The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-25
The President of the Board
Says the Architect Was
WOmaniSh.
SPRUNG THE SPECIFICATIONS
Monthly Reports Which Showed No
Progress-Attorney Ford's Opin-
ion Deferred.

He blushed deeply when called on
to explain his method of performing
his official duties. The architect of
the ferry foundation and union depot
arrived at the conclusion that there
was some sort of investigation going on
down at the Harbor Commissioners with
which his name had been prominently
connected, and thought that it was time
for him to go down and see about it. Ac-
cordingly he called upon President Col
non and the two gentlemen were closeted
for about an hour. Mr.. Brown defined his
position as he understood it, but if his ex-
PLANTATION was satisfactory to himself it was
far from satisfactory TO the president.
Mr.. Brown was seen after his interview
and he at first declined to make a state
ment, but in explaining his reasons for so
doing he made the statement just the
same When told that his questioner was
a CALL reporter he Redeemed violently as he
said:
81 have DO desire to go into the news
p apers. In fact, l have had more news
paper notoriety in the last few days than 1
care for. keep a scrapbook and paste all
these articles in it for the coming genera
ton to read. This investigation of the
ferry foundation, TO my mind, was in
spired by an enemy of Holmes, and when
it is all over it will be found that there is
nothing in it. Holmes is a good man and
a capable one. He is the man who super
vises the work and it is to him that [
make all my reports. The specifications
provide that the work must be done to his
satisfaction. All my work has to NEE
with his approval, as a glance at the speci-
fcations will show. l am merely an en-
ploye OF the board under Holmes. Such
was the understanding | had with the
board which appointed me. You know
this is not the only work have in hand.
"Why, if 1 had to give my personal at
tention 10 this work, where would l be?
1t would require all my time and attention,
and my other work would necessarily
suffer. I could not do that. 1t was not
the intention of the board that 1 should,
either. l was not appointed in a minute
or day. The board had the appoin ting
of an architect under consideration for
several months, and I was only one of
many who put in a bid for the place.
The members OF the board were all
friends OF mine, but when l was finally ap-
pointed there was nobody more surprised
than I. Since I have been the architect
for the board l have done all that was re-
quired of me. While it is true that the
name of Mr.. Holmes is signed to the speci-
fications, the engineer consulted me in
everything he did, and my ideas are incor-
porated in the work"
The foregoing was practically the ex-
PLANTATION which Mr.. Brown offered to
President Colnon and which did not at all
suit the latter.
"Mr. Browns explanation was woman
ish," said Mr.. Colnon. tHis reasons were
mostly because reasons. He dealt IN
generates and kept away from the main
issue The question is has Mr.. Brown vio-
lated his contract in not supervising the
work. He says not; but 1 think that he
has. He kept abiding to the specifications
while l tried to nail him to his contract.
He doesn't seem to think that the contr act
amounts to anything. He told me that he
had no understanding with the board tn at
appointed him as to his duties, but asked
him what that had to do with the case.
He does not seem to comprehend the
meaning OF the contract. | told him that
as a man of intelligence he should know
that he must live up TO the wording of his
contract. The specifications cut no figure
with me. They have absolutely nothing to
do with the case.
"His reasoning all through was woman
ish, and he beat about the bush and kept
away from the point as far as possible. |
quoted clauses of the contract to him, and
aske him to show me where he had com
piled with them. I told him that he had
never made report to the board, as he
was directed to do. He corrected me on
that point, and said that would find
monthly reports on file. This was news to
me and l Immediately proceeded to find
several of his reports. Here is sample Of
them:
SAN FRANCIsCo, January 8, 1895.
Ho1Odrd C. Holmes Esq, Chief Engineer Board
Of State HdrbOr Commissioners, 10 California
street, San Francisco-DEAR SIR: The San Fran
cisco Bridge Company is entitled to a payment
on their co ntract for foundation of approaches
to fer ry slips, Nos. 2, g. d. 5 and 6, since their
last certificate of % per cent of 1896 80, being
the amount of work done during the month of
December, 1894. and they should receive such
certificate for payment from you. Yours truly,
a. PAGE BROWN.
Stem. NJ. I.
"Al Mr.. Browns reports are in the
same vein" continued Mr.. Colnon, land
they showed nothing. That is not a re-
port of the progress of the work and told
him so. He seemed to think that was all
required of him. Mr.. Brown has been
careless in his work, to say the least, and
/ don't think he would be very good
man to have charge of the construction of
the union depot"
"Wi Il Mr.. Browns place be declared
vacant?" was asked.
GAS to that, am not prepared to saw
responded Mr.. Colnon. 1.-The board will
be guided in the matter by the report of
Attorney Ford. Mr.. Ford was to make
his report at the meeting tomorrow, but
he has ask ed for further time to look into
the case, and his request has been
granted"
TREY L. Ford, the attorney for the board,
was asked if he had come to any conclu-
sion in the matter, but he declined to make
public his findings until he had first re-
ported TO the board. 1t is pretty generally
understood though that Mr.. Ford is in
harmony with the ideas of the president of
the Harbor Commissioners. He has found
that according to the terms of the contract