The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-04-04
Prison Directors Crawling
Through a.Small. Hole.
That Campaign Quarry Must BE
Worked.
The Stru ggle TO Fill the Waterman
"Sack" Goes On.
Director Pat Reddy Does Some Expert Jug
Cling With the Law-sealed Bids and Fair
Competition Not wanted-state Loss

Yesterdays meeting of the State Board
OF Prison. Directors at San Quentin was an
harmonious one.
In fact. it was as smooth and unruffled as
preconeerted action upon the part Of the
Directors could make it.
But grave doubts and severe uncertainty
filled the minds of the contr actors during
the business that came ND previous TO the
question of letting the privileges at the San
Quentin quarries,
Daniel Sheerin was there with a bland
and confident smile, but had taken the pre-
caution TO fetch along his attorney, W. W.
FOote, who did the talking when the time
came. The latter earned his fee and left
no doubt as to the determination Of the
little boSses-Crimmins and kelly-tO fill
the Waterman campaign sack at the ex-
pense of the State.
Mr.. Sheerin's was the only bid received,
and as all bids are now closed he will prob
ably get the lease at a royalty of 81 cents
per ton for rubble and 10 cents per ton for
blue rock. Protected as he seems to be by
the friendship of a majority of the men,
bers Of the Board of Directors he can we'll
afford to take the stone under conditions
that no other contractor could venture to
present bid under.
CRAWLING THROUGH A HOLE.
1t is almost certain that he will get the
lease now, as ex-senator Pat Reddy has
found small legal hole through which he
can crawl himself and draw his much
Haunted Democratic principles after him.
Il e says that be has always maintained that
the Directors had no right to lease" the
quarry, but that they could grant
license" to any person to get stone from
there. With his vote in favor OF Mr.
Sheerin and the sack" added to that
OF Messrs. Craig and Devlin, the privilege
VIII probably be given to the original bid
der, and the local claimants to the boss
- ship win then be compensated for their
agreement to furnish eighty delegates for
Waterman.
Just how much there is in it for the
sack "-cannot be stated, but other con-
tractors say shat there is a fortune if Shee-
Tin continues. TO get protection from his
friends On the Board of Prison Directors,
who have taken an oath to guard the inter-
eStS Of the State.
NOT IN THE RING.
0lher contractors could not bid as they
were mot in it" with the com bination
. that drew.up The specifications, which are
framed In such a manner as to give the
Directors a chance to allow a faYorte to
make large sum of money while any one
not 20 their liking could be crushed in an
in slant at their viii.
That Sheerin's is not the best bid that
could be secured for the State is shown by
the following, which Is the sealed bid Of
fered by c. a. Warren & Co., aud rejected
by tie Directors on the trumped-up excuse
that the Directors refused to accept
'sealed bids.
WHAT THE STATE WILL LOSE.
State Board Of Prison Dirsctors-We will open
the quarry at point known as Hog Ranch" or
slaughter house Point" San Quentin, and pay
for all buidng-srOne % cents per ton; and for
nTI 10 CHI in
ton provided we can have five years lease, with
privilege Of renewal OF lease for the price
any one else viii Pay. c. A. WARREN & Co.
John kels0 Il Co., by their attorney, }. T.
Dare, {. a. Warren and L. Malley were
present and ready to put in bids until the
unfair specifications were introduced and
their efforts TO get them modified had failed
COMPETITION PROHIBITED.
The points objected to are the following
which appear IN the license:
Flrst-The Board Of Prison Directors shall have
the hight 10 take for the use OF the State Prison
any rock, OF any kind, without cost or expense,
tie Stale. TO furnish tie labor and the licensee
the derricks and appliances free.
Second-Tbe lessee shall dump such stone as
he does not nse and remove al such places as
may be directed by the Warden.
Third-The ltcepsee viii be required during the
continuance OF his license TO take out sufficient
rock 10 Yield the Stale revenue OF at least
d" SS3 Is per month.
Feuth-The iieensee shall not be allowed to
employ any eG-convict in the quarry. and must
and not interfere in any manner with the rules
and discipline OF the prison.
Ftlh-fOT any violation OF any OF the many
and stringent Terms the license may be revoked
ly The beard al any time, and II at any time the
board becomes satisfied that continuance Of
tile work in and about the quarry Is injurious to
lie best interests OF The Slate the discipline
or management OF the prison IL may revoke the
license.
The other stringent features were not OBJ
jeeted TO. but contractors refused to put
themselves in the hands of a lot of pOliti-
clans. prejudiced against them in advance
=. SMILING AND PREPARED.
After the usual little entertainment by
General McCOmb, the meeting came to or
der, and Senator Reddy was called to the
chair, with Messrs.. Sonntag and De Pue as
the other part of the board
Alter the usual preliminaries Warden
McComh submitted report. 1t told that
a. George Tasker, prisoner, had made an I'M
successful attempt 10 escape on March 18th,
and that two large shipments of
jate had been received In good con-
dltiOn and were safely stored away in
warehouses. 1t recommends the repairing
OF the road between the prison and Point
San Quentin, and asks that the Warden be
: given thirty days leave of absence that
re may attend an important meeting of the
80 Nardens Association, to be held in
Chicago, May 18th. The subjects to be dis
cussed are, The Identification of Habitual
o, Criminals. The Dimiaution of Crime"
and other matters of interest to prison
officials.
The report was placed on file and the
thirty days leave of absence, commencing
May 1St, was granted to the Warden.
PRISON CASH.
The quarterly report of the accountant
Hrn han fuarf tod i 10 r1I1