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237634 |
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NOT TO BE TAKEN |
FROM THE LIBRARY |
Form No. 37-5M-9-24-C.P.
ESP
SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC LIBRARY
3 1223 90187 2508
SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC LIBRARY
3 1223 04140 4147
UMENTS
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Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2013
http://archive.org/details/annualreportbu19151920san
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
Bureau of Engineering
City and County of San Francisco
FOR THE
FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1916
M. M. O'SHAUGHNESSY CITY ENGINEER
Neal Publishing Co., 66 Fremont Street, San Francisco
237634
REPORT OF BUREAU OF ENGINEERING
FISCAL YEAR 1915-1916
San Francisco, July 1, 1916.
To the Honorable, the Board of Public Works.
of the City and County of San Francisco.
Gentlemen: — Herewith is transmitted the annual report of the Bureau of Engineering for the fiscal year 1915-1916.
In accordance with the policy of developing an adequate boulevard system with the greatest commercial and scenic possibilities, much work has been ex- pended in improving main avenues for vehicle traffic.
Railroad Avenue has been paved and graded so that when the new pave- ment shortly to be constructed on Third Street is completed, it will be possible to travel through the Industrial district on a smoothly paved boulevard 100 feet wide from Third and Market Streets to the County line.
Negotiations for the Hunter's Point road have been advanced and specifica- tions prepared. This thoroughfare should be constructed during the coming year.
Twin Peaks boulevard has been practically completed. This Avenue ascends on an easy grade to an elevation of 830 feet and encircles the Twin Peaks near their summits. From it is afforded a view of the City and its picturesque sur- roundings unequaled on the Peninsula.
On the North Bay shore, one section of Camino del Mar, extending from Fort Miley to Lincoln Park along the cliffs above Bakers Beach into the Pre- sidio Reservation, has been completed. For this construction the Panama Pacific Exposition contributed $56,000, and the City approximately $30,000, for rights of way. An extension of this boulevard into the Presidio has been assured by the Federal government. It can then serve both as a military road, affording ready access between Fort Miley and the Presidio, and also as a scenic drive from which an unexcelled close view of the harbor entrance is obtainable.
The first unit of the Esplanade along the Ocean Beach has been completed and the second unit is well under way. When this Esplanade is extended for the total length of the Great Highway from the Cliff House to Sloat Boulevard. San Francisco's Beach will excel in appearance any of the ocean fronts for which Southern California is famous.
To correct some of the mistakes in our rectangular street plan, several ex- cessive grades have been reduced, notably on Hayes Street, Cumberland Street. Collingwood Street and at Larkin and Francisco Streets. All of these thorough- fares were formerly practically unusable by vehicles but since being regraded are readily accessible.
During the past fiscal year more pavements have been constructed in San Francisco under public assessment than in any other single period of the City- history, including:
2 BUREAU OF ENGINEERING
Asphalt 381,523 sq. yds. at cost of $730,541
Bituminous Rock 21,520 " " " " 46,191
Basalt Block 18,814 " " " " 64,434
Vitrified Brick 18,828 63,083
Broken Rock 29,173 " " " " 22,692
Cobblestone - 2,395 ,; " " " 5,039
Total 472,253 " " " >l $931,980
In June, 1915, bids were invited for furnishing and delivering track and special work for the Church Street Railway, including the material for laying tracks on Market Street. Since that date this line has been completed from Thir- tieth to Sixteenth and Church Streets. The City Engineer recommended that an agreement be reached with the United Railroads pending the settlement of tin- City's right to tracks on Market Street, whereby the Church Street line could be placed in operation immediately upon completion. This recommendation was not acted upon by the Board of Supervisors, with the result that the tracks on Church Street will be idle for an indefinite period.
Contract has been awarded for the extension of the Potrero Avenue line from Twenty-fifth Street to Army Street, the estimated cost of the extension being $10,000. •
Bids were invited for furnishing steel rail for track through the Twin Peaks Tunnel, and contract has been awarded for the same.
Over 4300 feet of the Twin Peaks bore have been completed during the past fiscal year. The underground station at Laguna Honda is practically finished and only 4800 lineal feet remain to be completed. As the remaining portion con- tains no structural difficulties and is in a formation easy to excavate, it is ex- pected that the entire tunnel will be completed before the end of the month of May, 1917.
A Strauss-Bascule bridge is being constructed across Channel Street water- way at Fourth Street, and the bridge over the channel at Third Street has been repaired, so that the newly developed industrial section to the east will be amply provided with avenues of approach.
Work on the main sewers during the past year was confined to the com- pletion of Mile Rock Tunnel and Bakers Beach outlet ; the construction of com- bined sewers in South Bay View District, Oakdale Avenue, San Bruno Avenue and Sloat Boulevard. In the Islais Creek District, a drainage channel was dug along the proposed route of a large reinforced concrete sewer, to reduce to a minimum the danger of floods from winter rains, from which some damage was done last winter.
Work on the Hetch Iletchy project has been materially advanced during 1915-1916. The 67-mile railroad extending from the junction of the Sierra Rail- way at Rosasco to Hetch Hetchy dam site, is being rushed and should be com- pleted before next spring; a diversion tunnel, through which the Tuolumne River will be by-passed around the main dam site,, has been finished; a large propor- tion of the timber needed for construction purposes has been prepared at the City's sawmill; roads have been built to all portions of the work; a power plant, at which will be generated the electricity for the various construction camps, is being built; the bottom of Hetch Hetchy reservoir has been cleared of timoer so that it can be flooded during the coming winter, when the diversion dam, now under construction, will be completed.
Practically all of the application maps required in the Raker Bill have been filed. Application for power line location still remains to be made, but this will be done before December of the present year.
BUREAU OF ENGINEERING 3
During the past fiscal year, the Department of Surveys established 2505 bench marks; made 1767 surveys for public and private contracts, street repairs, public buildings, etc.; made 40 surveys of lots for private owners; surveyed 637!) blocks and crossings, or a total of 692 miles. Fees collected and turned over to the City Treasurer by this department amounted to $20,623.25.
Instruments have been added to the Engineering Testing Laboratory so that it is now one of the most completely equipped laboratories on the Pacific Coast. In it were tested samples of all material used in City construction, including asphalt, brick, cement, concrete, steel, iron, paints, oils, and water, the total number of tests for the year being 8329.
Following is a detailed report of the various divisions included in Bureau of Engineering.
Respectfully submitted,
M. M. O'SHAUGHNESSY,
City Engineer.
BUREAU OF ENGINEERING
BOULEVARDS.
The economic value of an adequate system of boulevards lias not been recog- nized in San Francisco until recent years. No large city in the United States was so poorly provided with road approaches, and the condition of the main thoroughfare, within the City itself, was not a matter of civic pride.
In outlining a Boulevard System, numerous factors had to be considered. Adequate approaches from the southern end of the Peninsula had to be provided, direct lines of communication between the principal districts of the City estab- lished, and suitable routes, from which the desirable features of the City could be viewed, had to be chosen.
Pursuant to the policy of developing to the utmost the City's commercial and scenic possibilities, the Boulevard System has recently been extended.
To provide for the manufacturing district, Railroad Avenue has been paved with asphalt and all excessive grades eliminated. This thoroughfare connects with San Mateo on the south by means of the San Bruno Road, on which paving is now almost completed as far as the County Line. On the north, Railroad Avenue joins with and practically merges into Third Street near the intersection of the latter thoroughfare with Islais Creek. Third Street will soon have a smooth pavement from this junction to its northerly terminus, so that it will be possible to travel through the industrial region on a smoothly paved boulevard 100 ft. wide from Third and Market Streets to the County Line. This route will materially shorten the distance to San Mateo.
Extending easterly from Railroad Avenue along Evans Avenue, a new roadway has been planned to reach Hunters Point drydock. The route will be along Evans Avenue as far east as Ingalls Street; thence on an easy curve to the intersection of Fairfax Avenue and Hawes Street; thence along the last named thoroughfare to Innes Avenue, which will form a portion of the roadway for a distance of four blocks to Donahue Street; thence along' Donahue Street to Galvez Avenue, to Coleman Street; thence diagonally to Alvord Street, the en- trance to the California Dry Dock Company's property.
Specifications for the pavement of this roadway have been prepared and arrangements made by which the entire thoroughfare will shortly be constructed, the City paying a portion of the cost, and the remainder to be assessed to the owners of adjacent property.
For many years the industrial district, which will be served by this road, has been absolutely neglected, and many manufacturing enterprises have been forced to seek accommodations in transbay cities or further' south along the Peninsula, because there were no adequate roadway approaches to the industrial sites along the east shore of the Bay, which is naturally a manufacturing district. Already the Union Iron Works is building a dock which will be 1,000 ft. long, 120 ft. wide, and cost over $2,000,000, and reached by this roadway.
The Twin Peaks Boulevard now rapidlj nearing completion, starts at the intersection of St. Germain and Burnett Avenues, ascends to and encircles near their summits, the two hills known as Twin Peaks at an elevation of 830 ft.; and thence descends to terminate in Corbett Avenue at a point about 900 ft. distant from the westerly boundary line of the San Miguel Rancho.
The roadway consists of an asphalt pavement 25 ft. wide with a 7 ft, 6 in. rock shoulder adjoining it on each side, giving a total width of 40 ft. The I lavement is composed of a concrete base 6 in. in thickness, covered by a binder course 1% in. thick and a 1 in. asphaltic wearing surface. Before constructing any pavement, the subgrade was thoroughly compacted by rolling with a 12-ton road roller.
Surface drainage is carried off by 12 in. corrugated steel culverts, encased in concrete, underlying the roadway at required points. Water collecting in side ditches is discharged into concrete inlets and thence through the culverts.
BI/KEAU OF EXGIXEERIXU
6 BUREAU OF ENGINEERING
A guard rail consisting of two 2 in. by 6 in. surfaced pine rails nailed to 6 in. by 6 in. surfaced redwood posts 8 ft. apart was constructed in the shoulder adjoining the fill side of the roadway.
The contract for the construction of that section of the boulevard extending from St. Germain Avenue through the City Reservoir site was awarded on June 25, 1915, to Eaton & Smith for the estimated sum of $24,058.
This portion of the boulevard is approximately 2,800 ft. long and its con- struction necessitated the excavation by steam shovel of approximately 30,000 cubic yards of rock and earth, the construction of 70,000 square feet of pavement and 2,730 lineal feet of guard rail.
The maximum grade on this section of the boulevard is 9% and the sharpest curve has a radius of 60 ft. The roadway on curves is super-elevated to insure safe and easy riding, the maximum super-elevation on the curve mentioned being 14 in.
One of the most notable features of this unit of the boulevard is a curve forming a full semi-circle or horseshoe with a center line radius of 68 ft. To eliminate accidents on this curve, 3,000 cubic yards of rock were excavated in the interior core within the horseshoe to give a clear and unobstructed view across the same.
Work under this contract was completed April 1, 1916, and the roadway thrown open to traffic immediately.
The contract for the second section of the Twin Peaks Boulevard extending from the City Reservoir site to Corbett Avenue was awarded on September 20, 1915, to P. R. Ritchie & Co. for the estimated sum of $54,745.
This unit of the boulevard is about 7,900 ft. long, 6,820 ft. of same being built on an acquired right of way. The contract included the excavation of approximately 63,000 cubic yards of rock and earth and the construction of 202,121 square feet of pavement, 960 lineal feet of 12 in. culvert and 8,000 lineal feet of guard rail.
Excavation was performed by a steam shovel. For fills the excavated ma- terial was placed in the piles by means of scrapers and dump wagons and thence rolled in layers by a 12-ton road roller. One of the fills underlying the roadway is 60 ft. deep. The surface of the side hills underlying the fills was thoroughly plowed before placing any material for fill.
The maximum grade on this section is 9 per cent and the sharpest curve has a radius on the center line of 60 feet. >The roadway has a uniform crown of 2% in. and it is super-elevated on all curves.
The boulevard encircles the two peaks at approximately the 825 ft. contour, giving a closed loop resembling the figure 8, the distance around same being ::.17:i lineal feet.
A magnificent view of the City of San Francisco and surroundings may be obtained from any point on this loop. Work under this contract is now prac- tically completed.
Another boulevard recently constructed is the Camino del Mar, extending from Fort Miley to Lincoln Park, along the cliffs above Bakers Beach into the Presidio Reservation near Lobos Creek, a length of 1,665 ft. This boulevard will serve as a military road, for which reason $30,000 was donated by the Federal government for extending the same through the Presidio Reservation to connect with the McDowell Drive. Eventually the road will be extended to con- nect with the Marina on the north shore of the Bay, and from Fort Miley south- erly to join the Ocean Beach Esplanade, the construction of which is described in detail later in this report. The Panama Pacific Exposition contributed $56,000 for paving and the City $30,000 for acquiring rights of way in this project.
BUBEAU OE ENGINEERING
BUREAU OF ENGINEERING
From Camino del Mar, an excellenl view of the inner bay and Marin hills is obtainable, and the picturesque scenery along the route is impressive alike to resident and tourist.
A portion of the boulevard system is now in course of construction along the Ocean Beach. Eventually the Esplanade will be extended as far south its the Sloat Boulevard and an additional road will lead from its terminus around Lake Merced. At the present, one section of the Esplanade protection wall is being constructed and the contract for the second section has been awarded.
A scenic road around Telegraph Hill has been planned by the Bureau of Engineering and a small appropriation was requested of the Board of Super- visors which would enable the purchase of some of the lands necessary for its construction. Work on the Telegraph Hill Boulevard should be started durijig the fiscal year 1916-1917, which would permanently prevent the hill from the inroads of quarrymen.
Work will soon be started on the paving of Clarendon Avenue from Clayton Street southerly to connect these two completed sections around Twin Peaks with the already constructed boulevards leading southerly from Haight Street around Buena Vista Park.
Construction work has been completed on Plan No. 1 of the Market Street Extension, CorbeM Avenue between 24th Street and the San Miguel Rancho. This consists of a 20 ft. roadway with two 7 V2 ft. shoulders, similar in construction to the Twin Peaks Boulevard described above.
The following tabulation shows the progress made on the principal units of the Boulevard System (luring the last fiscal year: —
June HO, 1915
June 30, 1916
1 .1 umpero Serra Blvds.
2 Sloat Boulevard :; Portola Drive
4 Market Street Exten- sion (Corbett Ave. Plan No. 1)
:> Market St. Extension (Plan No. 2)
6 19th Ave. Boulevard Pai
7 Ocean Boulevard
8 San Bruno Extension
9 The (Ire;, I Highway
and Esplanade in Twin Peaks Blvd.
1 1 Hunters Point Blvd.
12 Telegraph Hill Blvd.
13 Marina Boulevard
14 Twin Peaks Exten-
Completed
75% completed
Completed
Preliminary studies being made
Completed
Finished save portion in Presidio, funds for which Congress re- cently appropriated
Completed
Sect. "A" 500 ft. long 65% completed
Both units completed
Proposed
15 Clarendon Ave., Clay- ton to St. Germain
Contract awarded
BUREAU OF ENGINEERING
10 BUREAU OF ENGINEERING.
BEBNAL CUT.
As outlined a year ago, this improvement is badly needed but its acquisition will have to be deferred until provision has been made to finance the purchase of right of way and cost of construction work.
OCEAN BEACH ESPLANADE.
The first section of Ocean Beach Esplanade now under construction on the west shore of the City just south of the Cliff House by J. D. Hannah, Contractor, was started January 10, 1916. The structure is planned primarily for beach protection, having a front wall formed by driving interlocking concrete piling to depth of 13 ft. below extreme low tide. These piles were precast, are 10 in. thick, 4 ft. wide and 20 ft. long and when in position form a reinforced concrete curtain wall 10 in. thick extending north and south. 28 ft. to the east of this outer line of sheet piles are located pedestal piles 18 in. square with 3 ft. square bulb and 2'4% ft. in length and spaced at 10 ft. centers. Between these two rows of piles are placed heavy reinforced beams 20 in. by 43 in. by 27% ft. weighing 13 tons, which form the main ties, and by means of keyways support the intermediate slabs of concrete. These beams are placed on 20 ft. centers ex- cept at stair sections where they are at 10 ft. centers. The space between beams is concreted to form a heavy reinforcing slab, 5 bleacher seats and 3 stringers for additional support. The stringers have a cross section 16 in. by 18 in. The entire section between the beams has a solid bearing on sand and 18 in. of packed clay. The minimum thickness of this bleacher section is 12 in. The last bleacher riser develops into a rollway and this rollway ends at top of and forms part of a 3% ft. parapet wall with returns at either side of each stairway section. Behind the parapet is a 20 ft. sidewalk with scrupper holes to release wave water, and 6 in. concrete curb and gutter.
Over the front row of sheet piles is a heavy reinforced concrete slab 4 ft. thick and 6 ft. wide which caps the piles and forms a main support for lower ends of beams and intermediate slabs. At the upper end of beams, bearing on pedestal piles is a similar cap which ties the upper portion of slab and structure together. Expansion joints are provided and likewise drinking fountains and electric light connections.
All sheet piles, H beams and pedestal piles were precast, allowed to season for 40 days and then put into position. Most of the precast work was done on the bank above the beach and hauled to position on cars over a construction track. Some were cast on the beach and handled directly by derrick. All piles were driven by 4 water jets and steam hammers.
Two jets of 2 in. pipe reduced to % in. at discharge end were used on each side of sheet piles and one at each corner of bulb on pedestal piles and in both cases were so located that they discharged, about 1% ft. below the bottom of pile.
Water for jetting was supplied by the Olympic Salt Water Co. under static pressure of 130 pounds and nozzle pressure of 40 pounds per jet. Consumption of water by jetting process was approximately 100 cubic feet per minute. The steam hammer was made useful by the fact that the summer beach level is 8 ft. above required grade on sheet piles, and if placed to required grade by jets, it would be impossible to interlock the next pile. Therefore, 10 or 11 sheet piles were placed to sand grade and then with hammer and jets were driven to the required grade, one sheet pile always remaining at sand level to start next pile. Pedestal piles were jetted to required grade without the use of hammer. All jetting was accomplished without very great difficulty. Eloating boulders, espe- eially at the north end of the contract, gave some trouble, making it necessary to excavate 8 feet to winter beach level and then remove boulders.
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12 BUBEAU OF ENGINEERING
On all precast work the concrete mix was 1-1% -3. The concrete on balance of work will be 1-2-4, the same being used throughout.
At present the driving of all piling is complete, H beams are in place and graded, and sheet piles poured. Bleacher section forms are in place and tamping of sand and clay under bleacher slab is in progress. Over 250 lineal feet of bleachers have been poured. Contract will be completed with the possible excep- tion of sidewalk and backfill by August 1.
Contract for the second unit of the esplanade was awarded in July, 1916, to J. D. Hannah for $23,148.90. This provides for an addition of 170 lineal feet of structure identical with that described above, so that by November 1, 1916, 670 ft. of structure will be completed. It is to be hoped that in the forthcoming budget enough money will be appropriated to complete this deserving project as far south as the chalet pile structure built some years ago.
REGRADES.
On account of the excellent landscape views obtainable from their slopes, some of San Francisco's hills are extremely desirable as residence sites. Unfor- tunately, however, little thought was given to topography by the surveyor who first laid out the City in 1848. One set of streets was run parallel to the meridian, and another at right angles thereto. The fact that this gridiron plan would later necessitate grades as steep as 55 per cent on some streets and thereby greatly de- tract from the value of adjoining property, apparently was overlooked until many years later.
To eliminate, at a minimum cost, as many as possible of these excessive grades has been the policy of the City Engineer's office. No standard plan has been adopted to suit every grade, but a separate study is made of each case, and the improvement best adapted thereto recommended.
At the request of the property owners affected, the. grade of Larkin Street between Chestnut and Francisco Streets has recently been reduced from 29 per cent to a maximum of 16 per cent. The cost of this improvement is being paid by the owners having frontage on the streets to be regraded. On Larkin Street $16.31 per front foot will be assessed against the property on each side of the street, and on Francisco Street the rate will be $20.29 per front foot. Present property values on both these streets are now in the neighborhood of $115 per front foot. The regrade will advance this value to over $250.
For a width of 28 ft. the east side of Larkin Street between Chestnut and Francisco Streets has been cut down to descend on a uniform 16.07 per cent grade. On this incline is an 18 ft. vitrified brick roadway and a 10 ft. artificial stone sidewalk. This strip is separated from the west side of the street by a reinforced concrete retaining wall, and near the bottom of the hill turns westward into the southerly side of Francisco Street. The west side of Larkin Street has been graded to a higher elevation than the east side, and descends on grades varying from 4.37 to 10.92 per cent, for a distance of 157.5 ft., where its vitri- fied brick roadway 28.25 ft. wide terminates in a parked slope. At its termination the west roadway is 12 ft. higher than the east roadway directly opposite. The sidewalk continues down the west side in a series of steps to the level of the easterly strip at Francisco Street.
Turning westerly, the steeper strip continues to descend on a 16 per cent grade along the south side of Francisco Street for a distance of 127.5 ft., separated from the north side of the street by a reinforced concrete retaining wall. Around the westerly end of this .wall the roadway turns through 180 degrees, descending easterly along the noivtlr 'side of Francisco Street on a 3.6 per cent grade, back to Larkin Street, into which it turns northerly.
By this detour a roadway suitable for automobile traffic lias been provided from the North Beach District to the higher levels on the south, and some very
BUREAU OF ENGINEERING
14 BUREAU OF ENGINEERING
desirable hillside home sites, now inaccessible and undeveloped, opened for immediate settlement.
Contract for this construction was awarded to F. Rolandi at an estimated cost of approximately $30,000. The construction will be completed in the imme- diate future.
The entire expense of this work is being paid for voluntarily by the property owners, without any appeal to the municipal treasury. They co-operated with this office in the most friendly manner to adjust the problems connected with this work.
HAYES STREET REGRADE.
This improvement has recently been completed and consisted of cutting the roadway down between curb lines for a maximum of 15 ft., thereby establishing a 10.909% grade between Scott and Pierce Streets in lieu of the 14.54% grade previously existing, and lowering the intersection of Pierce and Hayes Streets an average of 14 ft. Retaining walls at the curb lines form the sides of the cut, stair- ways being provided at intervals connecting the street with the sidewalks on the upper level. Sewers and public service pipes were placed under the sidewalks. The Hayes Street electric car line which formerly detoured at Fillmore Street to reach the district west of this regrade now continues directly over Hayes Street through the new cut, effecting considerable saving in time and power. On this work 11,500 cubic yards of excavation was done by the Street Railway Company while the City paid $16,000 for the balance of the improvement.
Bids are about to be received for the improvement of Cumberland Street, Sanchez to Noe Streets, and Sanchez Street, 19th to 20th Streets, and proceedings have been started for the improvement of Leavenworth Street, Chestnut to Hyde Street.
Collingwood Street, 20th to 22nd Streets, and 21st Street and 22nd Street between Castro and Diamond Streets, are to be treated shortly to improvements that will tend to make accessible this very precipitous district.
Other projects of a similar nature are: —
Bartol Street, Vallejo and Broadway, Kearny and Montgomery Streets;
Caselli Avenue, Falcon and Eagle;
Caselli Avenue, Clayton, Corbett, Mars.
MUNICIPAL RAILWAYS. CHURCH STREET ROAD
Article XII of the new Charter of the City and County of San Francisco which became effective January 8, 1900, declares it to be the intention of the people that its public utilities shall be gradually acquired and ultimately owned by the City and County of San Francisco.
With particular regard to the ownership and operation of its street railway system, this policy may be considered to have been ratified by the people when on December 30, 1909, at a special election they voted $2,020,000 of bonds for the construction of the Geary Street Railway, the franchise for the old Geary Street Cable Road having expired in 1903. With this money the Geary Street Municipal Railway was constructed and operation from Kearny Street to the Beach and Park commenced on December 28, 1912; on June 24, 1913, operation was extended to the Ferries.
The Panama-Pacific Exposition a little later made imperative the immediate expansion of the Municipal Railway System to provide transportation to and from the fair grounds. The site selected for the Exposition, while ideal in some
BUREAU OF ENGINEERING 15
respects, was somewhat inaccessible and presented a serious problem in the matter of street transportation. The only lines running anywhere near the Exposition were the Fillmore Hill and the Polk Street Lines of the United Railroads and the Union Street Line. The exposition directors, City officials and Railway officials were impressed with the need for action and gave the matter early and serious consideration. In addressing the Board of Supervisors on the subject on Feb- ruary 5, 1913, C. C. Moore, President of the Exposition Company, said: "I do not think we are saying too much when we say that the burden of supplying ade- quate street railway transportation to the Exposition belongs to the City and nut to us. We want to tell you how desperate this is, how utterly and completely inade- quate the present facilities are. * * * With no street car facilities to the Exposition Grounds our $100,000,000 structure, built by our pride and our patriotism, so far from fruition, will be a sad thing to contemplate."
At the same meeting, Mr. Mullaly, Exposition Director, and Vice President of the United Railroads, stated most emphatically that "The United Railroads will not build one foot of additional street railroad under present charter condi- tions."
Confronted with these conditions, upon the request of the Directors of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, the Board of Supervisors by resolution directed the Board of Public Works to have the City Engineer submit plans and estimates of cost of a Municipal Railway System designed to furnish to the Panama-Pacific Exposition an adequate street railway service and at the same time form a nucleus for a desirable Municipal Railway System.
In accordance with this resolution the City Engineer on April 5, 1913, sub- mitted to the Board of Public Works for transmittal to the Supervisors, a report upon the extensions of Municipal Railways to provide transportation for the Panama-Pacific International Exposition. Acting upon this report, the question of a bond issue of $3,500,000 for constructing the lines recommended therein was submitted to the people and overwhelmingly carried at an election held August 26, 1913.
The subsequent program of prompt and efficient construction under the supervision of this department — all work being completed on time — provides a unique exhibit of municipal efficiency.
The Exposition has since passed into history, but it is of interest to review a few of the figures bearing upon the attendance and the transportation that it may better be appreciaed how necessary these lines were to the success of the Exposition and how well the demands were met.
The total attendance at the Exposition for the 288 days was 18,875,974. It is estimated that at least 50 per cent of this number was handled on the, Municipal lines, representing approximately $1,000,000 in fares due to the Exposition traffic alone.
The greatest attendance for any single day was on closing day, December 4. when 458,558 people attended the Exposition. The Municipal Railway receipts on this day were $16,748.20, representing 334,964 cash fares; or in other words, 36 V2 per cent of the total attendance rode both ways on the Municipal lines.
The second largest day was San Francisco Da*y, the attendance being 348,372, the railway receipts $13,922.75, or 40 per cent of the attendance both ways.
The third largest day was opening day, 255,149, when the railway receipts were $13,299.70, or 52 per cent of the attendance. All of these days were holi- days and practically all of the business handled by the roads was Exposition traffic. The reduction of the percentages as the attendance of 255,000 was ex- ceeded, indicates that the capacity of the lines was practically reached on thesp three days that the crowds were not comfortably handled. The pi-e-Exposition estimate was that there would be at least one day in excess of 250,000 attendance.
The total Municipal Railway receipts for the Exposition year were $2,255.- 841.15 to apply to interest, depreciation and reserves. It is interesting to note
16 BUREAU OF ENGINEERING
that this surplus represents practically the total cost of the track construction for the Exposition extensions.
Of all the lines provided for under the 1913 Bond Issue the Church Street line was the only one not completed for service prior to the opening of the Exposition.
An examination of the .Journal of the Board of Supervisors will reveal the extent and bitterness of the controversy aroused at the time that the construction of this road was up for consideration. Briefly, the history of this Church Street controversy which was the cause for the delay in the construction of this line, is as follows: —
The City Engineer recommended that the Church Street line be diverted from Church Street through Mission Park and a private right of way acquired from 18th to 22nd Sts., for the purpose of making a detour to overcome the extreme grade of 19.3 per cent on a direct route over Church Street between 20th and 21st Streets. In connection with this diversion it was planned also to open a street along the railroad grade for the accommodation of vehicular and pedestrian traffic, the cost of opening this street to be paid for by an assessment on the property benefited. The assessment feature aroused a storm of protest from a number of the affected property owners.
In an endeavor to effect a solution of this Church Street problem satisfactory to all interests, some nine comprehensive studies were made by the City Engineer, including, by an order of the Board of Supervisors, the preparation of complete plans and specifications for a cable operated road over the hill. After protracted discussion by the Board of all the possible solutions, which lasted for eighteen months, on February 8, 1915, the Supervisors passed an ordinance empowering the Board of Public Works to authorize the City Engineer to prepare plans, speci- fications and contracts and advertise for bids for furnishing necessary material for constructing the Church Street extension of the Municipal Railway System and approving the plan for overcoming the grades between 18th and 22nd Streets by a diversion through Mission Park and private property between 20th and 22nd Streets. This plan, as finally approved, follows closely the original recommenda- tion of the City Engineer as to location, but the right of way was narrowed to 28 ft. and is without provision for pedestrian or vehicular traffic. Under pressure of the protestants organized as the Church Street Non-Assessment League, the Supervisors agreed that the City would assume the expense of opening the railroad right of way, thereby adding something over $150,000 to the charges against the railroad construction.
By comparing the finally adopted plan with the tunnel project suggested in Arnold's report, Page 278, which would have cost $100,000 more to execute and be less desirable for use, the City is to be congratulated on the final outcome and much well deserved credit should be given to Messrs. Ransom and Eckart of this office for their intelligent zeal in furthering this work.
Acting upon the ordinance authorizing the construction in June, 1915, bids were invited for furnishing and delivering the track special work for the Church Street Line, including the track special work for laying outer tracks on Market Street. The question of purchasing this material for the outer tracks on Market Street was put up to the Supervisors, but no decision was reached until December 1, 1915, when the Board of Public Works was authorized to purchase all of the materials for the Church Street Line except those for the outer tracks on Market Street from Tan Ness Avenue to Church Street.
Contracts were awarded for constructing one section of the Church Street Line from 18th to 22nd Streets, and another section from 16th to 18th Streets and from 22nd to 30th Streets. Both of these contracts have been completed prior to July, 1916, but owing to a controversy with the United Railroads and an injunction, the City has been unable to connect its Church Street tracks with the other tracks of its system. The City Engineer's office had previously taken
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18 BUREAU OF ENGINEERING
this matter up and agreed with the engineers of the United Railroads on the valuation of the tracks between Market Street and 16th Street on Church Street, which tracks formed a part of the Church Street Line under the original plan. Arrangements also were made with the United Railroads by which connection would be made with the United Railroads tracks on 16th Street at Potrero Avenue and at Church Street for the purpose of permitting temporary routing to and from the Potrero Avenue car barn from the Church Street tracks, the City paying the United Railroads a nominal charge for current and wear and tear on the track and overhead. Pending the settlement of the question of the City's right to lay tracks on Market Street, the United Railroads agreed to an exchange of transfers at Church and Market Streets. These arrangements, which offered a temporary solution for the operation of the Church Street Road, were never consummated owing to the refusal of the Board of Supervisors to allow the ex- change of transfers at Church and Market Streets on a 40-60 basis, that is, re- deeming Municipal transfers for three cents from the United Railroads and allow- ing the United Railroads to redeem their transfers to Church Street on a two cent basis. This interchange was recommended by the City Engineer's office as being equitable based on the ratio of the lengths of the lines involved, the Church .Street line being approximately 9,000 ft. against 14,000 ft. operated by the United Railroads on Market Street.
In order to precipitate matters and bring the questions into court for a final settlement of all the questions involved, the City commenced the installation of the outer tracks on Market Street at Van Ness Avenue on June 12, 1916, but were stopped from proceeding by an injunction secured in a Federal Court. This matter is still in the courts at the present time and it will probably be several years before it is finally settled as both the City and the United Railroads are determined to carry the matter to the highest tribunal.
In the meantime, a second contract for purchasing track special work for the Market Street section of the Church Street Line has been awarded to the United States Steel Products Company, which provides that the City may order this material at any time within a period of one year or abandon the contract, so that whenever this matter is settled favorable to the City, work can proceed immediately on the construction of the track.
Owing to the complex proposal connected with the Church Street work, it is interesting to recite the different public proceedings incident to the successful completion of a portion of this work: —
CHURCH STREET LINE— MUNICIPAL RAILWAYS Connection between Van Ness Avenue and Church Street.
June 29, 1914 — Resolution directing Board of Public Works to prepare plans and specifications for the construction of the Church Street Line from Market Street and Van Ness Avenue to Dorland and Church Streets to 30th and Church Streets, and that the con- struction of this unit be proceeded with as soon as possible, owing to difficulty in getting satisfactory plans for portion be- tween 22nd and Dorland Streets.
Motion introduced; laid over 3 weeks.
Aug. :'., 1914 — Above motion reported on adversely by Public Utilities Commit- tee and refused passage, 10 to 6.
Dec. 21, 1914 — Ordinance authorizing Board of Public Works to prepare plans and specifications and contracts, and advertise for bids for material for constructing the Municipal Railway along Market to Church Street and along Church Street to the northerly line of 18th Street. Introduced by Vogelsang: referred to Public Utilities Committee.
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Jan. 4, 1915 — On motion of Supervisor McCarthy, consideration of ordinance laid over 2 weeks; 13 to 4.
Jan. 19, 1915 — Ordinance authorizing construction of Church Street Line from Van Xess Avenue out Market Street to 18th and Church Streets: brought up and made special order of business for the following Thursday at 3 P. M.
Jan. 21, 1915 — J. R. 1626, introduced by Power, requesting City Engineer to present estimate of cost of Church Street road, utilizing United Railroads trackage now in place on Market and Church Streets; carried unanimously.
Ordinance authorizing Board of Public Works to prepare plans and specifications for the construction of the Church Street extension from Van Ness Avenue and Market Street to 18th and Church Streets, indefinitely postponed on motion of Supervisor Vogelsang.
Jan. 25, 1915— Motion introduced by Supervisor Power requesting United Railroads to advise Board of Public Works to enter into agree- ment with City for use of Market Street tracks; lost 8 to 8.
ltl.. 1, 1915 — Report of City Engineer dated January 27. 1915, showing esti-' mate of cost of constructing Church Street Line, recommending that authority be given the Board of Public Works to imme- diately advertise for bids for furnishing material and labor necessary to construct the Church Street extension from Van Ness Avenue and Market Street to 30th and Church Street, and recommending that the Board of Supervisors pass a resolution indicating whether they desire that additional tracks be con- structed outside of the United Railroads tracks on Market Street from Van Ness Avenue to Church Street or to use the United Railroads tracks on this street.
Thereupon Supervisor Vogelsang presented a bill directing the Board of Public Works to prepare plans and specifications for the construction of the Church Street extension. Passed to print.
Fe'i. 8, 1915 — Ordinance authorizing Board of Public Works to advertise for bids for constructing the Church Street road from Van Ness Avenue and Market Street to 30th and Church Streets; adopted 11 to 6.
J. R. 1662 introduced by Vogelsang, authorizing Mayor and City Attorney to enter into negotiations with the United Railroads for the joint use of tracks on Market Street. Carried unanimously.
June 19, 1915 — Board of Public Works invited bids for furnishing and deliver- ing track special work for the Church Street line, including track special work for outer tracks on Market Street from Van Ness Avenue to Church Street.
June 26, 1915 — Board of Public Works called for bids for furnishing and de- livering steel rails, rail fastenings and joints for the Church Street Line.
•Tuly 9, 1915 — Letter from City Engineer to the Board of Public Works recom- mending that the question be submitted to the Supervisors and a decision obtained from them as to whether or not it is their intention to have outside tracks constructed on Market Street.
July 22, 1915 — Recommendation of City Engineer to award contract for track special work and advising contractor not to execute work until policy settled.
20 BUEEAU OF ENGINEERING
July 27, 1!>1."> — Letter from City Engineer to Board of Public Works awarding contracts for various materials and recommending contract In- held up pending settlement by the Supervisors as to the question of constructing outer tracks on Market Street.
Sept. 20. 1915 — Communications from the City Attorney and Mayor relative to negotiations with the United Railroads for the use of the Market Street tracks, indicating that no agreement was probable.
Dec. 1, 1915 — Approximately, Public Utilities Committee, Board of Supervisors, authorized purchase of all materials not actually involved in constructing outer tracks on Market Street.
Dec. 7. 1915 — Report of City Engineer to Public Utilities Committee suggest- ing three possible solutions for operation on Church Street Road.
Jan. :;, 1916 — Bill No. 3907 authorizing submission of an offer to United Rail- roads for purchase of west of Twin Peaks Tunnel Line with provision for interchange of transfer at Church and Market, etc. Recommitted to Public Utilities Committee.
.Apr. 3, 1916 — Resolution No. 12,772 (new series) accepting offer of United Railroads for use of tracks on 16th Street from Potrero Avenue to Church Street. Accepted. Passed 17 votes.
May 1, 1916 — Resolution No. 12,887 directing- Board of Public Works to pro- ceed with construction of outer tracks from 16th and Church Streets to Van Ness Avenue and Market Street. Adopted. 17 votes.
May 2, 1916 — United Railroads refuse to allow installation of track crossing at 18th and Church Streets.
May 4, 1916 — Conference Mayor Rolph, Judge Sullivan, M. -M. O'Shaughnessy, N. A. Eckart; decision made to install 18th Street crossing on Saturday afternoon and. Sunday.
Apr. 29, 1916 — Section "C" of Church Street Line completed.
May 13, ]916 — Commenced installation of crossing at L8th and Church Street at 1 P. M. ; in place ready for operation of United Railroad cars Sunday morning.
May 14, 1916 — Connected up rails of Section "C" with crossing.
May 18, 1916 — Letter withheld from Board of Public Works.
May 19, 1916 — N. A. Eckart in consultation with Mayor Rolph relative to in- stallation of crossing at Van .Ness Avenue and Market Street.
June 9, 1916 — Conference, Mayor Rolph, Judge Sullivan, George Lull, M. M. O'Shaughnessy, N. A. Eckart, relative to installation of tracks on Market Street and laying foundation for suit.
Decided to install crossing at Van Ness Avenue and Market Street on June 12.
June 12, 1916 — Resolution of Board of Public Works authorizing City Engineer to construct outer track on Market and Church Streets by daj labor. 1 P. M. commenced opening street to install crossing.
June 13, 1916 — Enjoined from further work.
June 28, 1916 — Section "B" track work completed.
July 21, 1916 — Contract No. 81 for installation of trolley wires completed and road ready for operation except connection with United Rail- roads.
Aug. 22, 1916— Judge Hunt (U. S. Circuit Court) commenced hearing of case.
Aug. 25, 1916 — Completed hearing of case. Fixed October 10 as date for sub- mission of final briefs of United Railroads in rebuttal.
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In the last annual report mention was made of the proposed extension of
the Municipal Railway across Golden Gate Park from 10th Avenue and Fulton Street to 14th Avenue and Judah Street, the plans and specifications for which road at that time were approximately 90 per cent completed. Upon the comple tion of these plans, they were submitted to the Board of Park Commissioners in November, 1916, with the request that the Park Commissioners give their consent to the construction of this line in accordance with the plans prepared. This request was met with absolute refusal and with the counter-suggestion that if tin- Park was to be crossed it should be in the vicinity of 20th Avenue and then in a subway or tunnel. The cost of such a tunnel being in the neighborhood of $800,000 was of course absolutely prohibitive and warranted no consideration. Following upon this action by the Park Commissioners, the Board of Supervisors passed a resolution directing the Board of Public Works to immediately proceed with the construction of the line across the Park in accordance with the plans prepared under the original ordinance. This resolution was vetoed by His Honor. Mayor Rolph, and later failed of securing the necessary votes to pass over the Mayor's veto. Immediately prior to vetoing the resolution, the Mayor called a conference of the Park Commission and representatives of the Supervisors and the City Engineer in an endeavor to reach some solution. At this conference the Park Commission remained firm in their stand to oppose the construction of the Golden Gate Park Line between 10th Avenue and Fulton Street and 14th Avenue and Judah Street, but offered as a compromise to permit a surface crossing at 20th Avenue, the crossing to follow the City Engineer's plans as developed for the original location. Due to the excessive outlay involved for this 20th Avenue route, the loss of earnings from the missing patronage of the music stand region the desirability of its construction now may be well questioned if the funds are available. The construction of the line across Golden Gate Park is at present in a somewhat anomalous condition. There is an ordinance authorizing and directing the Board of Public "Works to construct this line between 10th Avenue and Fulton Street and 14th Avenue and Judah Street and the City Attorney has held that the Supervisors have the authority to order the construction of this line across the Park regardless of the opposition of the Park Commission pro- vided that such road does not interfere with the free use of the Park for park purposes. Eminent attorneys, on the other hand, question this and nothing hut a Court decision can absolutely determine the question. In view of this it is doubtful if any line will be built across the Park for some time to come.
In conjunction with the extension of Potrero Avenue south this office has recommended, and the Board of Supervisors have authorized, the construction of an extension to the Potrero Avenue Line from 25th Street, at the present terminus, to Army Street, the estimated cost of the work being $10,000. This short extension was determined on in view of the fact that, by constructing the track in advance of the pavement, a saving of approximately $2,500 would be effected in the ultimate cost of the Potrero Avenue extension by avoiding the necessity of tearing up new pavement to lay tracks. Contracts for furnishing the track special work have already been awarded and contracts for the track work will be let at such time as to permit of the track being laid following the comple- tion of the heavy excavation.
Upon the recommendation of this office the Supervisors have appropriated $275,000 from the surplus earnings of the Municipal Railway System for the purpose of constructing the track and overhead work through the Twin Peaks Tunnel from 17th and Market Streets to the junction of Sloat and Junipero Serra Boulevards. The ordinance authorizing this construction also provides for a connection from the west portal of the Twin Peaks Tunnel out Tarava'l Street to the Ocean Beach. The additional money necessary for completing this portion of the line has not as yet been appropriated. Bids have been invited for furnishing the steel rail for the track work through the tunnel and other contracts
22 BUREAU OF ENGINEERING
will be let at such times as may be necessary to provide for the completion of the Twin Peaks Line at the earliest date the progress of the tunnel will warrant.
The City Engineer has on several occasions orally and in written reports ad- vised the Board of Public Works and Supervisors of the necessity of preparedness in having adequate transportation facilities arranged so as to reap the fullest benefit to the City immediately on the completion of the $4,000,000 Twin Peaks Tunnel. San Francisco is suffering from lack of adequate rapid transit to the outlying sections, and while the problem is involved and complex, the City author- ities have shown so much constructive ability in the past four years in over- coming other obstacles that it is hoped some immediate attention and consistent effort will be given to this pressing subject.
The street railway situation in San Francisco presents a number of serious problems. The track mileage in the City is more than five years behind the needs of the present population. It is difficult to extend the street railway facili- ties logically or economically because of the fact that all of the railway lines are not under a unified control. The City cannot force the United Railroads to make any extensions nor will the United Railroads make any extensions of their own volition under existing Charter conditions. Many extensions are at present desir- able but without suitable connections or transfer arrangement with both the Mu- nicipal Railway and the United Railroads system would be of little real benefit. The more carefully the situation is studied the more urgent appears the necessity for the unification of control of all the existing railroad lines, and until this has been accomplished San Francisco will have to put up with a more or less inade- quate transportation system. This office at the present time is studying the problem and expects to make a report shortly outlining a logical program for future extensions of the existing Municipal Railway System, but at the best the construction of these extensions will fall short of solving the transportation question in San Francisco, for the solution of this problem requires consideration on broader lines.
The time is fast approaching when a rapid transit system must be con- sidered. This would be either of subway or elevated type, preferably the latter. at this stage of our development, the comparative costs being about $800,000 a mile for the elevated as against $3,500,000 a mile for the subway construction. The first link in a rapid transit system naturally should parallel Market Street connecting with the Twin Peaks Tunnel and with a branch extending south through the Mission in the vicinity of Capp Street.
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STATEMENT OF 1910 GEARY AND MARKET STREETS BOND FUNDS.
EXPENDITURES.
Prior to July 1, 1915 $1,948,602.05
From July 1, 1915, to July 1, 1910:
Ferry outer loop on Einbarcadero, Lower Market
Street $ 2,058.50
Car Barn Kxtension, Geary Street Railway Tank and
Tower Foundation 645.20
Cam Barn, Second Story, Geary Street Railway 29,170.57
Carn Barn — Construction Tank and Tower 1,482.00
Cam Barn Construction — Completing Heating System 341.14
Extra Parts and Equipment 423.93
Plans and specifications 306.35
Total during last fiscal year $ 34,427. 6H
Total to date $1,983,029.74
Available for future expenditures 43,282.16
Total sale of bonds, miscellaneous sources and
unsold bonds $2, 026,311. £
24 BUBEAI* OF ENGINEERING
STATEMENT OF 1913 RAILWAY BOND FUND.
EXPENDITURES.
Prior to July 1. 1915 - S3. 122. 731
From July 1. 1915, to July 1. 1916:
Auto Truck and Tower for Trolley Repair $ 2.165.00
Bending Rails. Church St. Railway 791.27
Church St. Railway. 18th to 22nd St - 93.371.79
Concrete Trolley Poles Reinforced, for Church Street
Railway - - 6.404.41
Concrete Trolley Poles, Division St.. Potrero to
Bryant St - 238.00
Copper Rail Bonds. Church St. Railway _ 2.975.10
Electrical Conductors, Church St. Railway 5.353.31
Header Blocks - 135.37
Incidentals other than extras — 119.89
Inspection of Railways — Church Street Extension 8.095.34
Inspection of Railways — Construction and Extension 1.008.90
Lands — Supervisors' Expenditures 263.04
Machine Shop Equipment, Pipe Yard..... 1,325.39
Plans and Specifications Church Street Railway. 3.370.66
Plans and Specifications for Municipal Railways 10.777.09
Church St. Railway — Condemnation of Rights of Way 956.90 Church St. Railway — Drilling Test Holes in Private
Rights of Way 199.00
Division St., Bryant to 10th Sts., Re-arrangement
Fire Dept. Stables 8,738.54
Hydrants, Church St. Right of Way, 18th to 22nd
Sts 200.00
Lockers in Car Barns, 17th St. and Geary St. 2,820.00
Rails. Joints, Fastenings and Spikes. Account No. 2.
Church St, Railway 38.323.67
Unloading and Storing Railway Material 2.104.81
Sand Bins in Car Barns, Steel 1.760.00
Tie Plates, Church St. Railway 1.539.75
Track Special Work 4,264.00
Work for Municipal Railway 6,706.64
Ties, Redwood, Church St. Railway. 4,889.60
Church St. Railway, 16th to 18th and 22nd to 30th
Sts 56.734.03
Car Bodies 21.750.00
Cam Barn, 2nd Story, Geary St. Railway 243.00
Total during last fiscal year - .-7. 824. 50
Amount available for further contracts 148.' -
Total receipts for sale of bonds and miscellaneous
sources $3,569,039.80
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STREET PAVEMENTS.
With the marvelous increase in the yearly output of motor-driven vehicles from the light touring ear to the extra heavy auto truck, capable of transporting extraordinary loads, there has grown a constant demand for more and better street construction, to be able to withstand this new and more severe type of traffic. Highway Engineering has therefore grown to be one of the mest impor- tant branches of Municipal Engineering. The passage of workable highway laws, like the Street Improvement Act of 1911, amended in 1915, as recommended by the City Engineer, makes possible the construction of a large number of street pavements that were practically impossible under the old street improve ment acts, on account of the prohibitive method of assessment. The remarkable increase in the number of street assessment contracts over previous years, is due in a large measure to this very moderate plan of assessment, under the new- law, the payments of which can run from 1 to 3 0 years, thus putting an other- wise prohibitive street improvement within the reach of the property owners of small means.
Between July 1, 1915, and June 30, 1916, more pavements were constructed under public assessment than in any other single year in the City's history. This year has also been conspicuous for the introduction of modern creosoted wood block pavement and the replacement of the obsolete cobblestone pavement by modern first class vitrified brick surfaces. Rough kiln marked type vitrified brick has been used extensively on steep grades. The practical elimination of the waterbound macadam has also been accomplished. This past year has also seen the construction of the first concrete pavement built under City supervision. It is hardly possible, however, that with the present remarkably low price of asphalt pavement, namely. $1.35 per square yard, that this type will ever be extensively used here, except in outlying districts.
Granite curb is gradually being displaced by armored concrete curbs, at a reduction in cost of about 50 per cent, and a distinctive gain in the matter of appearance.
With the advent of the creosoted wood block pavement, and the already in- creasing quantity of vitrified brick pavement, practically all of the most modern types of pavement are now in use in San Francisco, each in the location to which it is best adapted.
The pavement diagram which follows shows graphically the increase in quan- tity and popularity of the sheet asphalt type of pavement. The suitability and low cost of construction is the reason for the remarkable increase. Specifications for all types of pavements constructed here insure street surfaces that compare favorably with those of the other large American cities, and in the case of the asphalt, the pavements constructed with this material here are unsurpassed by the same type of surface anywhere in the United States.
Table No. 2 gives a summary of the cost and quantity of street improve- ments constructed during the fiscal year under the supervision of the City Engineer.
Considerable improvement has been made during the year in the method of handling the office work in regard to street improvements, all the forms lieiiiL: standardized and filed under a specially designed card system, the greatest im- provement in this line being made in the matter of keeping cost data on street improvements. Instead of the cumbersome book form, special cards have been made whereon all this data is entered. The new cost sheets give the segregated costs for different thickness of surface, binder course and base.
The appended photographs show some of the standard types of pavement actually constructed in the City, with a brief explanation regarding their impor- tant features of construction.
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Type of Pavement. Vitrified Brick (rough kiln marked) and Asphalt.
Location of Improvement, Eighth Avenue between Lawton Street and Moraga
Street. Length of Block, 600 ft. Width of Side Strip, 20 ft.
Width of Center Strip, 20 ft.
Date of Acceptance, March 2, 1914.
Width of Street, TO ft. Width of Roadway. 40 ft.
CONSTRUCTION DATA.
Side Strip — Kind of Base, Cement Cone. " Cushion. Sand " " Filler, Cement
" Surface, Vit. Brick
Thickness, 6 ii 1 V2 ii
Proporti
Central Strip — Kind of Base, Cement Cone. •' Surface, Bit. Rock
Thickness, 6 2
Proportions, 1 :2 :
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28 BUREAU OF ENGINEERING
Type of Pavement. Creosoted Wood Block.
Location of Improvement, Battery Street between Bush and Pine Streets.
Length of Block. 2 75 ft.
Width of Street, 68 ft. 2% in.
Width of Roadway, 40 ft. 4% in. Date of Acceptance, Previously Accepted.
CONSTRUCTION DATA.
Kind of Base, Cement Cone. Thickness, 6 in.
" Cushion, Sand " \2 in.
" '' Filler, Tenex Asphalt ,;
" " Surface, Asph. & Pea Gravel " a4 in.
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Type of Pavement, Vitrified Brick.
Location of Improvement, Pierce Street from Jackson to Pacific Street. Length of Block, 2 75 ft. Width of Side Strip, none.
Width of Street, 68 ft. 9 in. Width of Center Strip, none.
Width of Roadway, 38 ft. 9 in. Date of Acceptance. January 2!
CONSTRUCTION DATA.
|
Kind of Base, Cement Cone. |
Thickness, 6 in. |
Proportioi |
is. 1:2% |
|
" Cushion, Sand |
1% in. |
||
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" " Filler, Cement |
1 : 1 V2 |
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" " Surface, Biick |
4 in. |
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Type of Pavement, Sheet Asphalt and Basalt Block Gutters.
Location of Improvement, Geary Street between Stockton and Powell Streets.
Length of Block. 412 ft. 6 in. Width of Side Strip, 11 ft. 7 in. and IT
ft. 4V2 in. Width of Street, 08 ft. 11% in. Width of Center Strip, Double Electric
Track 16 ft. Width of Roadway, 44 ft. IIV2 in. Date of Acceptance, Previously Accepted.
Kind of Base, Cement Cone. " " Cushion, None •' " Filler, None
" Surface. Asphalt, Top Bind
CONSTRUCTION DATA. Thickness, 6
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Type of Pavement, Asphalt and Basalt Block.
Location of Improvement, Thirty-sixth Avenue — Geary Street to Clement Street.
Length of Block, 600 ft. Width of Side Strip, 13 ft.
Width of Street, 70 ft. Width of Center Strip, 14 ft.
Width of Roadway, 40 ft. Date of Acceptance, March 6, 1914.
CONSTRUCTION DATA. Central Strip — Kind of Base, Natural Soil Rolled Thickness,
" Cushion, Sand " 5 in.
" Filler, Gravel and Coal Tar Cement " " Surface, Basalt " 7 in. to 7% in.
Side Strip — Kind of Base, Cement Cone. Thickness, 6 in. Proportions. 1:2% :7
" " Surface, Asphalt ' " 2 in.
Also Full Width for 400 ft.
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36
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BUREAU OF ENGINEERING 37
AMOUNT AND COST OF STREET WORK— PRIVATE.
FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1916.
Quantity Cost
Asphalt (6" Concrete Base) — Sq. Yds.
W. S. iy2" Binder 2" 332.55 $ 1,196.89
"W. S. 2" 140,627.42 306,108.06
W. S. 2y2" 765.33 1,653.26
W. S. 1" Binder IV2" 1,416.66 3,187.50
Bituminous Rock (6" Concrete Base) —
W. S. 2" 20,974.70 $ 44,965.75
Basalt Block (on Sand) —
Gravel and Asphalt Filler 1,106.34 $ 3,186.27
Gravel Filler 1,144.11 3,693.77
Vitrified Brick —
Kiln Marked or Hillside 3,402.61 10,338.16
Asphalt with Basalt Block Strip —
Asphalt W. S. 2" 21,459.55 45,407.72
B. B. with Gravel Filler 9,062.34 29,777.49
Bituminous Rock with Basalt Block Strip —
Bitumen W. S. 2" 544.44 1,225.00
Basalt Block Gravel Fijler 272.22 1,102.50
Asphalt with Vitrified Brick Strip —
Asphalt W. S. 2" 16,564.40 34,853.39
Brick, Kiln Marked or Hillside 8,258.30 28,494.54
Bituminous Rock with Vitrified Rock Strip —
Broken Rock 20,823.95 15,498.48
Cobbles 1,404.88 3,160.98
Broken Rock Walks 2,995.55 2,250.68
Curbs —
Granite, New 24,157.35 30,284.11
Granite, Reset 314.39 62.49
Granite, Redressed and Reset 94.40 18.88
Concrete 75,427.40 59,821.20
Redwood 6,611.14 2,717.09
Gutters —
Basalt Blocks 302.50 2,158.03
Concrete 116.95 526.30
Walks —
Artificial Stone 8,420.67 10,080.04
Grading— Cu- Yds-
Cut 86,248.82 50,024.32
Fill 65,273.20 16,318.30
38 BUREAU OF ENGINEERING
AMOUNT AND COST OF STREET WORK — PRIVATE — Continued.
Quantity Cost
Lineal Ft. and No. I. S. P.. 6" Diameter —
Side Sewer 1,515.29 $ 1,464.35
I. S. P., 8" Diameter —
Pipe 12,501.07 26,555.82
Y Branches 720 817.45
I. S. P.. 12" Diameter —
Pipe 12,922.37 22,871.44
Y Branches 449 546.50
I. S. P., 15" Diameter —
Pipe 3,490 7,586.26
Y Branches 143 218.50
I. S. P.. 18" Diameter- Pipe 5.843.52 16,630.92
Y Branches 668 1,631.00
I. S. P.. 21" Diameter —
Pipe 240 720.00
Y Branches 8 32.00
Manholes —
New > 145 . 11.039.50
Catch Basins —
New 168 10.526.00
Beset 12 500.12
Storm Water Inlet 2 60.00
I. S. P. 10" Diameter —
Culvert 4,940.72 7,109.00
BUREAU OF ENGINEERING 39
AMOUNT AND COST OF STREET WORK— PUBLIC.
FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNK 30, 1916.
Quantity Cost
Asphalt (6" Concrete Base) — Sq. Yds.
W. S. 2" 111,618.87 $199,027.12
W. S. 1" Binder 1 V2 " 4,079.24 5,874.11
Basalt Block (on Sand) —
Gravel Filler 878.71 3,404.39
Basalt Block (6" Concrete Base) —
Gravel and Asphalt Filler 1,033 3,718.40
Aitrified Brick —
Kiln Marked or Hillside 273.84 649.56
Asphalt with Basalt Block Strip —
Asphalt W. S. 2" 14,186.16 27,417.13
B. B. with Gravel Filler 4,020.33 14,794.32
Asphalt with Vitrified Brick Strip —
Asphalt W. S. 2" 15.988.50 28,705.26
Brick, Kiln Marked or Hillside ."..732.00 20,012.43
Bituminous Rock with Vitrified Brick Strip —
Broken Rock 8,348.90 7,193.83
Cobbles 637.26 1,433.84
Broken Rock Walks 1,135 871.80
Curbs —
Granite, New 20,921.01 24,2.10.22
Granite, Reset 396.17 247.58
Granite, Redressed and Reset 112.33 2.25
Concrete 38,162.70 26,644.00
Redwood 977.50 264.50
Gutters — ■
Basalt Blocks 362.53 1,607.72
Artificial Stone Walks 24,001.94 30,786.17
Grading— C"- Yds.
Cut 131,835.92 76,707.56
Fill 43,849.47 16,258.76
I. S. P. 6" Diameter— Lineal Ft- and Xo-
Side Sewer 4,646 3,794.50
I. S. P. 8" Diameter
Pipe 12,804 23,144.06
Y Branches 886 844.95
I. S. P. 12" Diameter —
Pipe 6,700.89 14,363.16
Y Branches 322 332.75
40 BUEEAU OF ENGINEEEING
AMOUNT AND COST OF STREET WORK — PUBLIC — Continued.
Quantity Cost
Lineal Ft. and No. I. S. P. 15" Diameter —
Pipe 2,705.96 $ 4,454.35
Y Branches 101 143.31
I. S. P. 18" Diameter —
Pipe 1,604.58 3,122.96
Y Branches 192 390.10
Manholes —
New 134 14,726.00
Catch Basins —
New 228 14,019.50
Reset 1 40.00
I. S. P. 10" Diameter —
Culvert 7,269.88 7,189.79
BUEEAU OF ENGINEERING
AMOUNT AND COST OP STREET WORK— CITY PAY.
FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1916.
Quantity
Asphalt (6" Concrete Base) — Sq. Yds.
W. S. 2" 17,578
W. S. 1" Binder 1%" 32,569.14
Basalt Block (6" Concrete Base) —
Gravel Filler 589.11
Vitrified Brick —
Kiln Marked or Hillside 169.11
Asphalt with Vitrified Brick Strip —
Asphalt W. S. 2" 4,337.03
Brick, Kiln Marked or Hillside 992.14
Bituminous Rock with Vitrified Brick Strip —
Cobbles 352.34
Curbs —
Granite, New 7,084
Granite, Reset 696
Granite, Redressed and Reset 1,247
Concrete 4,480.18
Gutters —
Basalt Blocks 42.80
Artificial Stone Walks 15,371.03
Grading- — ■ Cu. Yds.
Cut 15,053.39
I. S. P. 6" Diameter— Lineal Ft. and No.
Side Sewer 158
I. S. P. 8" Diameter —
Pipe 50
I. S. P. 12" Diameter- Pipe 510
I. S. P. 18" Diameter —
Pipe 271
Y Branches 3
Manholes —
New 7
Catch Basins —
New 16
I. S. P. 10" Diameter —
Culvert 1.571
11
25,043.31 45,462.83
6,604.11 3,035.09
5,883.43
93.50
120.09
1,681.59
188.76 13,512.19
496.00 3.00
42 BUREAU OF ENGINEERING
TWIN PEAKS TUNNEL.
The general engineering features of Twin Peaks Tunnel were described in the report of the City Engineer for the fiscal year 1913-1914. The project has been advanced efficiently and economically and all of the serious construction problems encountered so far have been solved satisfactorily.
The close of the fiscal year 1914-1915 found the contractor at Station 8 + 10. some two hundred feet underground at the west end; with 25% of Laguna Honda Station excavated: the vent shaft in the Relief Home Tract fairly well started and the subway section completed on the easterly end. Practically 4,300 feet of completed tunnel has been constructed during the 1915-1916 fiscal year.
An obstruction, presenting some difficulty and successfully handled, occurred about 1800 feet from the west portal. A brick lined water duet of the Spring Valley Water Company constructed in 1865 crossed at a sharp angle 8 feet above the tunnel arch. It was conveyed by means of a by-pass over the completed tunnel. A shaft was sunk, the water duct tapped by a 30" pipe, which ran west 275 ft. in a drift previously driven, crossed the tunnel at right angles and con- nected with the original duct again. Later the water was permitted to follow the original course. The entire section of tunnel between the west portal and the Laguna Honda Station has been completed.
Excavation for Laguna Honda Station and 22 ft. of tunnel section on each end was done in open cut, the maximum depth being 70 ft. Steam shovels car- ried the cut to within 15 ft. of rail grade, the sides of the pit being retained by piles. Trenches were then dug by hand for the side walls and footings of the station, after which the concreting was done and then the core of earth was removed. The waste material, a sandy clay, hauled an average distance of 1/3 mile in motor trucks, was used in filling low portions of the valley in which the station is built. Station is completed except the superstructure.
Because of an ascending grade, excavation between the vent shaft and the Laguna Honda Station was started from the former. The shaft when completed will have an inside diameter of 13 ft. but the excavation was made 20 x 32 ft. so as to take in full width of tunnel section and to permit of construction of forms for concreting. From the bottom of this shaft, 100 ft. dee]) through water bearing sand and timbered with piles held by 12 x 12 bracing and walings hung with steel hangers, a drift was carried 300 ft. westerly at invert grade through sandstone, when it broke through the sandstone into a waterbearing sand, causing 300,000 gallons per day to be lifted out at the shaft. Another drift was then started and kept in the sandstone until after the sand deposit was passed, when the second drift was brought up to line with the first one. Easterly from Laguna Honda tunneling has been projected over 414 ft. on the descending grade toward the vent shaft, the drift previously driven draining the ground penetrated. Concreting follows within free working distance of the finished timber lining.
Excavation for that section between the east portal and a point 500 ft. southwesterly therefrom, was dune between two rows of piles and heavy timbering with the necessary cross braces. This ground was a filled in creek bed and the 30,000 cu. yds. of excavation was removed by pick and shovel. This portion of the tunnel has been constructed and the backfilling finished.
Adjacent to the section just described or at Station 97 + 15, the tunneling proper on the east end was started and was driven westerly to Station 87 + 63, leaving to be completed those portions between Station 46 + .57 and 87 + 63 and between Station 46 — :;7 and 39 + 00 or 4,843 lineal feet, together with the superstructure of Laguna Honda Station.
In the light of the progress made during the past fiscal year when so many- ad verse conditions were encountered, and the fact that the greatest portion of the work remaining to be done is in rock, there is not any apparent reason to ques- tion the forecast that April, 1917, will see the east and west facings meet and the tunnel completed.
R. C. Storrie & Company, to whom this contract was awarded, for the esti- mated sum of $3,372,000, have performed work the estimated value of which to date is $2,168,539.38.
BUREAU OF ENGINEERING
13
BUEEAU OF ENGINEERING
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BUREAU OF ENGINEERING
47
BUREAU OF ENGINEERING
THIRD STREET BRIDGE.
The earthquake shock of 1906 disturbed the south abutment of the Third Street Bridge and since that time there has been a gradual movement of the .south abutment with its superimposed south leaf, toward the north.
In April of 1915, a contract was let for altering this bridge and a pile bulkhead was driven in the south approach. Recently the bridge bound again in the middle at the junction of the two leaves and further alterations were made which will permit of cutting the juncture plates from time to time until 12 in. have been removed. In view of the fact that 17 in. is the total recorded distance the abutment has shifted since 1907, and the various alterations have replaced worn members, there is every reason to believe that, with the occasional cutting of the juncture plates, the bridge should stand considerable service.
FOURTH STREET BRIDGE.
The construction of a Strauss Bascule Bridge across Channel Street Water- way at Fourth Street, has been in progress since August, 1915. Six weeks' delay in starting was occasioned by repair work on the Third Street Bridge, which prevented closing of operation of the old drawbridge at Fourt Street.
The Thomson Bridge Company has the general contract to furnish all ma- terial and install the bridge and approaches. Sub-contracts for the fabrication of the structural steel and making and installation of the machinery have been let to the Ralston Iron Works and the Joshua Henry Machine Company, respect- ively, by the Thomson Bridge Company.
The first work started at the bridge site was the wrecking and removal of the old drawbridge superstructure and the precasting of the concrete piles for the deck approach foundations.
Pile foundations and concrete for the seawalls at the extreme shore ends of the approaches were then placed.
Progress of the construction depended on the placing of the cylinders that form the bridge seats which are on the north side of the channel. Before this work could be started the channel had to be cleared by removing the pile founda- tion of the old bridge, the piles of the protection work of the drawbridge, and innumerable old snags of piles of old construction that had broken off and rotted. A clamshell dredger was used to clear the channel up and down stream from the center cluster forming the old drawbridge foundation. In order to remove the piles of the cluster to a point below the official channel bottom level, blasting was resorted to and, to be effective, a steel cage guide was used to keep the powder near enough to the pile. This work occasioned considerable delay, as the caissons for the cylinders are placed by a floating driver which had to operate at the obstructed points.
Work of placing the caissons for the cylinders started in January. Two caissons forty feet in length were driven and excavated to a level close to the point proposed for starting the pile foundations. The foundation material of sand and clay was unable to resist the water pressure from outside of the caissons and they "blew in", filling with water. Both caissons were then lengthened, reset and driven, but the same trouble was experienced as before, with the addi- tion that one caisson partially collapsed.
The other caisson was further lengthened and heavily reinforced and suc- cessively used in placing the ten cylinders on the north side. These cylinders have a ten foot diameter concrete base ten feet high, resting on twelve piles driven to a firm bearing, the cylinder then extending up to the bridge seat as a 4 foot
BUREAU OF ENGINEERING 49
diameter reinforced concrete shaft. Four cylinders are tied together with a five foot reinforced concrete slab to form the seat of each trunnion bearing.
Unusual rainy weather during January and February was the cause of great delay in placing the cylinder.
At the present time the work completed for the north side has been the placing of foundations for trunnion towers, deck approaches and seawall; the placing of most of the forms and reinforcing steel for the deck approaches and the trunnion towers and portals for the superstructure.
For the south side the seawall and concrete pile foundations for the deck approach are in place and the pile foundation for one cylinder driven. Only three cylinders are required on the south side, as the bridge, a single leaf bascule, operates from the north side.
In the near future the concrete deck for the north side will be completed, the machinery will be installed and the structural steel superstructure started. "Work on the south approach will be carried on simultaneously with that of the superstructure and both should be finished shortly.
SEWER SYSTEM.
Work on the main sewers during the past year was confined to the com- pletion of the Mile Rock Tunnel and the Bakers Beach Outlet Sewer and the construction of sewers in South Bay View Districts, Oakdale Avenue, San Bruno Avenue to Selby Street and Sloat Boulevard, 24th to 31st Avenue, $100,000 for the construction of the last three having been provided for in the last budget.
In the Islais Creek District a drainage channel was dug along the proposed route of a large reinforced concrete sewer, to reduce to a minimum the danger of floods from the winter rains, similar to those which have occurred in the past, until such time as local developments in the vicinity demand the construction of the main sewer.
MILE ROCK SEWER.
The last 30% of the Mile Rock Tunnel was completed, thereby providing an outlet for the storm waters of the western drainage area which includes the Ingle- side, Sunset and Richmond Districts. This construction was done by the cut and cover method, as follows: — -
The closing section, known as Section 1, was constructed in open cut located with center line 7% ft. west of center line of 48th Avenue and beginning at south property line of Cabrillo Street and extending north 536 ft. The flow in entire construction is from south to north on a uniform grade of .1605 to 100 ft. Inside dimensions of sewer section were 9' xll'. Invert had a width of 11 ft. and difference from spring line of invert to flow line was 18 in. Side walls are 2 ft. high to spring line of arch and arch was constructed on uniform curve to radius of 5% ft. Side walls were 15 in. thick and reduced gradually to 9 Vz in. at crown of arch. Invert had minimum thickness of 12 in. at flow line — subgrade being level transversely.
Section No. 1 was reinforced throughout with V2 inch steel bars spaced at 6 inch centers.
The concrete mix was proportioned 1:2% :5%. Niles River gravel was used entirely and sand removed from excavation fulfilled specifications.
The entire excavation of this section was in sand. Depth of excavation at north end of cut was 51 feet from crown of road and at the south end 34 ft. from crown of road. Natural water level at the time of construction was 10 ft. below road surface. Between surface and subgrade two sets of lagging were used, the upper set being 17 ft. in width, the lower set 14 ft. in width. All lagging was 3 in. x 8 in. pine, surfaced on two edges. For rangers 8 in. x 10 in. pine timber was used, and for spreaders 8 in. x 8 in. timber in first set and
50 BUKEAU OF ENGINEEKING
8 x 10 used in second set. Spreaders were spaced at 10 foot centers and rangers on 4 foot centers. Considerable difficulty was encountered in preventing said underhead of water from boiling up in the bottom of excavation. This was overcome by driving second set of lagging about 4 ft. below subgrade and covering bottom of excavation to subgrade with gravel; plugging all joints in lagging with oakum in second set of lagging was necessary.
A 10 in. underdrain was used but proved to be too small to handle ground water which was carried to two sumps, one located at 48th Avenue and Balboa Street, the other at 48th Avenue and Cabrillo Street. At the 48th Avenue and Balboa Street sump one 3 in. and one 4 in. centrifugal pump were used; at 48th Avenue and Cabrillo Street sump one 6 in. and one 4 in. centrifugal pump were used. These pumped about 1,250,000 gallons of water per 24 hours, of which 407,000 gallons per day for 35 days were discharged into the completed sewer at Cabrillo Street and handled by City pumping station at 48th Avenue and Pulton Street.
All lagging, spreaders and bracers were removed by derrick and part of the excavation was handled by derrick. This derrick was of turntable type with 40 foot boom. This rig had an excavating capacity of approximately 200 yards per day near the surface but not better than 50 yards in deep cut.
The first 12 ft. of excavation was accomplished by a drag line excavator which removed a trench the entire width of the street and allowed lagging to be started 10 ft. below street grade.
The following tabulation shows the quantities for this section: —
Excavation by drag line 6,307 cu. yds.
Excavation by derrick 12,655
Concrete placed — invert 417.3 "
Concrete placed — sides and arch 660.0 "
Timber used to lag cut :
3x8 lagging 238.680 ft. B.M.
Rangers and spreaders 119.610 " "
Steel placed in section 31.1 tons
BAKERS BEACH SEWER.
June 30 of last year saw the contractor who had tried various methods of placing the 800 ft. of 18 in. cast iron flexible joint sewer pipe of the Bakers Beach Outfall Sewer, driving a pile trestle along the proposed line of the sewer, laying the pipe thereon, and lowering it as the laying progressed. This work has since been successfully completed at a total cost to the City of $24,534.77.
PROPOSED SEWERS.
STANLEY STREET SEWER, to provide an outlet for the west side of the Ocean View District, will extend from the end of Stanley Street at the Spring- Valley Water Company's property line northerly to join the existing sewer west of the Ingleside Terraces.
49TH AVENUE SEWER, from Lincoln way to Noriega Street, will drain into the 48th Avenue Sewer.
SEWER IN UNIVERSITY MOUND DISTRICT, will run in Somerset Street, Wayland to Pelton Street and thence along Felton Street.
GLEN PARK SEWER, will connect at Burnside Street with the existing sewer and extend 500 ft. westerly therefrom.
BUREAU OF ENGINEERING 51
STATEMENT OF 1904 SEWER BOND FUND.
EXPENDITURES.
Prior to July 1, 1915 $1,852,404.96
From July 1, 1915, to July 1. 1916:
Bakers Beach Outlet Sewer $18,740.54
Fulton St., 48th Ave to Great Highway 6,522.32
5th St., Howard to Brannan St 67,872.95
Foerster St., Melrose to 33rd Ave 2,469.32
48th Ave. and Fulton St., Sewage Pumping Station
(Building) 2,010.31
48th Ave. and Fulton St., Sewage Pumping Station
(Machinery) 531.03
Islais Creek, Mt. Vernon to Oneida (Sect. "N",
North Point Main) 30,180.64
Total during last fiscal year , 128,327.11
Total to date $1,980,732.07
Amount available for new contracts 34,653.69
Total receipts from sale of bonds and from
miscellaneous sources $2,015,385.76
STATEMENT OF 1908 SEWER BOND FUND.
Prior to July 1, 1915 $4,226,681.62
From July 1, 1915, to July 1, 1916:
48th Ave. and Fulton St. Sewage Pumping Station
(Building) $ 879.45
48th Ave. and Fulton St. Sewage Pumping Station
(Machinery) 1,258.00
Mile Rock Tunnel Sewer 110,069.09
Total during last fiscal year 112,206.54
Total to date $4,338,888.16
Amount available for new contracts 1,234.97
Total reeeipts from sale of bonds and from
miscellaneous sources $4,340,123.13
AUXILIARY WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR FIRE PROTECTION 1908 BOND.
Prior to July 1, 1915 $5,737,014.9:
Amount available for future contracts 15,959.41
Total receipts from sale of bonds and miscellaneous sources $5. 752,974. 39
52
BUREAU OF ENGINEERING
CONTRAC Exclusive of Hetch Hetchy Wati
Date Cont.
was Awarded
Mile Rock Tunnel
48th Ave. Sewage Pumping Sta., Building
" Machinery
Bakers Beach Outlet
5th St., Howard to Brannan St.
Fulton St., 48th Ave. and Great Highway ;
46th Ave. Islais Creek, Mt. Vernon to Oneida Ave. Oakdale Avenue
Sloat Boulevard, 24th to 31st Ave. South Bay View District El Portal Way Civic Center Sewer
Edward Malley Davis, Rogers Co.
2-11-14 6-3-14
|
R. C. Storrie & Co. |
7-24-14 |
|
Healy-Tibbitts Co. |
6-7-15 |
|
F. Rolandi |
9-16-14 |
|
F. Rolandi |
9-13-15 |
|
Karl Ehrhart |
5-31-16 |
|
Tibbitts-Pacine Const. Co. |
6-9-16 |
|
" |
12-20-15 | |
|
" |
8-25-15 |
|
Church & Clark |
9-4-14 | |
Stockton Street Tunnel Twin Peaks Tunnel
Jacobsen Bade Co. R. C. Storrie & Co.
4-11-13 11-2-14
Third Street Bridge— Furnishing Material and
making Alterations Third Street Bridge — Pile Bulkhead
Alteration of South Leaf Fourth Street Bridge Construction
O. Monson
Healy-Tibbitts Const. Co. Thomson Bridge Co.
4-9-15 7-12-15 4-19-16
6-25-15
Twin Peaks Blvd., St. Germain Southerly San Bruno, Vista to Bay Shore
Arleta to County Line Twin Peaks Blvd., Corbett Ave. to Sly boundary
line of Twin Peaks Reservoir Site El Camino Del Mar, through John Brickell Tract Lincoln Park to John Brickell Tract El Camino Del Mar, John Brickell Tract to 200'
Ely Clarendon Ave. and Burnett Ave., Clayton St.
to St. Germain Ave., Grading, Paving and
Sewering Corbett Ave., 24th St. to San Miguel Rancho San Bruno Ave., Cortland to Steuben, Grading
and Sewering Oakdale Ave., between San Bruno and Railroad
Aves., Grading Portola Drive, Stanford Heights to Junipero
Serra Boulevard
Eaton & Smith City Street Imp. Co. Fay Improvement Co.
F. R. Ritchie John Brickell Co.
City Street Imp. Co.
Flinn & Treacy D. L. Bienfield
Federal Const. Co.
Church & Clark
R. G. Vaughn
6-25-15 6-11-15 6-25-15
5-15-16 12-29-15
12-21-14
4-30-15
2-26-15
BUREAU OF ENGINEERING
:XPENDITURES.
iupply and Street Improvements
'ear 1915-16.
, Amount Expended
From July )ateCont. Prior to 1, 1915,
was July 1, to July 1,
Signed 1915 1916
Date Work
was Accepted
$ 108,548.38 $ 110,069.09 $ 218,617.47
|
(6,620.55 |
879.45 |
7,500.00) |
1908 ■' |
|
|
( |
2,010.31 |
2,010.31) |
12-10-15 |
1904 " |
|
(10,242.00 |
1,258.00 |
11,500.00) |
1908 " |
|
|
( |
531.03 |
531.03) |
12-10-15 |
1904 " |
|
7,041.33 |
18,740.54 |
25,781.87 |
11-12-15 |
1904 " |
|
50.00 |
67,872.95 |
67,922.95 |
3-21-16 |
1904 " |
|
16,661.85 |
6,522.32 |
.23,184.17 |
7-14-15 |
1904 " |
|
30,180.64 |
30,180.64 |
2-11-16 |
1904 " |
|
|
2,415.09 |
2,415.09 |
General |
||
|
28,144.43 |
28,144.43 |
» |
||
|
9,701.10 |
9,701.10 |
11-24-15 |
Special |
|
|
11,178.53 |
2,193.03 |
13,371.56 |
7-23-15 |
CH. and Civ |
627,507.23 1,145,471.76
10,777.80 1,131,132.56
638,285.03 11-19-15 Spec. Assess. 2,276,604.32
4,982.30 7,357.49
1,932.00 2,487.00
5,779.30 45,499.45
12,339.79 9-22-15 1,932.00 8-27-15 2,487.00
51,278.75
30,210.82 33,537.15 13,083.38
30,210.82 33,537.15 13,083.38
6-2-16 11-5-15
13,673.50
46,364.47 29,326.50
46,364.47 43,000.00
Good Roads
Furn. by P. P. I. K.
9,967.49 2,589.04
,967.49 ,589.04
22,600.00 15,375.87 29,374.13
12,097.50 12,595.31
30,195.98 18,384.15
22,600.00
44,750.00 6-3-16
24,692.81 3-24-16 General
48,530.13 7-9-15
G. R., P. Owns & A. W. S. Good
54
BUREAU OF ENGINEERING
CONTRACT EXPENDI
Exclusive of Hetch Hetchy Water
Fiscal
Sect. "A", Ocean Beach Esplanade
Hayes St., Sterner to Scott St.
Francisco St., Polk to Larkin St.
Municipal Water Works Extension
Railroad Ave., Hollister to San Bruno
Cumberland St., Sanchez to Noe St.
Eighteenth and Indiana Sts. Crossing — Steel
Stairway 15th St., Castro to Beaver St., Widening, Moving
House at 176 Beaver St. Islais Creek Channel Dredging Work
Potrero Ave., 25th to San Bruno Ave., Paving Relief Home Tract Boiler, No. 1 No. 4 Central Fire Alarm Station No. 4 Paris St., Italy to Amazon, Grading
Work Car Body, No. 29A
*Work Car, Air Brake Equipment, No. 29C
Work Car, Trucks, No. 29D
Work Car. Motor Equipment, No. 29B
Track Special Work, Church St.
Ties, Redwood, Church Street Railway
Sand Bins in Car Barns, Steel
Machine Shop Equipment at Pipe Yard
Lockers, Car Barn, 17th St. and Geary St.
Division St., Bryant to 10th St., Rearrangement
of Fire Department Stables Church St. Rwy. Const., 16th-18th and 22nd-30th Car Bodies
Rails, Joints, Fastenings, Spikes, Sect. A and D Electrical Conductors, Church Street Copper Rail Bonds, Furnishing and Installing Concrete Trolley Poles for Church St. from 16th
to 18th and 22nd to 30th Sts. Church St. Rwy. Const., 18th to 22nd St. Auto Truck and Tower for Trolley Repairs Mariposa, York to Hampshire Tank and Tower, Geary Street Car Barn Tank and Tower Foundations, Geary St. Car Barn 2nd Story Geary Street Car Barn
J. A. Hannah F. Rolandi F. Rolandi Tibbitts-Paeinc Co. J. P. Holland F. R. Ritchie
Ralston Iron Works
O. Monson tJ. P. Holland tHealy-Tibbitts Const. Co. Eaton & Smith Scott Company F. P. Walsh General Electric Co. Eaton & Smith
Pacific Car & Equip. Co.
J. G. Brill Co.
Westinghouse Co.
U. S. Steel Products Co.
Navarro Lumber Co.
Ocean Shore Iron Works
(Various)
Ralston Iron Works
|
11-19-15 |
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8-4-15 |
|
6-11-15 |
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3-24-16 |
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4-28-16 |
|
6-21-16 |
|
5-15-16 |
|
6-11-15 |
|
2-7-16 |
|
2-2-16 |
|
6-21-16 |
|
2-4-16 |
|
2-4-16 |
|
10-2-14 |
|
11-15-15 |
7-30-15 7-30-15 7-26-15 8-20-15 11-26-15
|
F. Rolandi |
7-12-15 |
|
|
Western Motor Draying |
Co. |
1-19-16 |
|
Jewett Car Company |
1-2-14 |
|
|
U. S. Steel Products Co |
7-28-15 |
|
|
E. Earle Browne |
2-11-16 |
|
|
Bell & Jamison |
3-20-14 |
|
|
John Spargo |
1-19-16 |
|
|
Contra Costa Const. Co |
12-10-15 |
|
|
Kelly-Springfield M. T. |
Co. |
11-26-15 |
|
City Street Imp. Co. |
3-15-16 |
|
|
Pacific Tank & Pipe Co. |
4-2-13 |
|
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Eaton & Smith |
6-11-15 |
|
|
Jas. L. McLaughlin |
7-30-15 |
t Informally awarded.
* Materials ordered on requisition.
BUREAU OF ENGINEERING
IT RES — Continued.
Supply and Street Improvements
Year 1915-16.
, Amount Expended
From July Prior to 1, 1915,
July 1, to July 1,
1915 1916
Date Work
was
Accepted
|
25,348.45 |
25,348.45 |
General |
|
|
24,120.00 |
24,120.00 |
6-4-16 |
" |
|
7,489.04 |
7,489.04 |
Spec. Ass |
|
|
1,831.13 |
1,831.13 |
General |
|
|
1,027.55 |
1,027.55 |
" |
|
|
497.50 |
497.50 |
" |
1,760.00
882.50
4,116.37
1,101.80
887.00
3.709.68
|
1,760.00 |
9-30-15 |
|
882.50 |
|
|
4,116.37 |
|
|
1,101.80 |
|
|
887.00 |
11-19-15 |
|
3,709.68 |
3-15-16 |
1913 Rwy. Bonds
|
8-19-15) |
6,706.64 |
6,706.64 |
12-1-15 |
||
|
8-25-15) |
12-24-15 |
||||
|
2-15-15 |
4,264.00 |
4,264.00 |
3-8-16 |
||
|
1-20-15 |
4,889.60 |
4,889.60 |
2-18-60 |
||
|
12-6-15 |
1,760.00 |
1,760.00 |
1-26-16 |
||
|
6,194.52 |
1,325.39 |
7,519.91 |
|||
|
5-27-15 |
2,820.00 |
2,820.00 |
8-16-15 |
||
|
8,738.54 |
8,738.54 |
1-5-16 |
|||
|
2-3-16 |
56,734.03 |
56,734.03 |
6-2-16 . |
||
|
1-16-14 |
314,161.50 |
21,750.00 |
365,911.50 |
10-22-15 |
|
|
12-1-15 |
38,323.67 |
38,323.67 |
2-23-16 |
||
|
2-25-16 |
5,353.31 |
5,353.31 |
" |
||
|
4-2-14 |
29.693.65 |
2,975.10 |
32,668.75 |
||
|
2-3-16 |
6,404.41 |
6,404.41 |
|||
|
2-27-15 |
93,371.79 |
93,371.79 |
|||
|
2-13-15 |
2,165.00 |
2,165.00 |
6-28-16 |
||
|
3-28-16 |
1,100.00 |
1,100.00 |
5-10-16 Mun. Rwy. |
||
|
4-14-13 |
1,462.00 |
1,462.00 |
2-9-16 1910 Rwy. Bt |
nds |
|
|
7-6-15 |
595.00 |
595.00 |
9-3-15 |
||
|
8-14-15 |
26,247.00 |
26,247.00 |
5-26-16 |
||
|
$2,395,495.75 |
$2,087,493.22 |
$4,482,968.97 |
56 BUREAU OF ENGINEERING
HETCH HETCHY WATER SUPPLY.
WATER RIGHTS AND PROTECTIVE WORK.
According to the provisions of San Francisco's Hetch Hetchy grant, the development of the City's Sierra water supply "shall be prosecuted diligently and no cessation of such construction shall continue for a period of three consecutive years, and in the event that the Secretary of the Interior shall find and determine that there has not been diligent prosecution of the work or of some integral and essential part thereof, or that there has been a cessation of such construction for a period of three consecutive years, then he may declare forfeited all rights of the grantee herein as to that part of the works not constructed, and request the Attorney General, on behalf of the United States, to commence suit in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California for the purpose of procuring a judgment declaring all such rights to that part of the works not constructed to be forfeited to the United States".
Pursuant to a policy of active development, construction was started simul- taneously at several locations in 1915, the extent of activity at each point being determined by the funds available from a restricted sale of 4 y2 % bonds due to market conditions, and by the relative value of each unit in furthering the City's plans.
At the Early Intake, twelve miles below Hetch Hetchy dam site, water released from that reservori site, and flowing along the natural bed of the river channel, will be diverted into pressure tunnel 10 V2 ft. in diameter, which for some years to come will be the easterly terminal of the City's main aqueduct. This tunnel will pass beneath the mountain backbone on the south side of the Tuolumne River for a distance of 19 miles, to the Priest's Hill regulating reser- voir near Moccasin Creek. The vicinity of the upstream intake portal has been excavated and the tunnel face started ready for power drills. The excavation of a bench in the slope above the river floods for the aqueduct leading from the early intake diversion damsite to the tunnel portal is also under construction, and in this portion of the aqueduct will be placed necessary sand screens and scouring chambers to automatically intercept any floating sand or debris, thereby preventing clogging of the aqueduct and dependent reservoirs.
A suspension foot bridge was built across the river at Early Intake to allow the men working on the tunnel to cross over to the construction camp, which will be built on the northerly bank of the river where advantage can be taken of whatever sunshine is available in this deep canyon, for sanitary reasons.
Work on the Early Intake Road, begun in 1914, was continuously prosecuted with a small force until the very heavy snowfall necessitated its discontinuance in December, 1915. This road is now approximately 80% completed. The work has been resumed for this year. The Early Intake wagon road was completed down to the camp on the Tuolumne River. Some few slides were removed from the road.
Work has been continued on the bench for the aqueduct from Early Intake diversion dam to Early Intake tunnel portal. A large portion of this bench is completed and the tunnel portal is faced, ready for regular tunnel work.
The nine mile road from Hog Ranch to Hetch Hetchy damsite, constructed by the Utah Construction Company, under Contract No. 1, was surfaced in the spring of 1915, so as to put it in condition for the heavy wagon loads which were hauled for the installation of the sawmill, compressor, and other work.
Following the surveys of 1914, the application map for which was ap- proved by the Secretary of the Interior on January 21, 1915, a road was con- structed from Hetch Hetchy camp down into the floor of Hetch Hetchy Valley. This road has a length of .85 mile and was built on a 10% grade. It allows of access to Hetch Hetchy Valley by team or auto truck, which has been considered
BUREAU OF ENGINEERING
57
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58 BUREAU OF ENGINEERING
necessary as a construction adjunct to the main dam. The road was constructed entirely by day labor by City employes.
Trails were built from Hetch Hetchy camp down to and around the dam site and a road was built to allow of the hauling and installation of all plant, to be used in construction of not only the diversion tunnel, but also the diversion and main dams.
A trail was begun from the main road between Colfax Gate and the Toll Bridge, leading toward the proposed aqueduct crossing on South Fork. This trail has not yet been completed.
In conjunction with the Forest Service and other interested parties, a bridge was built over the Middle Fork on the road between Hog Ranch and Sequoia. Before this bridge was built, the road was impassable when the Middle Pork was at high stages, and it was then necessary to ford the river.
PERMANENT CAMP.
Following the topographic survey of the Hetch Hetchy ramp, studies and designs were made in the office for the main camp for housing the men to be engaged on the construction of the Hetch Hetchy dam.
The construction of camp buildings at the Hetch Hetchy dam site was begun in September, 1915, the first building constructed being the dining room, 120 ft. by 40 ft. This was followed by building of bunk houses and cement warehouse. There have been built also several 3-room cottages, a hospital, wood house, oil house, meat house, and other buildings. A water system with wooden tanks and 2-inch water mains has been completed, and roads around the cam)) have been undertaken.
DIVERSION TUNNEL.
For the purpose of by-passing the stream flow of the Tuolumne River during the excavation of the foundations for the dam and the construction of the dam proper, a tunnel was drifted at the dam site. This tunnel was commenced late in September, 1915. Owing to the difficulty of securing prompt delivery of the compressor plant, due to tardiness in plan approval by Interior Department officials, the work was begun by hand drilling. When the tunnel heading was well started, two crews were put on, working night and day, and the heading was drifted through on the 30th day of December.
The main tunnel is to be 20 ft. in diameter. The completed heading is approximately the upper half of the whole tunnel. The excavation of the bench on the remaining half is now being carried on. The rock is a very hard grade of granite requiring no timbering and is a good indication of the nature of the excellent' foundation of the main Hetch Hetchy dam. A portion of the spoil has been saved for use in the concrete construction of the diversion dam.
DIVERSION DAM.
Preparations have been made to construct the diversion dam to divert the river flow into the diversion tunnel, above mentioned, for unwatering the main dam site. A bench was made for hoisting engine, the engine installed, and derrick parts and cable hauled in and put in place preparatory to storing sand from the river bed. Lumber for flume and form construction has been delivered on the ground from Canyon Ranch sawmill.
The commencement of both the diversion tunnel and diversion dam was delayed from April till August — four months — due to lack of approval of plan program by the Assistant Secretary of the Interior. It is needless to state that delays of this nature prove a hardship and serious handicap to the City, where the fair weather season is so short, due to winter snows, etc. Work on the diversion dam is progressing favorably, and should be completed by next December.
BUREAU OF ENGINEERING
60 BUEEAU OF ENGINEERING
TELEPHONE LINE.
The City's telephone line from Groveland to Hog Ranch was extended as a single iron wire from Hog Ranch to Hetch Hetchy camp. Some repairs and im- provements in the old line were also made. The line is now in operation from Groveland to Hetch Hetchy dam site. A branch line has been built to Early Intake and is now in operation.
CANYON RANCH SAWMILL.
A site for the .sawmill at Canyon Ranch in the City's property owned in fee was selected in the spring, and in April, 1915, grading was begun thereon. This was followed by felling and hewing of timbers sufficient to construct the first part of the frame for the mill. The final timber work was made with timber sawed at the mill.
Sawmill machinery, purchased under Contract No. 2, was delivered at Chinese and hauled to Canyon Ranch during June. The machinery was completely in- stalled early in July and sawing was begun on July 21, 1915.
Great care was observed to preserve the natural forest appearance of Canyon ranch, and not mar the scenic features of the National Park by the City's activi- ties. One of the means used was to leave untouched a screen of trees imme- diately next td the railroad.
Sawing was continued until November, when, on account of the snowfall, the mill was shut down. About 1,200,000 feet B.M. were manufactured during the season, a portion of this being surfaced. A large portion of this lumber was hauled to Hetch Hetchy dam site for use in permanent camps, a portion was used at the sawmill in construction of frame for the mill, office, bunk houses, etc., and the remainder was piled for seasoning. The area on which the timber was cut at Canyon Ranch has been cleared, the slash and brush burnt in a satisfactory manner. During December the mill was housed in, engines, etc., covered, and everything put in good style to withstand the winter storms.
There is now remaining on Canyon Ranch about 800,000 ft. B.M. of timber, which can be cut by the mill. In the floor of Hetch Hetchy Valley there are about 2,000,000 ft. B.M. of logs suitable for saw timber.
Work at the sawmill was resumed in April, 1916, and is progressing satis- factorily. An average day's run yields about 15,000 board feet sawed and surfaced.
DEFENSE AGAINST OPPOSITION WATER AND POWER CONCERNS.
The Yosemite Power Company has pending before the Department of the Interior applications for rights on the Tuolumne River in the National Park and Forest Reserve, which conflict seriously with the development works as proposed by the City. A determined stand was made by this office against the United States Government approving the validity of these claims, hydrographic and other data was prepared and submitted to United States Government officials and studies made by the company's proposed hydro-electric power development. The City Engineer with the City Attorney and the Clerk of the Board of Super- visors left for Washington, D. C, on January 18, 1916, to oppose the claims of this company, which is controlled by the Hammond interests. The hearing of both sides was held before the Secretary of the Interior on January 26, 27 and 28, and the objections presented by City officials taken under advisement by him. Little doubt is felt of a verdict favorable to the City, for in a similar proceeding in 1912, Ex-Secretary of Agriculture Wilson ejected the National Park Electric Company, another wildcat concern, from the National Forest, at the request of the City, under conditions which were practically identical with those obtaining in the present case.
BUREAU OF ENGINEERING
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62 BUREAU OF ENGINEERING
LOWER CHERRY POWER DEVELOPMENT.
In order to supply power for construction purposes at Hetch Hetchy dam site and along the tunnel aqueduct line, work is in active progress on a temporary power plant to be located near Early Intake. An aqueduct line 17,000 ft. in length, including 4,400 ft. of tunnel, 5,200 ft. of flume and 7,400 feet of open ditch will be constructed during the present year, bringing water from Cherry Creek to the forebay 300 ft. above the power house at Early Intake.
During the hitter part of April, surveys were commenced for the diversion dam, which will direct the waters of Lower Cherry Creek into this aqueduct, and also for the aqueduct line and power house location. The line of this aqueduct has been cleared, a trail built the whole length of its development and camp buildings erected for the use of men engaged on the construction work.
There will be five tunnels on the aqueduct line, 7 ft. 6 in. wide and 7 ft. fi in. high, with arched roof. These will be awarded by contract, which will call for completion within a period of 150 days. The open ditch work and Humes will be built by day labor.
The Early Intake wagon road is being extended from its present terminus, near the permanent aqueduct bench, across the river by a bridge and thence up a 10% grade to the Cherry Aqueduct line. At the present time the bridge is being constructed.
In addition to the road work necessary for the Cherry power development, considerable repair work has been necessary on the roads from Groveland to the Early Intake on which a surfacing crew has been almost continuously en- gaged.
For the equipment of the Lower Cherry power plant, contracts will be awarded immediately in -order that deliveries may be secured in ample time to install the generating machinery early next spring.
A temporary storage dam will be constructed near the" outlet of Lake Eleanor, in order to raise the level of the lake and make available, for power purposes, an additional water supply.
It will be necessary to have a continuous flow of 120 second feet in the Lower Cherry power canal for a continuous generation of 2400 K.W. The ordi- nary flow of the stream for the four driest months of the year does not supply this amount.
Whether the temporary dam at Lake Eleanor will be an earth fill or a timber crib structure, has not been decided, but which ever type is adopted as ni(,.,l suitable and economical will be finished before the spring- of 1917, in order to make available next year the rainfall and waters from the melting snows of the coming winter.
CONTRACTS.
The following contracts were operative during the past year: Contract No. 1. For constructing road from Hog Ranch to Hetch Hetchy Dam. This work was begun in August, 1914, and completed in February, 1915, by the Utah Construction Company, at a total contract price of approximately $180,000. 9.09 miles of 22-foot roadbed was graded. The maximum grade is I', and the minimum radius of curvature 191 ft. The greater part of the material handled in grading was solid granite. The roadbed was later surfaced, as elsewhere noted in this report, and is now being utilized for the transporta- tion of machinery, materials and men to and from Hetch Hetchy Valley. It will form a part of the roadbed for the railroad now being constructed under Contract No. 7. Previous to the construction of this road, the Hetch Hetchy Valley was accessible only by trail.
Contract No. 2. For furnishing Sawmill Machinery. Bids were received on April 14, 19ir,. and the contract was awarded on April 19, to the Eby Machinery
BUREAU OF ENGINEERING
63
64 BUBEAU OF ENGINEEBING
Company, for the sum of $4,975. Final payment was recommended on August 31, after a successful trial run of the machinery.
Contract No. 3. For Furnishing Logging Engine. Bids were received on April 14, 1915, and the contract was awarded on April 28, to the Western Equipment Company for $2,950. Final payment was recommended on August 19, after a successful trial run of the logging engine.
Contract No. 4. For Clearing Portion of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir Site. Bids were received on September 15, 1915, but were rejected (September 20) on account of irregularity in the lowest bid. The contract was re-advertised, bids being received on September 29, and award was made to A. J. Reeder on October 1, for the estimated sum of $31,675, with a possible bonus of $1,500. A large amount of cord wood and of saw logs cleared from the reservoir and usable as fuel and construction timber, has been saved for the City's use. Already the amount of cord wood provided for in the contract has been cut.
Contract No. 5. For Furnishing Air Compressing Plant and Drills. Pro- posals were received on September 8, 1915, and the contract awarded on Sep- tember 15, as follows:
Proposition No. 1. — Boilers, to the Chicago Pneumatic Tool Company, for $2,877.
Proposition No. 2. — Air Compressor, to Ingersoll-Rand Company of Cali- fornia, for $3,019.
Proposition Nos. 3, 4 and 5 — For Drills, Receivers, Sharpener and Acces- sories, to Rix Compressed Air Drill Company, for $4,431.50.
This machinery was delivered to Hetch Hetchy dam site in November. It has all been assembled and is ready for regular operation.
Contract No. 6. For Furnishing Hoisting Engine and Boiler. Proposals were received on October 8, 1915, and contract awarded on October 11, to A. L. Young Machinery Company for $1,357. The engine was delivered at Hetch Hetchy dam site in November and installed, as noted under "Diversion Dam".
Contract No. 7. For the Construction of the Hetch Hetchy Railroad. Speci- fications were prepared for this work and proposals received on October 28, 1915. The proposals were six in number, the lowest being that of F. Rolandi of this City, for the estimated sum of $1,543,080.74. This bid was accepted by the Board of Public Works on December 6, 1915.
This contract will include grading 58 miles of line, from Hog Ranch to Rosasco, furnishing all materials and constructing a railroad over the total 67.63 miles, with necessary sidings and other accessories, from Rosasco to Hetch Hetchy dam site.
Work has been continued with a maximum force of 500 men. At the present time there are slightly over 400 employed by the Contractor.
The estimated value of the work completed June 30, was $318,346. The Contractor now has one steam shovel on the ground and expects to operate two more.
The grading is approximately 40% done; construction of concrete piers for the Tuolumne River Steel Bridge has been begun and a large amount of con- struction material, such as rails, ties, switches, and lumber for trestles, has been delivered at Rosasco.
Contract No. 8. For Furnishing Cement. Bids were received October 23, 1915, and contract awarded on October 26, to the Santa Cruz Portland Cement Company, for furnishing at Chinese Station 3,975 barrels of cement, The contract price was $10,613.25. Delivery was begun immediately upon award of contract, but the early rainfall and snow interfered with the hauling to such an extent that the completion of delivery had to be deferred until the end of winter. At the present time there have been delivered at Chinese Station 3400 barrels and the contract is practically complete. This cement is to be used in the construction of the diversion dam, the preliminary work for which has already been done.
BUREAU OF ENGINEERING
66 BUEEAU OF ENGINEERING
Contract No. 9. For Hauling Cement from Chinese, a Station on the Sierra Railway of California, Tuolumne County, to Hetch Hetchy Dam Site. Bids were received on November 5, 1915, and contract awarded on November 6, to Charles B. Dunham at $23 per ton. Hauling was begun immediately upon award of con- tract and carried on intermittently, as rapidly as the weather and conditions of roads would permit. The contract has been practically completed.
Contract No. 10. For Drifting Tunnels, Lower Cherry Aqueduct. Specifica- tions have been prepared and contract will be awarded in the near future.
Contract No. 11. For Making Core Borings, Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct. Speci- fications for this contract were transmitted to the Board of Public Works on June 30, and proposals received on August 9, 1916.
The work will consist of securing for examination about 8,000 ft. of 15/16 in. core from holes to be bored along the line of the Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct, between Early Intake and Priest Regulating Reservoir. The data thus secured will be indispensable for obtaining a knowledge of the material that will be traversed by the aqueduct tunnels.
Contracts No. 12 and 13. Specifications for these contracts for hydraulic and electrical machinery at Cherry Power Plant have been prepared, and provide for the delivery of hydro-electric machinery early in 1917, in order that the program of the City Engineer for the construction of the Hetch Hetchy System may be carried out as outlined in this report of March 25, 1916, to his Honor the Mayor, the Board of Public Works and the Board of Supervisors.
STREAM MEASUREMENTS.
Hydrographie and meterologic observations have been continued, as previously noted. The City Engineer is endeavoring to reduce the number of employes of the U. S. Geological Survey paid for by the City to perform this work.
SURVEYS.
During the construction of the Hetch Hetchy Railroad it has been necessary to maintain five parties of surveyors for the purpose of general staking and supervision of grading work, installation of culverts, cross section work and esti- mates for payments to Contractor. Several slight revisions of the alignment have been made, which will reduce the total construction cost and result in better align- ment.
Upon the completion of the location survey of the Hetch Hetchy tunnel aqueduct from that point to the westerly boundary of the Stanislaus National Forest. The relocation of this line was determined after extensive cost analyses, as well as geological studies.
The new aqueduct line crosses the South Fork of Tuolumne River at a point near the confluence of the Middle Fork, the crossing being a very low bridge. With the old aqueduct location, an expensive inverted siphon would be necessary, in which water would be under very high pressure. This undesirable feature is eliminated in the revised location, which places this 19 mile section of the aque- duct on a uniform gradient.
A preliminary line has been run from Priest Reservoir to the Moccasin Creek Power house site, and thence a location survey has been run to Red Mountain Bar. At this point the aqueduct will cross the Tuolumne River on a structure, the nature of which has not yet been definitely determined. For pur- poses of study, a detail topographic survey was made of the site of the proposed crossing. The survey has been continued from here to the westerly boundary of Tuolumne County, which will be approximately the end of the tunnel aqueduct and the head of San Joaquin Valley pipe line.
BUREAU OF ENGINEERING 07
The location of the Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct from Oakdale westerly across the San Joaquin Valley has been partially completed. At the end of June this work had been carried about 36 miles, or close to the right bank of the San Joaquin River. This survey will be completed to Irvington Gate House before the winter, and maps thereof filed with the Secretary of the Interior, in accord- ance with the provisions of the Raker Bill.
Preliminary to the clearing of the floor of Hetch Hetchy Valley, to tin- elevation which was to be flooded by the construction of the diversion dam. an average depth of abput 30 ft., a survey was made of the 3,560 foot contour. which was flagged out on the ground for the guidance of the men engaged in clearing the reservoir site.
The Hetch Hetchy dam site was accurately resurveyed and topographic map made thereof. This map was the basis of final studies of type of dam to be con- structed, and also of location of this and various appurtenant structures.
For the purpose of making descriptions of the rights of way, along the Hetch Hetchy Railroad, resurveys were made of the townsites of Big Oak Flat and Groveland. The original surveys of these townsites were very roughly done in the mining days of 60 years ago, and without the resurveys it was im- possible to determine with any accuracy the location of the property lines. This work has now been completed and the rights of way are being definitely estab- lished as a result of it.
The Indian lands in the Big Creek Valley, near Groveland, were surveyed, as well as a number of mining claims along Moccasin Creek, as the railroad traverses these lands and the descriptions were needed for right of way purposes.
GEOLOGY.
In connection with the location of the Hetch Hetchy aqueduct tunnels through the Coast Range Mountains, from Tesla to Irvington, it has been necessary to make a thorough geological survey of this district. The field work in connec- tion with this survey was practically complete by the" end of June.
The determination of the best location for the Tuolumne portal included a study of the location of the San Joaquin River crossing of the Hetch Hetchy aqueduct pipe line, and the question was considered as to whether it would be advisable to change the river crossing from the location tentatively recommended previously, but a careful analysis resulted in retaining the location as originally suggested.
ALAMEDA CREEK HYDROGRAPHY.
The work of gauging the water sources of the Spring Valley Water Company. in Alameda County, begun in 1914, has been continued during the past fiscal year. The accumulation of accurate data and determination of the reliable yield of these sources is of great importance to the City in connection with not only any future purchase of the Spring Valley Water Company, but for any con- troversy in which the Company and the City may be involved.
APPLICATIONS TO DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR.
Amended application for Lake Eleanor Reservoir and application for Cherry- Hetch Hetchy Tunnel Aqueduct in Stanislaus National Forest were filed March 9, and approved, respectively, December 27 and December 24.
Applications for the following rights of way were also made:- —
Hetch Hetchy Railroad, from Hog Ranch to west boundary of Forest, filed May 28, approved October 12 ;
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Hetch Hetchy Railroad, from west boundary of Forest to Priest Reser- voir, filed June 11, approved October 15;
Hetch Hetchy Railroad, from Priest Reservoir to Red Mountain Bar,
tiled August 18, approved October 12:
Hetch Hetchy Railroad, from Red Mountain Bar to Rosasco, filed
November 1. approval still pending.
Application map for Lower Cherry Aqueduct. Dam Site and Power House Site, tiled in April was approved on June 22.
Map of Priest Regulating Reservoir. Dam Site and portion of watershed. necessary for protect! t reservoir against pollution, filed in April was ap- proved June 22.
Map of amended location of Hetch Hetchy Tunnel Aqueduct, from Early Intake to the west boundary of Stanislaus National Forest, was prepared and on June 30 was ready for riling. This last application is of the new aqueduct lino, as noted on pages 28 and 30 of the report of March. 1916.
Application map of Hetch Hetchy Railroad, from Red Mountain Bar to Rosasco, tiled November 1, 191.3, was approved December 27, 1915.
CITY DISTRIBUTING SYSTEM.
Pending the settlement of the suit instituted by the Spring Valley Water Company for the adjustment of water rates in San Francisco, realizing that the outlying districts were in urgent need of immediately supply, on the recommenda- tion of this office, the Board of Public Works was authorized, by Resolution No. 1.0,869 of the Board of Supervisors, to sink test holes on property belonging to the City and County in Richmond and Sunset Districts, to determine the feasi- bility of obtaining a supply from wells in this locality.
Ten test holes were bored and proved the water-bearing possibilities of this district. Contracts were therefore entered into for five wells, the total cost of drilling which amounted to $13,895.94. The cost of the ten test holes amounted to $4,250.25. It is estimated that from the wells already drilled a permanent supply of 1.000,000 gallons a day can be secured. Therefore, if it ever becomes necessary to supply portions of the Richmond or Sunset Districts from this source, the necessary pumping station can be installed and distributing reservoir con- structed.
Subsequent to the drilling of the wells, however, on July 3. 1915, the following Resolution was passed by the Board of Supei'visors (No. 11,886, New Series) :
"Whereas the Spring Valley Water Company has submitted in writing an offer to make certain needed extensions to its water mains in the City and County of San Francisco: and
"Whereas, One- of the conditions of said offer is that the cost of in- stalling said mains shall be added to price which may be fixed upon the properties of said Company now under condemnation in suit No. 53708 in the Superior Court of this City and County: now, therefore, be it
"Resolved. That the City Attorney is hereby authorized and directed to enter into a stipulation in said case with the Spring Valley Water Company to the effect that the cost of such extensions when completed may be added to the value of the properties found by the Court as of the day on which the summons was issued".
Pursuant to this agreement, the Spring Valley Water Company has in- stalled since July 3, 1915, the following pipes in the various districts: —
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RICHMOND DISTRICT.
16" main in 23rd Ave., from Fulton to Geary Sts.
12" " " Anza St., 23rd to 29th Aves.
12" " " 29th Ave., from Anza to Balboa Sts.
12' Balboa St., from 29th to 31st Aves.
8" " •■ Balboa St., from 31st to 42nd Aves.
8" •• " 42nd Ave. from Balboa to Geary Sts.
8" " " Fulton St., from 10th to 23rd Aves.
8" •' " 28th Ave., from Anza to Geary Sts.
8" " " 21st Ave., from Anza to Geary Sts.
6" " '• 18th Ave., from Fulton to Cabrillo Sts.
GARBAGE DISPOSAL.
A number of propositions for the disposal and destruction of refuse and gar- bage have been submitted to the City authorities during the past year and have been referred to the City Engineer for consideration and report. The several propositions are herein briefly summarized and commented on with a view of showing the apparent merits or objections that may be advanced regarding the operation and the results that may be had therefrom, of the different projects submitted.
Collins & Pellett, under date of December 17, 1914, proposed to install four garbage crematory incinerators to have a total guaranteed capacity of 512 tons a day, for a price of $340,000, the sites for the incinerators to be furnished by the City. Collins & Pellett will guarantee these plants to be odorless and practically smokeless.
They also make an alternate offer for the City to give them a contract fran- chise for 15 years and grant them full control of garbage collection and at the end of the 15 years' period they agree to turn over the plant to the City without cost. In this proposition also the City shall furnish the sites for incinerators. The plants will be housed in fireproof buildings which shall be supplied by the Contractors.
By "control of collection" above mentioned, Mr. Collins states that they mean they shall take over and operate the entire collection of waste, garbage, ashes, swill, etc., now collected by the scavengers and the two or more reduc- tion companies that are operating in the City. This will make it necessary for the Supervisors to pass such ordinances as may be required to give complete control of the whole collection situation to Collins & Pellett. They do not go quite so far as to suggest the entire confiscation of the scavenger business, but say they will make adequate and satisfactry arrangements with the scavengers, even to the extent of buying out their horses and wagons and then engaging the drivers and collectors by the day. They would also undertake to control the collection of swill and other waste now handled by the Reduction Companies in South San Francisco, and the reduction companies would then be compelled t" arrange with Collins & Pellett for the products these companies now collect for themselves.
Collins & Pellett also, under date of July 22, 1915, made three propositions to the City as follows: —
Proposition No. 1 : To construct an incinerating plant of the type of Nye's Improved or Lea's Garbage Crematory Incinerators, on site to be furnished by the City, with a capacity of 512 tons per 24 hours, at a cost of $340,000. This plant is guaranteed to be without any- offensive odors or gases and practically smokeless in operation.
Proposition No. 2 : To construct on site furnished by the City a Nye's Im- proved or Lea's Garbage Crematory Incinerator to dispose of the entire output
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of the City's garbage and waste, for a period of 15 years, and at the expiration of that period to turn over the entire system to the City free and clear of in- cumbrance and in good running order, without further cost to the City : provided Collins & Pellett are given •'control of the entire system of collection and disposal of garbage for said period of 15 years".
Proposition No. 3: To erect on sites furnished by the City, Nye's Improved or Lea's Garbage Crematory Incinerator and to operate these incinerators free of cost to the City and to pay to the City $90 per day for every working day of the year; provided Collins & Pellett are given "full control of collection and disposal of the entire output of the City's garbage and waste", and at the expira- tion of 25 years to deliver the plants to the City at appraised valuations, Or, should the City extend the franchise to a period of 35 years, Collins & Perlett will undertake to deliver all the incinerating plants clear of incumbrance and without cost to the city.
Attention has already been called to the proposed "control of collection" that Collins & Pellett are asking for and this is a provision that would be very difficult to carry out witli satisfaction to most of the people concerned excepting perhaps Messrs. Collins & Pellett. Attention is also called to their guarantee that there shall be no "offensive odors or gases" and that the plant shall be "practically smokeless in operation".
There is an incinerating plant of the Nye's and Lea's improved type now in operation in the Presidio Military Reservation in San Francisco, for the de- struction of refuse and garbage from the hospital and waste from officers' quar- ters in the Presidio. This incinerator is a destructor of the flat hearth type enclosed in a corrugated iron building and is said to have cost about $4,000 when built. It consists of a burning hearth upon which the refuse to be burned is delivered through a chute at the rear and distributed by poker in the hands of attendant. The destructive fire is supplied by an oil burner, which fire is pro- jected into the furnace and deflected across the hearth by an angle wall at the rear end. The refuse, before being fed into the furnace, is dumped upon a platform on a level with the roadway and when the ash pan below the burning hearth is full of ashes and other burned material the grate is rolled out on rails provided for same and the ash removed by hand to the dump.
The rated capacity of the unit is about 16 tons of refuse or garbage daily. The capacity of this type of furnace seems not to have been tried out and there does not appear to be any installed where continuous operation is required. Mr. Collins states there are several of the plants in some of the Southern States and all operating with satisfaction.
The furnace seems to be of the type and construction suitable for burning small quantities of refuse in small towns, as the resulting odors and smoke are not in such volume as to form much serious objection. Should there be assembled in one plant a sufficient number of these furnaces to burn 500 to 600 tons a dav, or, as suggested by Mr. Collins, to install four plants in different parts of the City, each of which would have a capacity of about 150 tons a day, it is not possible to estimate what degree of nuisance might result from the combined odors and smoke from all the furnaces of the group.
Regarding fuel expense the records would indicate that the plant at the Presidio requires something between 24 cents and 35 cents worth of fuel oil per ton of refuse. It is probable that with larger installations and more continuous operation the amount of fuel oil required per ton of refuse would be less than in such a small plant as the one at the Presidio.
Neil H. McKay, Civil and Sanitary Engineer, San Francisco, under date of December 1, 1915, made a proposition as follows: —
To design, erect, and test, to the satisfaction of the City and County of San Francisco, one Sparks Garbage Incinerator, of one unit, with a rated capacity
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of 8 tons per day as a demonstration plant, on a plot of ground to be furnished by the City, under the following guarantee: — -
1. To destroy 8 tons of garbage and refuse a day.
2. The plant will be odorless and inoffensive.
3. The plant will be constructed in a thoroughly mechanical and workman- like manner.
4. Residue will be free from organic matter.
5. No restrictions on any grade or classes of garbage.
6. Cost of operation shall not exceed 40 cents a ton.
7. All refuse and garbage will be incinerated to inocuous ash and vitreous clinker.
8. Will erect and complete said incinerator and temporary building en closing same, supply all tools and equipment for operation, and furnish complete plant, consisting of one unit of the Sparks Garbage Incinerator, in perfect working order, for the sum of $6,000, to be paid upon the conclusion of satis- factory operating tests and delivery of maintenance bonds. Will also furnish bonds in good solvent surety company for fulfillment and performance of contract, also for maintenance and to save City harmless from all claims of any nature.
This type of incinerator is stated to be in successful operation in Memphis, Tennessee; Little Rock, Arkansas: Hilsborough, Texas, and Bartelsville, Oklahoma.
While Mr. McKay states that it has proven itself to be the most economical and sanitary garbage incinerator ever constructed in the United States, it is probably another of the type of incinerators that work very well for small quantities of refuse to be destroyed, and offensive gas and smoke are then prob- ably in such small quantities that no serious objection to its operation are apparent.
Fred P. Smith, Henry E. Monroe and R. F. Harding. These gentlemen, under date of Xovernber 15, 1915, made application for a franchise for disposal of garbage, rubbish and waste matter for a term of 35 years. In consideration of such a franchise they propose to dispose entirely of all refuse delivered to Them as collected by scavengers or others, without cost to the City, and in a clean and sanitary manner. As compensation for such a franchise they offer to pay to the City 4 cents per ton for all refuse delivered to the plant and at termination of franchise period of 35 years they will convey to the City all right. title and interest in a complete incinerating plant, which shall have a capacity of 1,200 or more tons per day, together with a site of not less than 30,000 square feet area. The estimated marked value of said plant and site will be about $730,000. It is estimated that under the proposed franchise the City would receive about $237,000 in cash, which, with the estimated value of the plant and the site, would equal approximately $1,000,000 to be received by the City as compensation for the franchise.
The proposed site to be furnished by Messrs. Smith, Monroe and Harding is in the Islais Creek District within 2,000 ft. from the Islais Creek Incinerator erected by the Destructor Company.
Smith, et al, are to have the exclusive permission, privileges, rights and authority to dispose of all garbage, refuse and waste, except dead animals and swill from restaurants and hotels, which are now otherwise provided for, to be delivered by scavengers, collectors or parties having waste or refuse, and to deliver said refuse to the proposed plant at such hours of the day and at such places as directed, subject to the approval of the Board of Public Works and under the sanitary supervision of the Board of Health, and scavengers or others are to pay, upon delivery at the incinerator, at the rate of 60 cents per ton for all refuse delivered, and the City shall not permit the use of other places for dumping or disposal of refuse.
The Company (Smith, Monroe and Harding) shall become responsible for the disposal of all refuse in such manner that no fonn of nuisance can result
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from the handling, from the treatment or from incineration, and there shall he no noxious odors or gases, smoke, fumes or vapor, either inside or outside of the plant.
The Company proposes to have the plant of the Sanitary Reduction Works turned over to them by the City and that the City shall permit its operation by the Company for the period of the first 18 months of the proposed franchise period of 35 years, or until the new incinerating plant shall be finished. The Company will make such alterations and additions to the present Sanitary Re- duction Company's plant as required to remedy existing nuisances of smoke, odor, and general uncleanliness. All their work of construction of new plant • and the operation of the old plant shall be under the supervision of the Board of Public Works and the City Engineer, and all work of disposal of refuse and garbage shall be under the supervision of the City Board of Health.
The City shall have the right to terminate the franchise at any time after 5 years of operation of the new incinerating plant and for such termination the City shall pay to the Company the sum of $20,000 for each unexpired year of the 35 year franchise.
Messrs. Smith, Harding and Monroe, under date of December 9, 1915, pro- posed as follows : —
For the immediate and temporary disposal of waste and refuse they will receive all refuse such as is now taken by the Sanitary Reduction Company and dispose of same upon submerged property owned or controlled by the Com- pany (Smith, Harding and Monroe) in the Islais Creek District. For this privilege they agree to pay to the City the sum of $20,000 per annum, or $30,000, for a proposed contract period of 18 months, they to be authorized to collect 60 cents per ton from scavengers who shall deliver the refuse subject to the direction of the Company. All of the physical properties of this disposal are to be subject to the approval of the Board of Public Works and the sanitary and health con- ditions subject to the approval of the City Board of Health. The Company States that they are prepared to begin operations four weeks after the acceptance of their proposal.
Messrs. Smith, Harding and Monroe, under date of December 9, 1915, also make application for a contract for the disposal of refuse for a term of 25 years, the compensation to the City for said franchise to be 4 cents per ton of refuse delivered by scavengers to the Company (Smith, Harding and Monroe) during the first 5-year period, 5 cents per ton of refuse delivered by scavengers to the Company for the second 5 years of the period of the franchise, and an increase over the 5 cents per ton of 1 cent for each ton of refuse delivered by scavengers to the Company during each succeeding 5-year period for all refuse delivered to the plant. At the termination of the franchise period of 25 years, the Company will convey to the City all right and title in the complete plant, together with the site of not less than 36,000 square feet area, and the estimated value of the plant and site will not be less than about $730,000. The capacity of this plant will be 960 or more tons per day.
Under the proposed franchise it is estimated that the City would receive not less than $327,000 in cash, which, together with the value of the plant and site, would be more than $1,000,000, which the City would receive as compensa- tion for the franchise. The proposed site of the incinerator is in the Islais Creek District on land now owned by the petitioners. All waste shall be delivered to the plant by the scavengers, who shall pay the Company 60 cents per ton for receiving same and the Company shall then become responsible for the disposal of the refuse without nuisance or offensive conditions of any sort, subject in all its operations and results to the approval of the Board of Public Works and the Board of Public Health.
During the first 18 months of the franchise period the Company proposes to receive and dispose of the City's waste by burial for filling purposes at the plant site.
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The new plant will be constructed and supplied complete with all equipment for the requirements of the City, ready for successful operation, within 18 months after granting the franchise. It is not proposed to build at the first a plant larger than may be required to dispose of from 500 to 600 tons daily, but fur- ther units of furnaces will be built by the Company in advance of the City's requirements and before the end of the franchise period the Company undertakes to have built an incinerator with furnaces of a sufficient capacity to dispose of 960 tons or more, all enclosed in a building of Class "A", reinforced concrete construction. The estimated cost of the completed plant, as proposed by the Company, to be erected under the franchise at any period after the first five years of the operation of the new plant by paying to the Company a forfeiture price of $24,000 for each unexpired year of the franchise period.
Messrs. Smith, Harding and Monroe, under date of December 9, 1915, pro- pose what they term a feasible method of immediately and temporarily disposing of refuse without investment of any City funds, and for which they are willing to enter into contract with the City.
It is proposed that the present plant, now operated by the Sanitary Reduc- tion Company, be turned over to the Company (Messrs. Smith, Harding and Monroe), and that the scavengers shall continue to deliver the refuse at the plant and pay the reduction charges of 60 cents per ton, as is the present rule.
1. The Company will make such improvements to the Incinerator, to such extent and in such manner that the nuisance features of smoke and dust shall be abated. As compensation for such improvements they agree to accept the profits to be made by the operation of the plant for one year, the profits consist- ing of the difference between the actual cost of operating the plant and the 60 cents per ton to be paid by the scavengers upon delivery of refuse. After the first year's operation by them they propose to pay to the City the sum of $20,000 per annum for the continued use of the plant and for such period as the City shall desire and permit its operation.
2. The Company proposes a contract for the operation of the plant under 5 years franchise period and without payment to the City of any sums annually or otherwise, they will entirely reconstruct the present plant, should it be turned over to them, in such manner that its capacity will be increased and all nuisance features of smoke and odor will be entirely abated, and the present congestion of scavenger wagons at the busy times of the day will be entirely abolished. Under the proposal for the 5-year period, it is assumed that the present site for waste disposal purposes will not be considered for a period of longer than about 5 years.
3. The Company (Messrs. Smith, Harding and Monroe) offers to dispose of the City refuse for a period of from 18 months to 2 years by receiving the refuse delivered by scavengers on their Islais Creek property and disposing of same by burial in the submerged district, and for this privilege the Company will pay to the City the sum of $20,000 per annum so long as this method of disposal shall be permitted.
Referring to the first proposal by Messrs. Smith, Harding and Monroe, for a 35-year franchise period, it will be noted that they propose to pay to the City the sum of 4 cents per ton for all refuse delivered to the plant and they estimate that at the end of the franchise period the refuse that will be delivered by sravengers will amount to between 900 and 1,000 tons per day. This would rep- resent an average income to the City at 4 cents per ton, of approximately $9,000 annually during the entire franchise period of 35 years.
It will be noted that for the first several months of the period the refuse to be delivered by the scavengers is to be disposed of on what is now submerged land, by process of burial. There are many objectionable features to such a process as will be mentioned more particularly later on in this report, and while Smith, Harding and Monroe propose to treat the fill in a perfectly Mitis-
74 BUREAU OF ENGINEERING
factory and sanitary manner, they also recognize the fact that the whole founda- tion of the plant must be built and sustained on piling in order to carry the heavy building and furnace, which furnace, being of brick-work, will certainly require a very stable foundation, in order to prevent it developing cracks and thereby becoming subject to continual repairs.
Another feature requiring consideration would be the difficulty of compelling scavengers to deliver all of the refuse to the Islais Creek District. It would probably be necessary to have one or more receiving stations for refuse in some one or more sites to be determined, to which the scavengers would deliver their refuse. From these receiving stations the refuse could be delivered to the site of the proposed incinerator by motor trucks. The expense of this haul from the receiving stations to the incinerator \rould probably fall on the incinerator com- pany, and it may be they have included this in their estimates of cost. Their propositions do not make mention of such cost, however, and it may be subject to another franchise or expense item, that either the Reduction Company or the City or the scavengers would have to meet in some manner to be arranged. It is understood that the kind of furnace proposed by Messrs. Smith, Harding and Monroe is the same furnace or a modification of same that is now in operation in the City of Portland. There is also another one in operation in the City of Pasadena and one of small capacity in use in the City of San Jose, California. It is stated that the operating costs of the Portland plant are something less than 50 cents per ton. With the local charge of 60 cents per ton to be paid by the scavengers, there would be indicated a fair profit on the general operation of the plant.
One advantage that might be mentioned in one or other of the propositions from these gentlemen, is the fact that they propose to relieve the City immediately of further trouble with reference to its disposition of refuse and to guarantee that when their incinerator is built and in working order, it will be entirely satis- factory in that there shall be no offensive odors, dust or smoke, and at all times the operation of the plant shall be under the direction and supervision of the Board of Public Works and the Board of Public Health of the City and County of San Francisco.
A. G. Boggs, under date of November 12, 1915, submits two propositions: Proposition No. 1. The City shall acquire the present plant now operated by the Sanitary Reduction Company and turn same over to Mr. Boggs, that he may have the unobstructed possession of the plant, with the privilege of operating same until the completion of a new plant which he proposes to build. This plant com- prises an entirely new process for purposes of refuse reduction. It is called the "Boggs-Carson Multiple Unit Destructor" and consists of a series of furnace chambers or cells into which the refuse is charged. These cells are arranged in series and the heat and gases from one cell pass into the next and so on through the series, completing the destruction of the refuse by a complete round of opera- tion ; the whole process being self-contained does not permit of any odors or smoke passing from the furnace units in the destruction of the refuse.
No furnace of this type has yet been constructed for operation in practical destruction of refuse. It is understood that the inventor and owner have built a plant for experimental purposes, but nothing of a completely practical size.
The proposition states that the multiple unit plant shall be absolutely fume- less and odorless, and sanitary in every respect. When the proposed new plant is completed and with sufficient capacity to handle all the refuse of the City, the present old plant now operated by the Sanitary Reduction Company will be re- moved by the Contractor without expense to the City, other than a' franchise or contract granting the same privileges now granted to the Sanitary Reduction Company. In compensation for the franchise to be granted by the City, Mr Boggs agrees to pay to the City $15,000 at the end of the first year after receiving
BUEEAU OF ENGINEERING 75
possession of the property, $20,000 the second year, $25,000 the third year. $30,000 the fourth year, and $35,000 for the fifth year and each year thereafter np to and including the 30th year, which 30 years shall represent a franchise period requested by Mr. Boggs in consideration for his payments to the City and for the supply of his incinerating plant complete and the removal of the presenl plant without further expense to the City.
The City shall have a right to terminate the franchise and take over lie- entire plant at any time after it is in full operation, by paying an amount to the Contractor on which the net annual earnings show a 10 per cent profit. Should the City not desire to terminate the franchise and take over the plant until the end of the franchise period of 30 years, the entire plant is then to become the property of the City without any compensation to the Contractor.
Proposition No. 2. Mr. Boggs proposes to dispose of the refuse of the City by the same method and on the same terms and conditions as proposed by Mr. Richard Schmidt, except that payments to the City shall be 12 cents per ton of refuse delivered by the scavengers and with the further exception that the City shall have the right to terminate any contract made with Mr. Boggs in this matter on a 6 months' notice and a payment of twice the amount of the net profits that can be shown for the previous year's business of disposal.
With reference to the Boggs-Carson Multiple Unit Destructor, as mentioned above, there is no incinerator of this type in practical operation. The chemical actions and re-actions in the process, as described by Mr. Boggs and Mr. Carson, might seem to offer at least a partial solution for the destruction of garbage and refuse, but it is impossible to form an opinion of the practical results to be obtained without some demonstration of the principal features involved in the whole process of the destruction of refuse.
Mr. Boggs' Proposition No. 2 is to be considered with reference to the proposals for burial of garbage which are commented on later in this report.
Fred Linderman, under date of July 22, 1915, proposed to accept all refuse from the scavengers as at present handled by them, and he will convey and load same on his vessels at any selected point or points, collect charges from the scavengers of 60 cents per ton, pay the wharfage charges for vessels and assume the whole responsibility for the disposal of the refuse at sea for the sum of 58 cents per ton, covering .a contract for not less than two years and a minimum quantity of 400 tons per day.
It was proposed to use similar equipment to that employed in his contract with Oakland and Berkeley. Owing to the fact that the vessel employed by Linderman in his contract with Oakland and Berkeley for the removal of the refuse to sea was recently wrecked, it is probable that this proposal by Mr. Linderman lapses.
It is not known whether the vessel employed by the Contractor to carry the refuse from Oakland and Berkeley actually complied with the State law which was amended about three years ago, to the effect that garbage may be dumped into the Ocean at any place not less than 20 miles from land, but from a number of complaints that have resulted from time to time it is probable that much of the material was dumped within less than 20 miles from land.
E. G. Borden, under date of December 3, 1914, offered to build a complete destructor of 50 tons capacity, free of cost to the City on site to be selected and supplied by the City. The Contractor will guarantee absolute combustion, free from all gases escaping into the atmosphere. After definite proof of the satis- factory operation of the incinerator the Contractor will sell to the City the original plant at its cost and charge the sum of $50,000 for the use of the patents under which the incinerator is built, during their lifetime.
This incinerator is a product of the Hydro-Vacuum Smelting Company, built under what is known as the Heslewood patents. During this last summer one of these furnaces was built as an experimental plant at the John Finn Metal
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Works, 384 Second Street, this city, and a trial of this plant was made in October, 1915.
The plant is an experiment in the design, construction and operation of a special closed top furnace of the iron smelting type to treat sulphide or other so-called rebellious ores and is connected with a condensing and wash-water apparatus for washing the waste gases and products of combustion from the cupola in such manner that objectionable odors shall be removed from the escaping gases and any valuable by-products may be saved. It was considered by the Company to be a practical method for destroying refuse and the experi- ment was to try out this possibility. The experiment showed that garbage can be destroyed in a furnace of the type used, but it did not demonstrate that the waste gases may be so purified or cleansed that the escaping vapors shall carry no odor. This is not to say that the waste gases may not be cleansed of odor or other objectionable features by some modification or extension of the process employed by the Company, but is simply a statement that the washing or cleaning operation as employed in the experiment was not effective.
The expense of operating this experimental plant was not a satisfactory basis upon which to estimate probable working costs for a commercial plant. It can be said of this as of a number of other untried processes that it will be necessary to make experiments on a more nearly commercial scale to show what actual costs may be. As above stated, the process applies primarily for the reduction of rebellious ores and since the time the proposition was made it is understood that Mr. Heslewood is not particularly interested in the application of his furnace for the destruction of garbage.
The City Disposal Company, Joseph F. Lahaney, President and Manager, under date of May 12, 1914, asks for an opportunity to bid upon a franchise covering the disposal of garbage or swill.
San Francisco Disposal Company, Charles Turner, President and General Manager, under date of June 23, 1914, made a proposition to the City as follows : —
In the first place it will be necessary to have a separation of the waste materials of the source, that is to say, at the households — one receptacle for garbage or swill and another for general rubbish or waste. They assume that about one-third of the total refuse collected in San Francisco, or about 150 tons per day, is garbage or swill. They proposed to receive and dispose of garbage from 150 to 200 tons daily for a period of 10 years, requiring the right to charge and collect from scavengers 60 cents per ton for all garbage delivered, and they will obligate themselves to take care of all garbage produced during the period of contract and will give satisfactory option to the City to buy the plant at any time during the franchise period. The Company makes no proposal for disposition of general waste, merely suggests that it can be destroyed in the present plant now operated by the Sanitary Reduction Company.
The San Francisco Disposal Company's plant is located in Butchertown, at Evans Avenue and Keith Street. This company now takes the swill from hotels and restaurants in the City and the method employed for disposal is that known as the reduction process which recovers from garbage commercial products such as grease and fertilizer. The communication also suggests the rebuilding of part of the old plant of the Sanitary Reduction Company and putting it in better shape for destroying waste.
Richard Schmidt, under date of December 17, 1914, and subsequently under date of December 8, 1915, through his attorney, Hiram W. Johnson, Jr., submits a proposal for the receipt and disposition of refuse, waste and garbage in amounts up to 500 tons daily, excepting such garbage as the City may desire to incinerate in its own plant, requesting a franchise period of 35 years during which time there shall be paid to the City nothing for the first 3 months, 2 cents per ton for the second three months, 3 cents per ton for the third 3 months,
BUREAU OF ENGINEERING 77
and 4 cents per ton for the fourth 3 months of the first year, and 4 tents per ton for all time thereafter during the life of the franchise.
Mr. Schmidt, through his attorneys, submitted a proposal of agreement for consideration, as follows :■ — ■
1. That all refuse and garbage shall be collected by scavengers and delivered by them at such places and during such hours as may be designated by the City Kngmeer, and the Contractor shall be authorized to charge and collect from scavengers for receiving and disposing of the waste the sum of 60 cents per ton.
2. The Contractor shall receive such refuse at the places and times desig- nated and convey and dispose of it or deposit same in cars and remove to the place of final disposal within 24 hours after having been delivered by the scavengers.
3. The Contractor shall dispose of the refuse by dumping on waste land in such manner that it shall be sanitary and shall be treated by a privately owned process of Mr. Schmidt in such manner that it will not become a nuisance. The places for fills or dumps within the City and County shall be approved by the Board of Supervisors and no salvaging shall be conducted except on the fills and dumps.
4. All notices or directions to Contractor, except orders or ordinances from the Board of Supervisors, shall be in writing.
5. Contractor shall have the right at his option to enclose the places for dumps or where fills are being made and may prevent unauthorized persons from entering upon such dumps.
6. The Contractor shall enter upon the performance of this contract within 90 days after execution of agreement and shall continue the disposal of all waste during the full term of agreement.
7. The Contractor shall execute a bond in a sufficient sum to guarantee faithful performance of the contract, and the bond shall indemnify the City against all damage to person or property by any act of Contractor, except such acts as are authorized or approved by the City, and tin' bond shall also indemnify the City against liability to employes of the Contractor.
8. If, for any reason, other than may result from the fault of the Con- tractor, the refuse delivered by the scavengers shall be reduced to less than 200 tons per day, the Contractor shall not be required to pay anything to the City, or should the amount be reduced to less than 100 tons per day, the City shall be obliged, at the option and request of the Contractor, to purchase all physical appliances and structures employed in the disposal of such refuse at a reasonable value to be ascertained by appraisal, and this reasonable value shall be paid in full satisfaction of contract or franchise.
The terms proposed by Mr. Schmidt, upon which the City, at the option of .the Contractor, shall take over the plant and the business of the Contractor, stat.^ that the valuation shall be ascertained in the following manner: —
The City shall pay to the Contractor a sum of money equal to 10 times the amount of the net profits from the Contractor's operations for the 12 months next preceding the period when the City began to operate its own plant and if taken over by the City after 25 years immediately succeeding the date of contract the payment to the Contractor shall be equal to a sum of money which shall be 9 times such net profits if taken over by the City during the first year succeeding the 25-year period, or 8 times if taken over during the 2 7th year, 7 times if taken over during the 28th year, and so on until the amount to be paid the Contractor shall be diminished by one for each year until the 9th year succeeding the 25th year period, which 25 years shall lie the 25 years immediately succeeding the date of contract.
These prices are based upon the assumption that the City shall take over and operate the plant and business of the Contractor, conducting it in practically
78 BUREAU OF ENGINEERING
the same manner as proposed by the Contractor, but in the event that the City should take over the plant for the purpose of discontinuing the operation under the terms of the franchise and does not intend to use the plant or the method or should decide to enter upon a plan for the disposal of refuse essentially dif- ferent from that under the operations of the franchise, then the amount to be paid the Contractor shall be the amount previously mentioned less the appraised valuation of the physical property and appliances which the Contractor • may retain. Should the franchise be permitted to run for the full term of 35 years, the whole plant shall then become the property of the City without any payment whatsoever therefor, and it may take immediate possession.
Mr. Schmidt's attorney, under date of December 8, 1915, submitted some variations in the detail of the original proposals to the general effect that Mr. Schmidt would consider — that the franchise period of 35 years mentioned could be changed to 5 years or any other term that would be acceptable to the Board of Supervisors, so that a shortening of contract term should fit into proposal as originally made.
2. The location of the ground or the area into which garbage is to be dumped will be under the complete supervision and approval of the City authori-
3. Sanitary inspectors shall be appointed in any reasonable number, one- half of expense to be paid by the Contractor.
4. Mr. Schmidt will give bond in any reasonable amount for faithful per- formance of work and any change in the proposal or terms of the proposal along fair and equitable lines or any change to meet objections that may be made in regard to the proposal will be met by Mr. Schmidt.
In this connection I would refer to the report made to the Board of Public Health by Dr. Hassler, the Health Officer, under date of November 9, 1915, which refers particularly to the proposition submitted by Mr. Schmidt:
"This plan of disposal is open to the following objections:
"1. The character of the receiving stations, class of construction, whether enclosed or open, the ■ provisions of cleansing and sterilization, provisions for authority and inspection with payment for inspectors are all overlooked; likewise no consideration has been given the question of rats, flies, vermin, odors and the general nuisance to the neighborhood.
"2. At the several receiving stations there must be an aggregate of from 40 to 60 ordinary freight cars standing open all day long, for the agreement permits the retention of refuse at the receiving stations for a period of twenty- four hours, which means these stations need never be free' from garbage.
"3. These receiving stations will be designated by the City Engineer and the City, therefore, becomes a partner with the Contractor in maintaining what at any time may become a public nuisance.
"4. The final disposal is to be by dumping and burial. Dumping and- burial of garbage is a bad practice for the reason that it means a putrefying, offensive mass that in spite of the covering will give rise to foul odors and retard the installation of permanent improvements for a long period of time. In all places where garbage has been used as a fill and the site subsequently used as a place of business or residence, it is a matter of record that the incidence of communicable disease is greater among those residents than in other sections. Such fills are also a natural harboring and breeding place for rats, flies, vermin, etc.
"San Francisco, with its plague experience, must always guard against the creation and maintenance of rat harbors, and I believe that it would be impossible to cover a fill of garbage with a sufficient amount to earth to properly neutralize the inherent dangers of putrefaction and prevent a nuisance.
"The agreement states that the Contractor is to cover with a thin layer of earth, but there are no specifications as to the amount, character or composition
BUREAU OF ENGINEERING 79
of earth to be used, not any length of time as to how long dumped garbage may lie exposed before covering with earth. Likewise there is 'no provision for au- thority of inspectors over the contractor nor for the payment of inspectors repre- senting the City. When it is considered that a day's refuse of San Francisco will cover from one-fourth to one-third of an acre to a depth of six feet, the insuf- ficiency of the agreement is very evident.
"Note: — The matter of disinfecting garbage by spraying with a solution as suggested by one of the parties interested in obtaining a contract is not a practical procedure for abating the noisome odors or the nuisance which might arise from rats and flies, for the reason that unless the garbage is thoroughly saturated it would be absolutely ineffective, and saturation with a disinfecting solution delays the organic decomposition and final destruction of the garbage.
"5. As a form of agreement, it is all in favor of the contractor, the City becomes a partner by designating the sites and in my judgment becomes liable for damages is case adjacent property is injured by reason of the dumps.
"The City guarantees the Contractor the privileges of his contract and agrees to give the Contractor all the wastes of, or to be collected by the City (see para- graph 9) and failing to do something it cannot do the City would be liable for damages to the Contractor. The City is to be paid a certain sum per ton, but makes no provision tor payment of weighers, clerks, inspectors, etc., in order to check and record the tonnage.
"6. In the ninth paragraph there is a definite statement that no ordinances, sanitary regulations or requirements shall abrogate the provisions of the contract.
"7. A final paragraph refers to default of contractor to perform his duties, but nowhere are his duties defined, except in the haziest possible manner. The franchise is to run for thirty-five (35) years and can only lie terminated by the City constructing and municipally operating its own incinerating plant.
"It must 'construct' its own incinerating plant.
"It must municipally operate its own plant.
"It must be an incinerating plant and no other means of disposal.
"Even if it does all these things, it can resume control only by paying many times the 'net profits' of the contractor, while 'ne1 profits' .ire to lie the basis of purchase there is no provision for securing a check upon the Contractor's own figures".
I am in accord with Dr. Hassler, wherein he states in the concluding para- graph of his report as follows: —
"I feel assured that any garbage dumped would be looked upon with con- siderable suspicion and disfavor."
I also quote from a statement of Calvin S. White of the Oregon State Board of Health, wherein he writes, under date of November 2, 1915, as follows: —
"I am most vigorously opposed to any fills or permanent improvements being made from garbage. The plan, I understand, has been tried out in Seattle and pressure has been brought to bear on the local health authorities by those inter- ested to endorse the measure, although now I think it has been discontinued there. It was tried here in one of the gulches for a few weeks, but the well-founded complaints of all the people living in the neighborhood was sufficient to have it stopped. It is a breeding place for rats and Hies, gives rise to foul odors, no permanent improvements can be built over such a fill without handling the putri- fied mass and in my judgment cannot but be a source of contamination. My own opinion is that the only way to dispose of garbage is to take all that is fit for fertilizer back to the land and have the rest incinerated. It is true in our City and perhaps in yours that there is not sufficient demand to warrant the saving of by-products such as grease, soap, bones, etc., and the waste of paper that cannot be used over is of course considerable, and at the present time the only plan I would endorse would be one that had the total destruction of all putrefactive material as its prime object".
8U BUREAU OF ENGINEER IN(i
These same remarks apply to the alternative proposal of Messrs. Smith. Harding and Monroe, to Proposition No. 2 of A. G. Boggs, and particularly to the alternative of the proposition from Fred Linderman, the alternative being the periods where the City might be compelled to dispose of its refuse by burial when it would be impossible for the vessel to carry the refuse to sea at periods of storm or weather stress, or a recurrence of the present disaster. Oakland has been compelled to resort to fill in low lying land and the authorities are finding themselves in an unpleasant situation. Berkeley. I understand, has been com- pelled to start its own incinerator even though it has to be run at considerable
The Harris Municipal Garbage Incinerator and Steam Generator Company, under date of November 15, 1915, submit plans and specifications for incinerator and steam generator. This concern proposes to furnish plans and specifications and a supervising engineer at an agreed-upon price, and the City is to build the plant at its own expense. Should the guarantee of inoffensive and satisfactory oper- ation not be met there would be no charge for services, and plans, etc., but should the guarantees be met the City should pay to J. B. Harris a royalty of $50 per ton of plant capacity as total final royalty — for example, 600 tons daily capacity of plant, $30,000 royalty. J. B. Harris guarantees the sanitary destruction of refuse at a profit of approximately 60 cents per ton, after allowing 6 per cent interest on investment. 4 per cent sinking fund for repairs and all labor, but this has to assume a certain profit to be derived from the generation of steam, as otherwise there could be no definite profit in such a plant.
The general type of this plant is somewhat similar to the Decarie Incinerator in that the grates of the furnace consist of water tubes and the arrangement nt' these water tubes forms a steam generator resembling in a way a Sterling water tube boiler. There does not appear to be any example of this incinerator in operation.
The life of this furnace or incinerator would be the life' of the weakest joint in the water tube boiler, and it is a device that cannot lie recommended for appli- cation.
J. E. Briggs, Pacific Coast Agent of the Decarie Incinerator Company, offers a number of letters giving data on operation and costs of Decarie Incinerators. Also states that he feels certain he can save the City a substantial amount in the cost of construction of an incinerator and also in cost of operation and general efficiency.
The Decarie Incinerator is another with the water tube type of grates, and the same remark applies to this as to the Harris, in that the continuity of operation will depend upon the strength of the weakest pipe joint in the furnace.
Mr. Briggs has no definite proposal to make, however, and it must be assumed that he is only in position to make bids or proposals tor Decarie Incin- erator should the City undertake to build one or more incinerating plants.
R. E. Tilden, consulting civil and hydraulic engineer, AVinnemucca, Nevada, offers for consideration an incinerating plant of the Dixon type with some im- provements by W. G. Kirkpatrick of Birmingham, Alabama.
This incinerator is of the small capacity type, well adapted, for the smaller towns or where labor and fuel are cheap and where the smoke and odors would be of such comparatively small volume and amounts as to lie practically negligible.
The refuse is dumped on the floor and the furnace fed by hand. The whole operation is by hand and the capacity of furnace is about two tons per hour.
A number of these furnaces are said to be in operation in the Southern States — Birmingham, Alabama; Augusta, Georgia; San Antonio, Texas.'
Mr. Kirkpatrick's relation to the installation of an incinerator is that of an engineer, solely. He furnishes plans and specifications upon which local con- tractors bid for the supply and erection of the incinerator. He charges engineering fee, but holds no patent rights. Mr. Kirkpatrick says the plant is no nun.
BUREAU OF ENGINEERING 81
objectionable or offensive than a livery stable and does not give out as much odor, and that the objections to this plant being centrally located for convenience of garbage delivery are mostly sentimental, such as not wanting to see the garbage carts passing.
Mr. Tilden is western correspondent of Mr. Kirkpatrick. Mr. Tilden has no proposition to make to the City. He simply offers the design of the Dixon incin- erating furnace as modified and improved by Mr. Kirkpatrick for consideration here should the City decide to erect any plants of its own.
It will be noted that each proposition contains a guarantee of operation that the proposed method of disposal will be inoffensive, odorless and otherwise unob jectionable.
Messrs. Collins & Pellett propose to guarantee "by an acceptable bond that their incinerator will be without any offensive odors or gases and practically smokeless in operation".
Neil H. McKay will furnish bonds in a solvent surety company for the ful- fillment and faithful performance" of guarantee that "the plant will be odorless and inoffensive".
Messrs. Smith, Harding and Monroe say: "No nuisance or offensive condi- tions such as noxious odors or gases, dust, smoke, fumes or vapors shall be caused by the process or means of disposal to exits or prevail inside or outside the plant", and "there shall be no heavy nor offensive smoke from the chimney at any time from burning refuse." Regarding the proposed reconstruction of the plant now operated by Sanitary Reduction Company, they will "increase its capacity and all nuisance features of smoke, dust and odor will be entirely abated".
Mr. Boggs says his "multiple unit plant shall be absolutely fumeless and odorless and sanitary in every respect".
E. G. Borden will "guarantee absolute combustion with no escaping gases".
Richard Schmidt proposes to handle the refuse in a manner "that shall be entirely sanitary and shall be treated to prevent same from becoming a nuisance", and "will give a bond in any reasonable amount" for satisfactory performance.
J. B. Harris "guarantees" inoffensive and satisfactory operation by the use of his system.
It appears to be the custom among promoters and sales agents and manu- facturers of incinerators to offer guarantees for the successful and satisfactory operation of their several plants, and it is possible that much of their optimism is based on the hope or expectation of being able to "get away with it". Unfor- tunately however, there are numerous instances of application where success has not been achieved.
The general and most recent history of the treatment and disposal of refuse in the United States consists of a long line of failures to meet the requirements of the more recently developed sanitary laws and health consciousness. There are reputed to be some successful methods in operation in some of the larger cities and a close hand study of some of these plants would be of value in our further investigation.
To quote from Page 54 of the Final Report of the Grand Jury of the City and County of San Francisco for the term beginning December 16, 1914, and ending December 14, 1915: —
"Apparently the art of incineration is by no means fully developed. An in- cinerator recently installed at Berkeley has been closed down, and of the four recently constructed in Seattle the use of two has been discontinued. Before the City Engineer can make the logical recommendation as to what steps are to be taken in the treatment of this problem, a comprehensive study should be made of the entire subject of garbage disposal. The most efficient and reliable way of gathering this data is by personal inspection, which will involve the expenditure of about $2,500. In view of the importance of the problem and the very large expenditures already made by the City of San Francisco, amounting in all to
82 BUEEAU OF ENGINEERING
$699,000, the wisdom of such a study should be apparent to the Board of Super- visors".
There can be little question that the incineration method is the proper one for the final disposal of refuse, and it must be admitted that the burial or dumping method is of a temporary nature only.
Before being in a satisfactory position to advise upon the numerous proposi- tions submitted, or to recommend any particular design of incinerator, it is desir- able, and I recommend, that funds be made available to the extent of $2,500 to meet the expense of investigating the methods used in garbage disposal in several cities of the United States that have a population of upwards of 500,000.
BUKEAU OF ENGINEERING 83
1908 BONDS FOR GARBAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEM— J I'XK 20, 1916.
Memorandum of cash on hand, as per attached statement, not allowing for any further liabilities on account of purchase price of incinerators from Destructor Company.
Total cash on hand $243,643.63
From this cash balance should be allowed the following, which will be expended whether the Destructor Company wins or loses suit : —
Owing to Sanitary Reduction Works on Plant....$50,000.00 To be expended in investigations 'during suit and in investigations of various methods of garbage incineration 971.42 50,971.42
$192,672.22 Amount of bonds unsold 120,000.00
Balance on hand after paying liabilities and expenses, but not includ- ing further payments to Destructor Company $312,672.22
GARBAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEM— BOND ISSUE OF 1908.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT, JUNE 20, 1916.
Total appropriations June 20, 1916 $840,110.58
Total surplus from appropriations to be returned to fund 87,678.80
Net total appropriations June 20, 1916, including $50,000.00 due
Sanitary Reduction Works $752,431.78
Total bonds sold $880,000.00
Premiums on bonds 65,104.00
Total amount available June 20, 1916 $945,104.00
Net total appropriations June 20, 1916 $752,431.78
(Including amount due but not appropriated for Sanitary Reduction
Works) Net amount available for appropriations on new work, assuming that
no more will be paid Destructor Company on their contracts $192,672.22
Amount of bonds authorized but not yet sold 120,000.00
Amount remaining in bond fund, after all bonds are sold and assuming
no more payments on incinerator contracts $312,672.22
Amount recoverable from Destructor Co. on account of payments made on incinerators:
Islais Creek $ 85,699.51
North Beach 43,194.26
$128,893.77 (Williams shows a balance of $155.50 less than shown by this statement.)
North Beach Islais Creek
Contract price $132,075.00 $123,141.00
Paid 43,194.26 85,699.51
Due Contractor $ 88,880.74 $ 37,441.49
84
BUREAU OF ENGINEERING
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BUREAU OF ENGINEERING 85
DIVISION OF SURVEYS.
During the past fiscal year a total of 1827 orders for surveys were received at the public counter. Of these 59 were for lot surveys and 1768 were for surveys for public improvements and in answer to petitions or complaints. They include approximately as follows:: 5,304 blocks and crossings, a total length of 2,545,920 lineal feet, or 482 miles.
Precise levels were run, covering 1075 blocks and crossings, or about 210 miles; total number of bench marks rechecked and established, 2,505.
Approximate totals are as follows: —
6,379 blocks and crossings, 3,654,720 lineal feet of 692 miles. Fees collected and turned over to the City Treasurer, $20,623.25, Following is a detailed description of the work performed: —
SURVEYS. Made for Number
Public Contracts 526
Private Contracts 265
Street Repair Department 71
Division of Sewers 121
Board of Public Works Commission 349
Superintendent of Public Buildings 2
City Architect 8
City Attorney 1
Bureau of Engineering 424 1767
LOT SURVEYS.
Private Owners 40
City Architect 13
Board of Public Works Commission 1
Superintendent of Public Buildings 6 60
Total 1827
The following Precise Level Bench Marks were established or reconstructed in the different districts of the City during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1916: —
Districts Bench Marks
50 Vara 122
100 Vara 177
Mission 467
Western Addition 88
Potrero 614
Richmond 295
Sunset 112
Other Districts ... 630
Total .' 2505
Number of miles covered, 210.
In addition to the daily surveys above enumerated, work has been advanced on the following projects: —
86 BUREAU OF ENGINEERING
Circular Avenue widening.
France Avenue, etc., street extensions.
Surveying for the purpose of connecting or tying together the Potrero and South San Francisco districts, bounded by Oakdale Avenue, Railroad Avenue, Army Street and San Bruno Avenue, including Jerrold Avenue, Evans Avenue and interior streets.
Re-locating and denning the street lines and placing street monuments in streets of Panama-Pacific Exposition grounds.
Twin Peaks Scenic Boulevard (preliminary work).
Making map and checking descriptions of Chenery and Diamond Streets for City Attorney.
Holly Park District, fixing monument lines.
Market Street Extension, 24th to Stanford Heights, westerly line. (Pre- liminary work).
San Bruno Avenue through Bay Shore Tract.
Surveying and establishing grades on Twin Peaks Terrace.
Twin Peaks Boulevard Extension (Park Hill Avenue), locating improve- ments, cross-sections, profiles, etc.
Judson Avenue Extension.
Phelan Avenue Extension.
San Jose Avenue Widening, locating improvements, buildings, etc., profiles for grades.
Hunters Point Road Survey.
Clarendon Avenue, St. Germain to Ashbury Street.
Surveying, checking monuments, street and monument lines in Geary Street, 12th to 48th Avenue; Fulton Street, 12th Avenue to Great Highway; and 16th, 19th, 26th and 47th Avenues between Geary and Fulton Streets.
4th and 5th Avenues, California and Cornwall Streets, encroachments. (City Attorney).
Spreckels Street, South of Sunnydale.
Edna Street, new street opened between Sunny side and Melrose Avenues.
FEES RECEIVED FOR SURVEYS.
For Public For Private
1915 Improvements Improvements
July $ 1,532.50 $ 25.00
August 2,079.25 75.00
September 1,479.50 105.00
October 1,840.00 52.50
November 1,446.00 118.00
December 1,578.50 80.00
1916
January 681.00 50.00
February 1,865.00 80.00
March 1,697.75 25.00
April 2,094.00 166.70
May : 1,837.05 127.50
June 1,500.00 87.50
$19,631.05 992.20
19,631.05
Grand total $20,623.25
BUEEAU OF ENGINEERING s7
CURRENT WORK ON HAND.
The following orders for surveys for public improvements are now on our books : —
Mission District ::
50 Vara District 5
100 Vara District 4
Potrero District 7
Richmond District 9
Sunset District 5
Western Addition 3
Homesteads 15
Total number of orders 51
Orders average about three blocks per order, making a total of about 153 blocks plus the crossings.
To keep up the current work with the annual budget allowance is indeed a most difficult task. Yet, we are expected under the annual budget allowance to carry on all special projects and restoration work without additional funds.
The amount of current work performed under public and private contracts for the improvement of public streets, parks, etc., during the last ten years, from April 18, 1906, to July 1, 1916, has reached the enormous sum of $13,195,907, about 1 V2 millions per year. This one item alone (current work) has required surveys covering 52,187,520 lineal feet. The fees collected and turned into the City Treasury for said work amounts to $211,572.45.
The current work at the present time is far in excess of any time since the fire of 1906, and does not include any special projects or restoration work.
BUREAU OF ENGINEERING
TESTING LABORATORY.
It has been found expedient and economical for the Bureau of Engineering to conduct its own testing laboratory. Here are tested samples of all materials used in City construction, including asphaltum, building and paving brick, steel, bronze and cast iron, cement and concrete, paint and oil, rock, sand and water.
In February, 1916, the laboratory was moved to the new City Hall, where larger quarters have been provided in a location in the basement, easily accessible for the delivery of heavy samples, and where a firm foundation for the heavy testing machines was obtainable.
Expenditures for chemicals and supplies during the past year amounted to $583.75, and the total cost of operating the laboratory, including purchase of materials, amounted to $5,383.75. The total number of tests completed during the year amounted to 8329.
BUREAU OF ENGINEERING
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90 BUREAU OF ENGINEERING
PHOTOGRAPHIC AND BLUEPRINT DEPARTMENT.
The work of the Photographic Department connected with the Bureau of Engineering has been considerably broadened during the past fiscal year. Hereto- fore most of the work was performed for the Bureau of Engineering but arrange- ments have been perfected whereby any department of the City government can have photographs made at cost by the Engineer's photographer.
The photographic laboratory has been installed in specially designed quarters on the roof the new City Hall. Equipment of the latest type has been added and the results obtained have proven that the policy of the City doing its own photographic work is economical.
The great advantage that accrues to the City from having this bureau is that plans of contemplated improvements, can be safeguarded better than if the work were done by outside photographers.
<■■*■— ■—■■■—*■*■ i i r ii ■hi.i.^m — p—
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
Bureau of Engineering
TO THE
Board of Public Works
City and County of San Francisco
FOR THE
Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1917
M. M. O'SHAUGHNESSY CITY ENGINEER
PRES3 OF THE NEAL PUBLISHING CO., SAN FRANCISCO
Annual Report of the City Engineer
1916-1917
CITY AND COUNTY OF SAX FRANCISCO
DEPARTMENT OF Pl'BLIC WORKS, BUREAU OP ENGINEERING
San Francisco, December 6, 1017.
To the Honorable
The Hoard of Public Works of the
City and County of San Francisco.
Gentlemen: Herewith is transmitted the annual report of the Bureau of Engineering-, for the fiscal year 191 6-1 ill 7.
The development of the Boulevard System has been actively advanced during the past fiscal year. The Marina Boulevard, marked at intervals with gems preserved from the Panama Pacific Exposition, is now an assured fact. ('amino del Mar has been extended into the Presidio, over an ornamental concrete viaduct constructed by the United States Government in co-operation with the City and County of San Francisco. The Esplanade has been extended as far as the limited appropriations for this improvement would permit. Twin Peaks Boulevard has been completed and Hunters Point military road is well under way. The last named thorofare will do much toward developing manu- facturing industries in the southeasterly portion of the City, and will afford direct access to the Hunters Point dry dock and naval base, which the Government will construct in the near future. Plans have been developed for the Telegraph Hill Boulevard and the regrade of Rincon Hill. The policy of overcoming the defects of the rectangular street system in hilly districts has been pursued, and notable accomplish-
2 BUEEAU OF ENGINEERING
ments in this direction have been the regrades of Cumber- land, Noe and Sanchez Streets.
More pavements have been constructed within the past fiscal year than in any similar period since the memorable fire of 1906. A new type of pavement has been introduced, namely the so-called vertical fibre vitrified brick monolithic type. Its chief advantages over the older vitrified brick pavement for steep hillsides are its cheapness and ease of construction. Another advance in this line has been the adoption of "Topeka" surface, a semi non-skid sheet asphalt pavement. With the enormous urban automobile traffic of the present time, such a pavement has become a necessity. Six hundred and sixty-nine thousand, three hundred and sixty-five square yards of pavement of all types were laid during the past fiscal year.
The Municipal Railways, which, despite the pessimistic predictions of opponents of the system, have proven a great financial asset to San Francisco, have been developed along logical lines during the past year. The Church Street line has been completed and is earning dividends. The Twin Peaks Tunnel line will be completed during 1917, and a di- rect means of access provided before many months from the ferry to the districts beyond Twin Peaks.
On April 5, 1917, crews working on the east and west headings of Twin Peaks Tunnel met underground, 6,000 feet from the easterly portal. Shortly thereafter the bore was completed. It is conservative to predict that within a few years of its completion, property values to the south and west of the Peaks will advance in value in excess of the total amount paid for the construction of the tunnel. Its con- struction will also facilitate providing adequate means of transportation to the towns down the peninsula, when ad- jacent communities see fit to become components of Greater San Francisco.
The principal units of the sewer system completed dur- ing the past year comprise an outlet for the west side of the Ocean View district; the Great Highway sewer, extending
BUEEAU OF ENGINEEKING 3
from Noriega Street to Lincoln Way; the Glen Park sewer extension; the Stanley Street sewer, and the Oakdale Avenue sewer. The system will he extended as additional funds become available.
On the Auxiliary Water Supply System, extensions have been provided in the Telegraph Hill district, in Pine Street and in First Street. The many frame dwellings on the steep slopes of Telegraph Hill have been afforded additional pro- tection with an attendant reduction in insurance rates. The rock formation in this district made the excavation work costly. The other two extensions accomplished similar re- ductions in insurance rates.
The total number of surveys made during the past year were 1888. Two thousand six hundred and one precise levels have been run and bench marks established over a total dis- tance of 180 miles. Fees for these surveys amounted to $24,712.
In the Testing Laboratory, 6004 tests were made on various structural materials, at a cost, inclusive of salaries and supplies, of $5520.40. The inspection of concrete paving base has been carried on with the aid of laboratory analyses with a marked increase in the quality of the resultant con- crete. Analyses include the theoretical determination of the most economic cement and sand ratio — an exact result hither- to indeterminate, but which by continued research in our Testing Laboratory has been perfected.
Included in the report are maps showing population, area and assessed valuation of all districts of the City and County of San Francisco, and also the type of street pave- ment in each block thereof.
On the Hetch Hetchy project, construction work has continued interruptedly since my last annual report. The Railroad has been completed with the exception of a por- tion of the ballasting. The Lower Cherry River Power Develop- ment has progressed steadily and will be finished by about January 1. 1918. A reinforced concrete masonry buttressed arch dam is in progress of construction at Lake Eleanor.
4 BUREAU OF ENGINEERING
The design of this structure involves several original features — one is the placing of the central axes of the arches on a curved arc upstream across the present narrow channel of Eleanor Creek. Tangent to this central arc and extending to the abutments on each side of the present channel, the axes of the arches will lie in planes whose horizontal traces form an angle of 30 degrees. There are 20 arches, each with a span of 40 feet. About 7.000 cubic yards of high grade concrete will be embodied in the structure. Logging and yarding at the City's Canyon Ranch Sawmill for the season's run in 1916 amounted to over 1,600,000 board feet of rough lumber, besides a considerable quantity of surfaced material. During the spring of 1917. over -400.000 board feet were cut and planed. An additional sawmill has been established at Lake Eleanor. This has a capacity of 6,000 board feet per day. A base hospital has been designed and will be con- structed at once. All branches of the work are well co- ordinated and advanced as rapidly as possible.
Following is detailed description of tire work accom- plished in this Bureau during the fiscal year.
Respectfully submitted,
M. M. O'SHAUGHNESSY,
City Engineer.
B I ' R E A U OP ENG1 N E ERING
5AN FRANCISCO
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BUREAU OF EN G I N E E K 1 N G
BOULEVARD SYSTEM.
Tn advancing the policy outlined in previous animal re- ports of the City Engineer, work on the boulevard system has been actively prosecuted during the past fiscal year. The fol- lowing is a description of the work accomplished.
Marina Boulevard:
To have permitted the work of salvage to eradicate all trace of the Panama Pacific Exposition would have been a serious mistake, both from an economic and an aesthetic stand- point. Through the untiring efforts of the Exposition Preser- vation League, with which the City Engineer co-operated, if present plans are carried out, San Francisco is to have on the Exposition site a choice residential tract. This will be trav- ersed by the Marina Boulevard and marked here and there with gems preserved from the Exposition, namely, the Column of Progress, the California Building, the Marina, Palace of Fine Arts, the Lagoon and the Yacht Harbor.
On the recommendation of this office, Pierce, Steiner, Francisco, Fillmore, Bay, North Point, Beach and Jefferson Streets were declared closed to permit the designing of a sub- division with roadways aligned in graceful curves, more in keeping with the natural attractions of the district than a gridiron street system.
The problems involved in planning the revised street ar- rangement were numerous. For example, the prevailing winds of the district could not be allowed to sweep along any main artery, and yet it was essential that certain remaining heritages of the Exposition be left visible as termini for prop- erly framed vistas. The problem of proper distribution of traffic through the district was in turn complicated by the necessity of streets of changing direction while it was impera- tive that the maximum view frontage on the Golden Gate be developed.
The principal features of the plan which were finally adopted after more than a year's study were a north and south
8 BUKEAU OF ENGINEERING
axis centering on the Column of Progress and an east and west axis passing through the dome of the Fine Arts Building, both of which features will be recalled as ones that dominated their situations in the Exposition. At the eastern end of the east and west axis, centering on the Fire Arts dome, is a plaza ap- proximately one acre in area from which a circular drive or boulevard distributes traffic to the secondary streets in the southern portion of the park. Courts have been planned at uniform intervals along the northern and eastern borders of the park in such a way a,s to create a succession of features along the two main boulevards while at the same time giving the maximum amount of view frontage looking on the Marina Park and the grounds of the Fine Arts Building. On the southern boundary two business centers have been created from each of which three arteries radiate to the main centers of the residence park.
It is proposed that the streets shall be paved and improved in the most modern manner and that all electroliers and other street ornaments shall be of special design. Public utilities such as gas, water and electric power mains will be installed underground. The plan incorporated some twenty odd plazas or parks at street intersections and includes eight or ten in- terior courts which will be devoted to recreational purposes.
On account of the reluctance of some of the property owners to enter into the scheme, the first section of the project only is now under process of resubdi vision. This covin's about one-half the area of the whole plot and requires the closure of about 870,00 square feet of existing streets laid out in the rectangular system and the opening of about 860,000 square feet of new avenues and boulevards.
Streets formerly traversing this area were uniformly sixty-eight feet nine inches wide, dividing the district into blocks two hundred seventy-five feet in width by four hundred twelve feet six inches in length. The new streets vary in width from one hundred feet for the Marina Boulevard with a roadway of fifty-one feet down to forty feet for the small intermediate streets.
BUKEAU <)K ENGINEERING
10 BUREAU OF ENGINEERING
To Mark Daniels, Consulting Engineer, who had charge of the work of resubdividing this district under the supervision of the City Engineer, much credit is due for the results ob- tained.
The Marina Boulevard passing along the northern boun- dary of the property is an important link in San Francisco's boulevard system, connecting the existing terimnus at Fort Mason with a road to pass through the Presidio Military Res- ervation, a portion of which has already been constructed.
Skirting the northerly edge of the Marina Boulevard is the Belt Line Railway, of which the extension into the Presidio has been completed. The extension was urged by the Bureau of Engineering because of the military value of the track and the desirability of its being laid before construction of the boulevard was begun. As planned, the boulevard is free from railroad crossings and a screen of shrubbery will extend be- tween railroad and the north sidewalk.
Due credit must be given to the Pacific Gas and Elecfirc Company, and the Sierra and San Francisco Power Company for the generous manner in which they co-operated in ex- changing lands to open this boulevard between Fort Mason and the Presidio.
Twice bids were called so that the $30,000 appropriated in the last budget might be applied to the paving of the Marina Boulevard from Laguna to Scott Street, but in both instances the unit prices offered were too high and recommendations were made to reject the bids. Informal awards were made for the necessary fill along the boulevard. This fill was recently completed by day labor at one-third the cost of the amount set forth for that item in the formal proposals, thereby saving the City over $2,000.
As the route of this boulevard crosses the made ground in Harbor View and the Presidio, where the Exposition Company has pumped from the Bay 1,300,000 and 360,000 cubic yards, respectively, thereby reclaiming 18f acres, observations were kept to determine when complete subsidence had taken place
BUEEAU OF ENGINEERING
12 BUREAU OF ENGINEERING
so that street work, by undue settlement, would not be an economic loss to the City.
For the selection of Harbor View as the State Normal School site, the City Engineer actively co-operated, making three visits to Sacramento. Exhaustive investigations were made of the suitability of the existing California Building for a normal school and a report favorable < n this location sub- mitted to the State Legislature.
El Camino Del Mar :
\Vith the $56,000 appropriated by the Panama Pacific Exposition Company. El Camino Del Mar, extending from Lobos Creek to Lincoln Park, over rights of way purchased by the City for $30,000, has been constructed under direction of the City Engineer.
The Federal Government and City of San Francisco jointly constructed a reinforced concrete viaduct over Lobos Creek as a continuation of this boulevard, and a stretch of road will eventually be laid extending northerly therefrom to meet the existing driveways in the Presidio. Over three years ago this boulevard was started by the City, but it was impos- sible for some time to secure the prompt co-operation of the military authorities for the immediate completion of the project.
The Honorable Congressman Kahn, with co-operation of Senator Phelan, finally succeeded in having appropriated for the government's portion of this work, $30,000. Contract for the viaduct over Lobos Creek was entered into in April, 1917. and is now 90'/< completed. An appropriation of $5,000 was made in the City's Budget for 1917-18 to meet the cost of completing the westerly 99 feet from the center of the Creek.
From Point Lobos to Fort Miley, Forty-third Avenue has been paved recently thereby supplying one of the few remaining links between the Marina and the Esplanade.
The three boulevard units, Camino Del Mar, the Marina and Presidio drives, which stretch across the north shore of the City, will, when completed, besides possessing military
BUREAU OF ENGINEERING
14 BUREAU OF ENGINEERING
advantages afford many scenic attractions, enabling the pleas- ure seeker to obtain excellent continuous unobstructed views of the Bay, the Golden Gate and the Ocean.
Esplanade :
Few Cities in the United States can boast of a more in- viting stretch of seashore than that which extends from the Cliff House three miles southerly to Sloat Boulevard.
Plans have been made to provide proper shore protec- tion for the entire distance against inroads of the sea and to pave and park the Great Highway permanently as befits the possibilities of this splendid driveway. Lack of sufficient ap- propriations has hampered these efforts, the net results to date being but a 670 foot stretch of reinforced concrete es- planade bulkhead to withstand the ocean's encroachments. A request for an appropriation of $400,000 to extend the Espla- nade to Lincoln Way was denied in the recent budget.
The finished section, constructed for the City under con- tract by J. D. Hannah, at a cost of $80,000, .has occasioned widespread commendation and interest any many inquiries have been received for detailed plans from communities with similar problems, especially New York and New Jersey cities. The marked improvement presented by the bleachers and parapet of this structure over the brush grown embankment replaced, should insure an early appropriation of the funds for the remaining portion.
New grades have been established for the Great High- way from Lincoln Way to Sloat Boulevard. This boulevard will have two