The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-06-04
MUNICIPAL COAL.
Supervisors Investigation of Eb-
bets Charges.
The Accusations Declared Not Proved and
New Contracts Are Awarded to the
Lowest Bidders.

The charges made by A. NJ Ebbets that the
prices bid by coal-deaers who recently applied
to supply the city with coal lower than 1t can
be purchased for. and therefore leading to the
inference that inferior coal would be substituted,
were Investigated yesterday by the Fire Depart
ment Hospitals and Public Buildings committees
OF The Supervisors.
Messrs. Cole. Bunker and Levy OF the Grand
Jury and Chief ScanneIi were also present.
MIR. Ebbets desired the matter investigated by
The Finance Committee, which alone has the
power TO subpoena witnesses, as in this way only
could several unwilling witnesses be made to at
tend.
REFERENCE REFUSED.
Chairman Barry replied that the board had re-
ierred the matter TO the Joint Committee, and
therefore refused to comply with the request.
The Frlces at which coal Is now being fur
nished the city as well as the contracts were
then read by Mr.. Ebbets. According TO these
the present contractor, j. f. Lynch, agreed to
supply Wellington at SIS S71s for ton OF 2240
pounds and West Hartley at 50.
MIR. Ebbets then submitted a number Of
samples OF coal obtained from the Almshouse,
COrporauon-yard and County Hospital by his
clerk, William Hoesch. by permission of the
clerk at the yard
Thomas Morton, coal. dealer was then sworn
as an expert and pronounced sample from Tie
hospital to be Seattle and one from the Corpora
toi-yard Coos Bay. In both cases the contract
calls Tor Wellington. Another sample fIom one
OF The engine houses was pronounced Canadian
anthracite and another Coos Bay.
COAL REJECTED.
A SAMPLE aken from engine during fire at
Davis and Sacramento streets was submitted TO
MIR. Morton aud lie pronounced IL Coos bay coal.
John Il. Scupham OF the Cherry Valley Coal
Company testified that Contractor Flynn, who
supplies coal TO the School Department, had pur-
chased Cherry Valley coal from him.
Chairman Barry ruled this evidence out on the
ground that the board has nothing to do with
school S,El Department coal, the Investigation OF
Robert Bell, steward at The County Hospital
testified that he had rejected coal at that 1nstlIu
ton because it is not Wellington but Gilman
coal. Since this coil was rejected the con-
tractor has furnished the hospital with Yelling
ton. One day MI. ODay, an expert, was present
and the witness submitted a sample TO him. His
answer was that the coal was good enough for
lie price. There had been no cheating in The
Quantity, as it is all weighed. The engineer
weighed some, but as he appeared 10 be anxious
about il, DIR. Heaiy had locked up the scale and
suee then lie had weighed IL himself.
MIXING THE SAMPLES.
In reply to an inquiry OF Supervisor Bush, Mr..
Ebbets stated that II is not possible for coal to
become mixed so that these samples might have
been picked out.
Engineer j. X. Dougherty OF the new City Hall
admitted having complained ouce about lie coal
furnished by Mr.. Lynch. but lately II had been
all right. He weighed all his coal now, but had
not doue SO until recently when lie suspected
that he was receiving short weight, whereupOn
lie procured scales.
Patrick Lynch swore that he could buy coal as
cheap as anybody. He had paid much as $40
ton for Pennsy lvana egg MIR. Lynch Inspected
the samples shown by Mr.. EbDels and pro-
nounced Them Coos Bay and Canadian anthra-
cite.
Mathew Collins, fireman OF the new c ty Hall,
testified that The present coal supplied by Con-
tractor Flynn is better than ever furnished be-
fore. Ii made more steam than EbUets' coal.
He admitted. however, that lie never complained
OF Ebbets' coal.
LYNCH's BooK-KEEPER.
Frank RourKe, book keeuer for Lynch, stated
that the coal spoken of by Bell Is Wellington,
and was accepted by him ON the same day.
Henry Costello, cierK OF the AimshouSr, testi-
fled that more coal than usual had been con-
sumed during the past winter, owing 10 tie un-
usual severity. ALI the coal furnished is full
weight and good quality. The same report was
made by Chef Scanuell.
Mr.. Ebbets aud tie witnesses were then eX-
cluded from the room aud Ine inquiry. which was
most iarcical 0ne was concluded, the Super
visors declaring The charges unSustained The
members OF the Grand Jury were evidently not
pleased at the methods OF investigation adopted
by the board and left before tile inquiry closed.
The committees, on motion OF Pescia, recon-
sdered their former action in rejecting the bids.
aud awarded them 10 the lowest bidders.