The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-04
POLITICS AND REVENGE,
Believed to Be the Cause of
the Ferry Foundation
Scandal.
SOME ANGRY GRAND JURORS.
They Think an Attempt Has Been
Made to Use Them to Crafty
Spite.

The members of the Grand Jury are get
ting somewhat disguised at the evidence
being brought before that body in the
matter of the ferry foundation scandal.
The jurors began the investigation under
the impression that evidence would be
produced to show that there had been con
siderable crookedness in regard to the
carrying out of the contracts, but some of
the members now have an idea that some
graceless persons are trying to use the
Grand Jury to further scandal which is
not based on facts.
Spite and politics seem to be the cause
of most of the talk against the solidity of
the structure as far as the testimony pro-
duced before the Grand Jury goes to show.
In fact, the jury virtually decided yester-
day to drop the investigation, but after a
further discussion it was agreed to secure
every bit of testimony possible, with a
view to ascertaining what started the
scandal. Governor Budd will be asked to
appear before the Jury next Wednesday,
and Thomas Price will also be summoned
to explain fully the results of his expert
analysis.
The only evidence tending to show that
the specifications of the contract in regard
to the concrete foundations were not
properly carried out has been secured from
discharged employees of Gray Brothers,
from persons who failed to secure work
from those contractors and from men in
the employ of Charles J. Stilwell whose
actions are looked upon with suspicion.
George F. Gray of Gray Brothers, Archi-
tect A. Page Brown and Howard c..
Holmes, chief engineer of the Board of
Rarbor Commissioners, were the only Wit
nesses before the Grand Jury yesterday in
regard to the ferry foundation matter.
Harry \. Gray was in attendance, but was
not called into the jury-room.
A. Page Brown said that he as an archi-
tect drew up the plans and had given in
formation as to how some of the work
should be done. He said that he fully APP
proved of the way in which the work had
been done, and that he believed the foun-
dalton fully secure.
George f. Gray said that the work of
preparing the ferry foundation was under
the direction and control of Chief Eugi-
neer Holmes and the Harbor Commission
ers. Had there been any part of the work
done improperly the Commissioners could
have stopped it at any time. The mate
rials, rock, cement and sand had been APP
proved by the Commissioners.
Chief Engineer Holmes stated that if
anything was wrong about the ferry foun-
dation he would be the one to blame, as
the work of building the piers had been
done under his supervision. He would
have ordered any changes if Gray Bros
had done poor work. but that everything
had been done properly; that it had been
done in the most approved way, and the
best results had been obtained. When
questioned about the lot from which the
rock used in the foundation had been
taken by Gray Bros, Mr.. Holmes said it
was we'll known, especially by the Harbor
missioners, that he owned the lot be-
fore the contract was let to Gray Bros. He
said that all of the rock used in the foun-
dation was identical with the samples left
with the Harbor Commissioners that all
came from the same quarry.
Mr. Holmes said the work performed by
Gray Brothers was good job and defied
any expert to prove the contrary. The
rock, the cement and the sand had been
approved by him as well as the manner of
mixing.
After Mr. Holmes finished his testimony
some of the grand jurors favored the prop
osition to drop the investigation as no
evidence of any account had been obtained
to show that the work done by Gray
Brothers did not come up to the specif-
cations. Others desired to probe to the
bottom of the scandal to ascertain the
cause of starting the sensational stories.
1t was decided to continue the investiga-
ton until next wednesday, Wnen GOYern-
or Budd will be invited to give his opinion
concerning the results of the tests made by
him and his experts, and also his opinion
of the work performed by the men who
investigated the matter while in his
employ.
One of the aims of the Grand Jury will
now be to ascertain whether the real cause
of the scandal was not brought about by
certain politicians to secure more patron
age on the water front.
Five members of the local Board of
Trade appeared before the Grand Jury
yesterday to call the attention of that body
to the questionable action of retail dealers
in obtaining goods from wholesalers under
false pretenses. The five men were repre-
sentatives of Jones & Co., Haas Bros,
Harter, Hayes & Co., the Dairymen's
Union and Hills Bros, all of whom are
creditors of the Hayes brothers, Market
street grocers, who recently failed. The
matter will be further investigated.