The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-03-23
BORING SUSPENDED.
The POStOfilee Site Once Again
Causes a Crisis.
An Experiment Meets With a setbaek-The
Contractor Will Await the Action Of
the Government.

The postoffice site question assumed an
acute phase yesterday when a very decid ed
step was taken by interested parties to
bring about settlement of the matter. The
step was no less than the hiring of con-
tractor to make experimental borings at
the southwest corner of the Seventh and
Mission streets site. the spot where the
opponents of the site claim the quicksand
and running water TO be.
As several exaggerati0ns and misState-
mentS have found their way into print. the
actual iScts, as ascertained by CALL re-
porter yesterday, are worth noting. For
some weeks past Colonel John +. Irish has
been chaing at the delays III the negotia-
tons and particularly at the pertinaeity
anu apparent success with which the oppo-
nents of the site have assaulted its eligibility
On the ground OF an insecure foundation.
The idea of having the spot bored. which
seems to have originated in the hostile camp,
has taken firm hold of Colonel lrish'S mind
and finally, as one of the commissioners, he
gave instructions to Contractor Lowe to 20
ahead and make EXPERIMENTAL borings. be-
ginning at The southwest corner. 1t is
understood that there had been some sort
OF communication between Colonel Irish
and the Washington authorities on tho
matter. ana the colonel had derived some
sort OF half assurance that the site would
be tested by boring. Without waiting for
definite instructions he entered into an
arrangement with Mr.. Lowe, and the latter
on Monday night moved the boring tools
or to the site and yesterday morning set up
the derrick, fixed the finch pipe and in
serted the auger.
A PARTY TO THE CONTRACT.
Il appears that the arrangement made be-
tween Colonel Irish ana the contractor
made the United States Government a
party TO the undertaking. for tie contract
so reads. But Mr.. Lowe had scarcely got
his derrick set UP when Special Agent
Gibson appeared on the scene, and after a
frlendly consultation induced Mr.. Lowe to
suspend work till definite orders bad been
received from the Washington authorities.
There was nothing in the nature Of threats
or intimations to Mr.. Lowe that he would
not be able to recover for his labor. The
understanding was simply that work should
be stopped. and that as little or no expense
had been Incurred. there could be no hard
ship inflicted on any party by the loss of n
day.
With this understanding Mr.. Lowe sen.
away his men and placed the derrick, ETC.,
IN charge OF Waterman. To a CALL re-
porter he stated that there was not the
slightest friction or ill-feeling with Agent
GIBSON or any one else, and that he wished
nothing more than for the boring operation
TO be superintendent by competent en-
gineers, TO see fair play, and that the press
and few intelligent citizens should be
present 10 see what strata were actually
pierced by the auger. He estimated that
the latter would go down about twenty feet
day through ordinary soil, and that with
two augers at work the site could be pretty
conelusiyely tested in two weeks.
wELL-BoRING.
II appears, by the way, that well-boring
IN this CITY Is not very easy or certain
matter. The tools have stuck" in the bore
at the Croker building on Pest street, and
tremendous amount Of difficulty has been
experienced in boring the well at the Cali
fornla Electrical Company's works. A
shallower bore may, however, settle the
question of tie NlsSion-street site.
Special Agents Gibson and Brooks were
interviewed yesterday BY CALL reporter
and promptly denied that there is any diff
Guilty between themselves and the site COM
missioners. 1t had been suggested that as
the latter are Democratic appointees while
the special agents are Republicans. advant-
age had been taken of the step taken by
Colonel Irish to put Stub on himself AMI
colleagues. Mr.. Brooks and Mr.. Gibson
alike declared that there is nothing Of this
Kind in the matter. There has been some
correspondence between Colonel Irish aud
the Government, as aresult of which Colonel
Irish had been led 10 assume that he could,
with the consent of the property-owners
have the site bored. The special agents,
however had already received instructions
to invite bids for boring the site, and this
was why they stepped in and requested that
all experiments he stopped till the whole
matter had been cleared up at Washington.
Geographic report at once and expected an
answer to-day, when the question of boring
will promptly be settled. Bids have already
been received and others are expected.