The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, January 26, 1898, Page 14

14 THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, WED! NESDAY, JANUARY 206, 1898 O’SULLIVAN WILL HAVETO TRY AGAIN His Grand Jury Re- port Does Not Pan Out Well. Were His Sensational Al- legations Inspired by Malice ? Explanations Throw Light on | the Motive of His Charges. ARCHITECT SHEA TALKS. Interesting Results of an Investigation of a Suppressed Grand Jury Report. Architect Frank Shea and the mem- | bers of the City Hall Commission are indignant at the sensational statements of Contractor D. O’Sullivan, formulated by him while a ber of the former Grand Jury, which plainly charge rob- bery and bbery in the construction of the City Hall dome. Their expla- nations, supported by the records of the commission, rather extinguish the glimmering light in which Mr. Sulli- van posed as a coming City Hall St. George, about to slay the dragon of corruption. “The so-called ‘suppressed report’ made to the former Grand Jury said Mr. Shea yesterday, “Is wholly inac- curate as to detail, and was inspire by vindictivene Mr. O'Sullivan About the time he was it the Mayor received information that a private on of scandalous import was progress on behalf of the Grand 1d like advice was received by one on the outside. The matter wa its auth in brought to the attention of the com- mission, and they at once instructed the secretary to formally invite the Grand Jury to a full and thorough in- quiry, p ng at the same time ever possible . The invitation ==~ not heeded, nor was Mr ° private report - Jurv ~ . U'Sull- ’ n failed 0 & subcont for which he bid. the plastering. y afterward he got on the Gr: It seems that Rudgear endeav- ored to befrie O'Sullivan. “His bid,” said Mr. sand dolla but I to ear, “‘was a thou- excess of the lowest, him that if he would pare it down as closely as possible he might secur: the subcontract, smuch as I would look to him for a good class of workmanship. He came within $600 of the low bid, and then I offered to make the contract with him. He ob- Jected to signing it on account of a clause which was embodied in all my subcontracts, because it is in my con- tract with the city This clause has cost me several thousand dollars, I'll admit; but I have taken great pride in the work and gone to every lergth to satisfy the commission. I would not let a subcontract without a similar agreement, and the result was that Mr. O’Sullivan angrily declined to take the work. The objectionable clause was as fol- lows: 13 In case it should be found, during the progress of the contract, that any work or any portion of any of the work or material included in the contract can, without prej dice to the bulliing, be omltted; or, 1f con- sidered desirable for any other reason, t contractor shall, on recefving the written o der of the omit any k or m: s and such omission, i ny wise vitiate or put an end’ to the contract, but the value of the same shall be ascertained and fixed by the architect, according to fair and current rates and prices, and the amount thereof be deduct- ed and kept back from the contract amount, or from any installment or balance due or be- coming due to the contractor on account of the contract The protective purport of this agree. ment requires little elucidation. , Its plain intent is to leave the commission and their architect masters of the con- struction, both in the matter of pro- curing the best class of materials and in modifying the plans for architec tural betterment. While the law does provide that no alterations shall be made in the plans between the time bids are made and contracts entered into, for the obvious purpose of pre- venting collusion, it authorizes modifi- cations subsequent to the date of con- tract, manifestly to afford scope for complete control of the materials used and for those architectural improve- ments which inevitably become expe- dient in raising great structures practical progress is made. It is in keeping with the latter power that the commission imposed on the San Fran- cisco Novelty and Plating Company the agreement quoted, which Mr. O’Sullivan found to be obnoxious when he was about to enter into a sub-con- tract. The specific scandal in Mr. O'Sulli- van's report, to which he points as proof positive of willful evasion of the law, in that certain contract specifica- tions were omitted or changed, looks ugly until the law and the records have been investigated. It has been pointed out already that the commission is fully empowered to change the plans and specifications during the perform- ance of the contract, provided that thereby the contract be not vitiated. They are further required, in making | such modifications, to convert the ma- terials to have been used to other uses, or to apply the sums of money repre- sented to improvements not contem- plated in the original plans. That is to say, when the architect found that an economy of iron or ornament could be made in one place ,and used advan- tageously in another, the commission, if satisfied with the recommendation, 80 ordered. If, again, he discovered that a certain specification was either unnecessary or undesirable with rela- tion to the original plans, and that in the plans and foreseen improvement, found to be necessary of desirable, had been un- provided for, he advised the omission of the one‘and the substitution of the other Under the law the contractor is vrotected to the full amount of his specifications an un- | BATTERY PRIVATE JOHN M. JONES IS HER®." SAVES SEVEN SOLDIERS | FROM HORRIBLE DEATHS. P4 o = ) - Scocococee° Battery I of the regular army has a hero in the person of Private John | M. Jones. 008000000, To the courage and quickness of Private Jones seven men owe their lives. | The people of t tive occasion. ‘With hi contained fifty pounds often make brave men grow gray. State owe him a de Day from a disaster that would have cast a cloud of s bare hands he extinguished a fire in a smgldering bag that of powder during twenty-one guns was being fired at Lime Point. stant, but it was one of those brief periods of time that se The event ca bt of gratitude, for he saved Jubilee rrow upon the fes- the Jubilee salute of 1l happened in an in- em an age and that in this w: the time Tt about Lieutenant Charles W. Foster of Battery I, stationed at Lime Point, was detailed to take charge of the firing of the salute fr m the Marin shore, and with him were Sergeant M. L. Mitchell and Privates Dav Dunigan, Seigle, Morley, Winters, the gunner, and Jones. The squad loaded one of the big fifteen-inch guns w unds of black powder. The priming wire was ith fifty po driven down #* 5-tho pe he st friction primer put in place. At the signal as silent. Three times this was usion that the vent hole had rge, which was sewed up in a by screwing a worm, fast- ! mg the bag out. This took the 3 n, Seigle and Morley, for the d every man turned pale in next moment. The last instant the whole charge was bes... «ne smoldering bag and with he - wu edges. The danger past, the brave fellow and touched his cap in salute to his superior officer. beads of perspiration stood out on his forehead, but not with fear. The faces smothered the burning wool before it could -u 1o make sure he plastered some damp earth into the arose, stepped back to his place His face was white and | of those he had saved were even whiter and for a moment no one spoke. Then all broke out in thanks and praise for the noble act that had saved | their lives, officers and privates alike. As soon as the soldlers recovered their nerves the charge was again placed in the big gun and fired, and the roar was heard for miles. those whose life Jones saved said: “If it had not be One of n for Jomes’ presence of mind and bravery every man of us would have been blown into atoms in an- other second, nd all that there would have been dismounted gun and a big hole in the ground. left would have been a There was no chance to es- cape, and if the fire had reached the powder it would have been all day with us—and the salute. I have read of deeds of valor and rare presence of mind, but this has no equal, and all the boys in the battery have voted Jones the bravest man in the service.” Jones’ bravery was the talk of the enlisted men yesterday at all of the The hero bears his praises modestly and keeps his blistered hands out of sight as much as possible. years of age and has been in the service only two years. stations around the bay. He is only twenty-four | Jomes is a native of Rogersville, Tenn. He has been in Battery I for eigh- teen months. | which we, 1 | on Thurs | lector Jac | partment metal placed in ribs of lower dome for support of glass. “15. Washing outer dome—$250. This work would have been worth not to ex- ceed $50.” Tt was omitted, because not deemed necessary, and the money applied on the cost of cleaning down of dome from top to bottom. 16, Fire alarm_ station, upper dome— $3000.” Cost would have been $2000. Omit- ted, and amount applied to paying for marble bases substituted for iron in wainscoting throughout. “17. White metal copper-plated orna- ments between columns of second floor of rotunda—$150.” ~ Ornaments omitted to enable application of sum to changing basis and rail for this floor from castiron to white metal, copper electroplated. and entrance to basement— was for outer opening to doned because of fear that _make the place an objection- able public resort, and the sum was used lacing fron ' staircas landing of dome, © - CoTc 2Pproaching It is manifest that if Mr. O'Sullivan takes his charges before the present Grand Jury he will have to be more cautious as to the detalls of his allega- tions. 18. Stairs Th ; ak it would m, —_— THE MASTER HORSESHOERS. They Adopt a New Constitution and Set of By-Laws. The Master Horseshoers’ Assocfation is NOW gettng to be a solid, substantial fixture, and at last night's meeting the work of adopting a constitution and set of by-laws was commenced. The objects of the organization, as stat- ed in the preamble, are to “rescue our trade from the conditions into which it has fallen; to raise ourselves in soclety to mecha; are justly en- titied; place ourselves on a founda- tion sufficiently strong to secure us from to further encroachments, and to elevate our lqdmr in the city .and county of San Francisco. To the consummation of such desirable objects we do pledge our- selves to unceasing effort.” The by-laws provide that acandidate for membership must be ctical me chanie, of good moral ter and a master horseshoer, and that any member wt be guilty shall be hecome a habitual drunkard or o ny acts whereby he may be punished fn a court of justice, or defraud any member of the association, shall be expelled The committee which has been quietly fgating the shop at the Presidio re hat the ) out- rnment blacksmiths on, and that when they | an interview with the authorities v_were refused an audience. An ef- fort will be made to have this evil abated through other rees. A ommit appointed to choose er h; for a meeting place, the present one being In many ways unsatis- factory nd when the new hall is se. - instead of w Templar Reception. The drill corps of California Command- ery will give one of its popular receptions , January 27, in Na- tiv ms’ @ son_street. The entertainment will consist of literary ex- ercises, vocal and instrumental music and a drill by the corps, which will be plemen d by a novel foil exercise by :rt members, illustrating art- 5. t the conclusion of the oor will be cleared for which light refreshments Walter B. Rogers, famous New York city, and leader of 3 -famed Seventh Regi- ment Band, will be present and give sev- eral of his choice solos. —_——————— Vice-Consul of Ecuador. The Treasury Department notified Col- n yesterday that Louis F. d been recognized by the De- of 8 as_ Vice-Consul of Lastreto h; ite | Ecuador at the port of San Francisco. P SSS—— Low's Horehound Cough Syrup for | coughs and colds; 10c. 417 Sansome st. * will be held bi-monthly, | DESPERATE ROBBERS OUTWITTED TwoHighwaymen At- tempt to Rob a Saloon. Fight Between Them and the Bartender and Proprietor. The Proprietor, W. H. Davies, Struck Over the Head ‘With a Sandbag. ROBBERSHADTO RETREAT. Police Notified of the Affair, but So Far No Arrests Have Been Made. One of the boldest and most desper- | ate attempts at robbery every record- ed In this city was committed early yesterday morning in the saloon owned by W. H. Davies on the corner of Haight and Gough streets, known as “Burke’s old saloon.” About 2 o'clock two men entered the saloon and asked for Fred Hanson, the | bartender, who was alone at the bar, for two glasses of whisky. Hanson | served them, and after drinking the li- quor one of the men asked to be shown | the toilet room. Hanson directed him | to it, and after he left the other man asked to be allowed to use the tele- phone. The saloon extends from Market street through to Rose avenue, a pas- | sage extending through from the bar with boxes on each side. About_ the | center of the boxes is the telephone room. Hanson told the man that the | proprietor was in the telephone room, | but he would go with him to ask him | to allow the stranger to use the instru- | ment. They went together, and on reaching the telephone room Mr. Da- | vies was leaning back on a chalr doz- ing. Hanson said: “Mr. Davies, this | man wants to use the telephone.” He | | had scarcely got the words out of his | mouth when the stranger grabbed hold of him and threw him into the room | against Davies. Hanson recovered | himself immediately and jumped for | the stranger, divining his intention. There was a fierce struggle between the two men and the stranger all the | time attempted to use a revolver which | he had hurriedly drawn from his pocket. In the struggle the revolver fell from his hand and alighted at Da- vies’ feet who had not up to this time | comprehended distinctly what was go- NEW TO-DAY. FRENCH DRESS PATTERNS! TWO SPECIAL BARGAINS! B e e NOVELTY FRENCH PIREOLA SUIT=- INGS, Brocatelle effects, all two- tone colorings, in eleven different combinations— $4— " _52 Pattern. FANCY FRENCH CHEVIOTS, all novelty weaves, goods measure full 48 inches in width, in new shades of Hunters, Leaf, Olive, Marine, Sevre's, Napoleon and Marie Louise. $6,00 Pattern. See exhibition of above goods in our show windows. TELEPHONE GRANT 124, Clorrnois ORPORAy, o 1892, 0 1, u3, 1us, 0T, 19, 121 POST STREET. as he stooped to pick up the revolver. | The other robber had by this time made his appearance, and as Davies stooped he was struck a violent blow over the head with a sandbag. The force of the blow burst the sahdbag and Davies was covered with sand and | slungshot. He was stunned for a | moment and then he fully realized that | | the two men were intending to rob | the cash register and himself. | He made for the sand-bagger and | meantime the bartender had succeed- |ed in throwing his antagonist down | and was holding onto him like grim | death. Before Davies could tackle his |man he had turned upon Hanson and thrown off the robber who jumped to| his feet and rushed out of the side door | leading to Gough street. The second | robber rushed along the passage way | | into the saloon, closely pursued by Da- | vies and the bartender. Each seized | a bottle and made for the robber who | had by this time reached the exit into | ‘Market street. He turned around at Ilng on. He remarked, “What’s this?” | i | | | contract by the duty imposed on the commission to apply what is subtract- ed in the one instance by the annul- ment or change of a specification to what is deemed to be expedient in the other under a new specification. The new specifications are drawn on the basis of average cost for materials as specified in the original contract cov- ering the entire structure. Thus it will be seen the architect and commission are given requisite latitude for per- fecting the work, while the contractor is bound to suffer no material loss on account of curtailment of contract | after he has agreed to complete the | as | | | same as above—$1500.” work for a specific sum. Mr. O'Sullivan’s alleged violation of the plans consists of eighteen items. The architect’s records show that he is in fault as to each and every one. Nor are the several amounts provided for in the several specifications correct. The facts are proved in detail to be as fol- lows: “1. Cast iron base in the three floors of the rotunda and grand stalrcase— $1400.”" These bases were changed to marble at a cost of $3400. 2. Sixteen iron columns, supporting lantern mounting inner glass dome— .”” Changed to steel at a cost of $200. “3. Thirty white metal capitals of columns in first and second floors of ro- tunda, to have bheen copper plated at three pounds per square foot and then electrically plated with gold—$7500.”" This sum is wrong. It was $3400. For a like amount heavy hammered pure copper was substituted. ‘4. Twenty-three white metal capitals of columns in grand stairca: copper lated at three pounds per sq e foot— I‘G')(l These are all present according to contract. “5. Ornamental belt on. top of the marble wainscoting of lower rotunda, to have been white metal, copper plate, Changed to heavy : cost. chandeliers pure copper; 8. ‘wen 2 in ro- tunda—$550.” ° All in place acording to contract, with an_additional one worth $100 in Mayor’s office for which no pro- vision had been made in the contract, and which the contractor gratuitously furnished. 7. Six standards on newels of staircase—$120.” Four omitted, with the value offset by wiring for and {Jrovldlng for twenty electric lights in ceiling and dome of grand staircase. “8. Two rooms over Mayor's office to hav been furred and = lathed—$100.” alse. “9. Two new windows ‘to have been put in over Mayor's office—$1%.” Not called for in contract. “10. Plaster cornices, with ornaments, in grand staircase—$150.” Changed to dome form, necessitating large amount of steel framing. “Il. Plaster cornices, with ornaments, in three floors of rotunda—$800.” Placed on two floors and removed after erection because of 11l effect architecturally. Ex- ist now on one fioor. *12. Two mantels in rooms over Mayor's office—$200." Omitted for want of neces- sary flues, and $200 applied to putting in targe oak door from an architrave at en- trance to main hall from rotunda. “13. Panels in grand staircase to have been imitation marble—250." Changed to imitation copper for architectural ef- fect. Cost about the same, and not $230, rand have ut . “14. Steel beams and straps in u dome—$1600.” Steel ams a'}e thergpletl; place. Straps omitted, but weight of SANDBAGG L R — ED IN A SALOON. The Proprietor and Bartender Only Succeeded by Desperate Resistance in Beating Off Their Ruffianly Assailants. | boat. Words led to blows, and when the smoke of battle cleared away one of the car windows was broken and both com- batants were more or less damaged. They vere arrested and booked at the Cit Prison on charges of disturbing the peace and malicious mischief. e Lieutenant Bennett Convalescent. Lieutenant G. W. B the Police Department, who wa sert- ously ill a few weeks now conva- lescent. He made his ance at the Potrero station ye for the first time for four we ind was warmly the door and presented a revolver at Davies and the bartender, threatening to shoot if they attempted to follow him farther. Nothing daunted they dashed for him, but he ran along Gough street and disappeared. The police were immediately notified and a thorough search of the neigh- orhood was made for the two robber: but no trace of them could be found. Davies and the bartender were able to give a good description of them, and the detectives who have been detalled on the case expect to have no difficul- ty in capturing them: A portion of the sandbag is in the hands of the police, which they think may help them in locating the two | .robbers. The robbers had been watching the place for over an hour, as they were seen by several people standing on the opposite corner, apparently waiting the chance when the saloon was empty of customers. “T feel sure,” said Davies vesterday, “that the robbers were familla® with the interior of the saloon, and they ex- pected that the bartender would be alone, as I don’t stay so long as a rule. The thing happened so quickly that I had scarcely time to realize what it was all about when it was | over. “The men were not masked, and that shows that they were either novices in | the business or strangers in the city. | I have a lump on my cheek, and I suppose I must have been struck on the face also by one of the robbers.” MEETING OF FLY~C7-\5TERS. Steelheads Reported as Running Freely in the Russian | River. | A meeting of the San Francisco Fly Casting club was held last night in the rooms of the Board of Fish Commission- ers, In _the Flood building. President ‘Walter D. Mansfleld was in the chair and | twenty members answered to the secre. tary’s rollcall. | | H. F. Muller was_re-elected Sunday | NEW TO-DAY. Woolen Blankets, Mackinaw Clothing, Extra Heavy Flannel Underwear and Overwear, Extra Heavy Sweaters, Woolen Mitts, Gloves, Socks, Corduroy Suits, Etc. The best in the world to re- sist cold, wear and hard usage. Ruw BROS. & CO: 121-123 Sansome St. & captain and C. G. Young was elected Saturday captain for the season of 155. H. G. W. Dinkelspiel was received into the club as a new member. The president announced that Captaln H. C. Benson, U. 8. A., will speak on “The Waters of | the Yosemite National Park” at the meeting of Tuesday, February . After the transaction of regular busi- ness the members indulged in an infor mal talk, and it developed that steelheads were running freely in the Russian River, The bar is now opened and some remark- ably fine catches were lately made. Tha fish were mostly caught in Austin pool, and very few were hooked in the big pool below the bridge: FRIENDS NO LONGER. Timothy Driscoll and Con Cronin | of the Potrero Agree to Disagree. Timothy Driscoll and Con Cronin live in the Potrero, and they were fast friends until Sunday. They agreed Sunday after- noon to row across the bay to Oakland, but they were foolish enough to indulge in frequent libations before they started. The result was that after they were about 100 yards from the shore the boat capsized, and they had to swim ashore. The cold bath had the effect of sobering them, but they started in again, and on | their way home late at night in an elec- | tric car each charged the other with trying to Arown him by capsizing the CASTORIA For Infants and Children. HEERXFREEERHRH FREREERERR ‘£ PERFECTION.. PREVALS : - CUISINE 2 SERVICE * —IN THE— ILADIES’ GRILL % PALACE. * * * % % | * * - | ¥ Direct Entrance from Market Street & | HEEXEEREXEXFXRRERERRRRXRRE KN DR.MCNULTY. 'l‘fll?l VELL-KNOWN AND RELIABLE OLD Spevialist cures Private, Nervous, Blood und Skin uses of Meii only. Manly Power restores end for Book, free. ms reasonable. y 'gs. Bundays, 1010 12. Consulta- donfree and sacredly confldentia’. Cuil or address P. ROSCOE MeNULTY, M. D., 26} Hearny Street. San Francisco. Cal viste DR, JORDAN'S 6reat Museum of Anatomy 1051 XARZET ST. bet. 6th & 7th, 8. F. Cal. The Largestof its kindin the World, DR. 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