The San Francisco call., 1909-01-09
DISCUSS PLANS FOR
LARGE AUDITORIUM
Representatives of Commercial
and Civic Organizations
Favor City Ownership
Proposition to Build Immense
Structure on City Hall
Site Is Considered

Many plans for an auditorium for
San Francisco to be owned by the
municipality, were discussed at lunch
mercial bodies at the California build
ing yesterday by the reception COM
mittee of the California Promotion Com
mittee. Members of the board of su-
pervisors, the Commonwealth club. the
real estate board and the Merchants
association were present, and the feel
ing of the assembly was that San
Francisco should have an auditorium
so that large conventions could be held
here.
W. ]. Dutton was chairman of the
discussion which followed the lunch
con, and introduced the subject. He
was followed by L. S. Eldridge of the
sub committee on auditorium, which
had been appointed by the reception
committee. Eldridge spoke of the de-
STABILITY of a municipality owned au-
ditorium and pointed out the many ad-
vantages to the city which would be
derived from having the large conven-
tions held here.
RIxFORD OUTLINES PLAN
Loring p. Rixford spoke of his pro-
posed plan for the utilizing of the pres
ent city hall site for the auditorium,
and of purchasing two blocks on each
side of Marshall square on which Of
fee buildings would be built for the
housing of the city departments. He
said the space would be sufficient for
this purpose, and that the auditorium
could be built in the center of the
present city lot. His plan calls for a
special bond issue.
A. j. Rich presented his plan, by
which the city departments could be
housed, and an immense auditorium
built for the city on the present site
of the city hall. The entire structure
would be built by syndicate and sold
to the city on the installment plan,
thus obyiating the question of bond
Issue. Rich exhibited a pictorial ele-
walton of the architectural plan which
fitted on the present site of the city
hall and provided for the retaining
OF the hall of records as it now stands.
This plan would cost S5,00O.00o.
DEPARTMENTS NEED HOUSING
S. G. Buckbee of the real estate
board said that the great need of the
city was the building of structure
to house the city departments. which
were scattered, and that the question
of an auditorium could come later.
Robert Roos believed that the au-
ditorium should be embodied in the
plans for the city hall, and this was
the general sentiment of the majority
of those present.
Supervisor J. A. Johnson suggested
that all the bodies interested in the
auditorium project confer and decide
as to which was the practical plan
1t was decided that the bodies in
terested confer and arrive at some con-
crete plan which could be placed be-
fore the supervisors, and this will be
done soon. Various bodies interested
were represented by these committees.
Reception committee-Mayor L. K. Taylor,
Henry NJ Abrams. Charles W. Conlisk, ].
Parker Currier, Charles H. Crocker, Burt L. Da-
Wis Zoeth S. Eldridge, Rudolph Herold Jr., Liy-
ingston jerks, A. ]. lie Breton, F. w. Marvin,
Frederick H. Meyer, Il. J. Molera, Edgar
Painter, Henry Payot, George II. Pippy, Robert
A. Roos. Max l.. Rosenfeld, Charles F. Runyon,
Julian Sonntag, Chauncey NJ. st. john R. j.
Taussig Henry r. williar, Harry Welch (sec-
retary).
Board of superviscrs-Paul Bancroft, James
p Booth, william Broderick. George Center,
A. comte Jr. George A. Connolly, DR.. A. A.
d Ancona DR.. A. II. Giannini, Oscar Hooks,
Thomas Jennings, James A. Johnston, NJ. Hall
McAllister, Ralph McLeran, Charles A. Murdoch,
d. C. Murphy. Henry Payot, Allan Pollok, Lor-
ing P. Rixford.
Thomas E. Haven. Charles f. Naylor.
Real estate boards. G. Buckbee, A. ]. Rich,
J. R. Howell.
Merchants association-By Mauzy, George
O. BoarCman, G. B. McDougall