail
Second-Ne hnd thar the Foundation IS in a
II any repairs.
Third-The subbasement and basement need
hut little repairing. The heating and ventilating
plant we ind 10 be in an excellent condition and
at small expense could be put in perfect
working order.
Fourth-we find the first hoor in some places
TO have settled, but this seemed 10 be the case
only m such rooms where the IRE and heat was Of
an intense nature, ana IN every instance new
beams could have been substituted and the con-
crete hoor replaced, as all Of the cross walls at
This elevation in perfect condition. except
mat part of the building the gore OF City
ltah avenue and Larkin street, which is total
loss, due in our Judgment TO tOpheayy construc-
ton- Much Of the marble in che han not
eamsgeo 20 any great extent, and IN all cases the
inlsld marble was in perfect condition.
Fifth-Upon careful examination Of the
dome we ind, contrary 20 reports, that but very
leW or the rivets have been sheared OF, and with
the exception Of the bending Of of the
turnbuckle rods and struts which was caused by
tho falling walls and which could at a very
small cost be Strengthened or replaced by new
members, by FAR the greatest damage done to
The steel frame Of the dome was by exposure or
The steel 10 the elements. The dome with the
vast amount OF copper thereon was in perfect con-
diton.
CONDITION OF WALLS
The report then goes into minute
details as TO the condition Of the walls,
says:
lle committee calls attention TO the fact that
Tie walls of the city hall which withstood that
great earthquake OF April. 1906. also defed the
iaburer with his pick. hammer and gads until the
contractor. TO expedite his work. had TO resort
ro the use Of dynamite that be might shstter
iie walls 50 that be could pull them down with
an engine.
d is the unanimous opinion Of your committee
after careful inspection and consideration Of
tlte construction Of the city hall in all branches
u the trades employed therein that, with few
exceptions. the material used was the best to be
lan at tnaL tle ana the Workmanship the
Incsf And. while technically speaking it is
nor what Is termed a modern building there is
NOT today in the United States any other
ctnnfly a building Of this class better con
~frucfcd- II l. also the belief Of your commit
that ~ least 90 to 65 per cent OF the city
Lsl remained in perfect condition and the en-
tire building could have been rehabilifated at
small cost as compared 10 the construction OF
dollars 90 the tax payers Of San Francisco.
Accompanying the report are state
ments Of architects and contractors ia
support Of the assertion that the build
ing could have been rehabilitated.
LOSS TO TAX PAYERS
In conclusion the report says:
It IS the unanimous opinion OF your committee
that the tax payers Of San Francisco have suf-
fered irrePsrable. unwsrrsnted and unneces-
SaTT loss To the extent OF many millions OF dol
lion OF the city hall, all Of which is due to the
huRders of an Incompetent municipal adminstra-
uon. FrHternslly submitted.
W c. FRENCH
T. E KEOUGH
WILLIAM II. FREELAND.
The report was unanimously adopted
after which A l. Dflley, c. B. Hussey,
". p. O'Conner, J. 3. Markley and D.
O'C0nnell. the executive committed of
the independence league, were admitted
. and O'Conneu spoke for the committee.
0'CONNELL MAKES ADDRESS
He gave a review of what had been
done by the san Francisco labor coun-
ell ia the matter OF recall. asserted that
the charter is being violated under
municipal authority in paying the
cleaners of brick from the city hall
only so cents a day and by having other
contract work done at less than charter
wages. He urged the recall and said
that the election would cost s., 200 and
If held near the time the June bond
election is 10 be held it would not cost
more than $1,000 He said that the re-
call Of the mayor would be sufficient
and il il became necessary to recall the
supervisors that could be done later
The mayor, he said. is responsible for
the acts Of the various commissions.
COUNCIL ADOPTS RESOLUTION
The council then returned into ex-
ecutive session and adopted the follow
ing resolutions:
Whereas. the building trades council has
adopted a report strongly censuring the present
municipal authorities and stating that the mem
bers thereof have ''merited recall' and
Whereas. the independence league has re-
quested the cooperation Of this council in a
movement launched for the purpose Of recalling
the present mayor; therefore be It
Resolved. by the building trades council OF
San Francisco IN regular session assembled. that
q committee Of seven. including the president OF
the council, be appointed 70 cooperate with a
Ike committee from the San Francisco labor
council this important matter IN order that
well considered. Intelligent action and united
effort may result TO the welfare OF the city and
the well being OF its people.
The following is the committee named: W.
O. French O. A. Tveitmoe, John Coefeld. r. G.
Macdonald John Bell, A. L. Hollis and P. II.
Mccarthy