The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-11-08
A Very Lively Session Held by
the Harbor Commits.
SlOnerS.
CONLoN AND COLE IN A TILT.
Chief Engineer Holmes in the Fight
and a Wordy Warfare
Followed.


meet the attack upon the firms work upon
the Clay-street shed made by H. L. Bien-
field, but the latter was not present to back
up his assertions.
President Colnon championed the absent
inspector, however, and for nearly half an
hour the war of words went on.
The first to lock horns were President
Colnon and Commissioner Cole. Then
Chief Engineer Holmes had his say and
Healy insisted upon being heard Com
missioner Chadbourne was not present, so
it was doubtful for time how the matter
would end. The president finally said
that if the board was willing he would ap-
prove the contractors bill.
''It must have the engineers signature"
said Cole.
mot at all necessary" said Colnon.
"The Board of Examiners has informed
me that all they want is the signature OF
the three Commissioners"
This is different from other bills" said
Cole. at is the payment OF contract and
the engineer must approve It,"
well let Mr.. Holmes sign it." said the
president, land we'll settle the matter right
now.'
Holmes was not ready to sign, as he
wished to make a statement in writing, SO
the matter went over
The secretary was reading communi-
cation from Healy & Tibbitts, in which
they denounced Inspector Bienfeld and
went on to state that they could prove by
sub-contractor J. S. Kimball that he had
misstated facts, when the president stopped
the proceedings and said the communica-
ton was out OF order.
The veracity of Bienfeld is not at
ISSUE" said Mr.. Colnon, "and l fail to see
the relevancy of this statement"
"If the board please" broke in Healy,
"there is great deal of relevancy. We
have been attacked by this man before YOU
and in the newspapers, and | think we
ought to be allowed to defend ourselves.
If he has lied about one thing he will lie
about Others"
1.-The matter is not relevant There is
nothing bearing on this subject before the
board" Colnon replied.
Il have examined these sheds and thew
compare favorably with all other structures
of the same kind along the 'front.'" said
Cole.
II call the Commissioner to order" ex-
claimed Colnon. I'VE are not discussing
| this shed just now. Furthermore think
| that on another occasion, Mr.. Cole, you had
to censure these contractors for another
| job they did for the State"
"Now, l call you to order, Mr.. Presi-
| dent" holly retorted Cole ''You talk
[
matter that happened months ago. Bien-
field, in his report on Clay-street wharf,
! brought up the same matter, and I'd like
to know why. We didn't employ him to
report on work done all along the 'front.'
| We'll. let the matter drop" Colnon
added, soothingly. but if our engineer
had been more careful over his specifica-
tons | think these complaints would
| never have been made"
| Chief Engineer Holmes said: "Every
change that was made was in the direction
OF Improvement. The specifications in
use by the last engineer were followed,
| but since then there have been many i'm
| provements in building material and I
adopted them. l think L am perfectly
right in accepting better work than the
| specification calls for. One change was
where four wire spikes were used instead
OF two wrougbt-iron spikes. The State
gained IN every way by that change"
Don't you think that is a practical adj
mission of an error?" Colnon asked.
mo, do not" replied Holmes. "The
old specifications were followed and a few
wrought nails crept in. That was rectifed
and the board gained by it. Now, Mr..
President, it has been stated in this board
and IN the papers that | approved the bill
of Healy & Tibbitts. Did 1?''
mo, you did not. Here is the bill and
1t Is not approved"
'Mr. Colnon, do you believe all these
statements that Bienfeld has submitted to
the board ?"
well, 1 don't know. II some of his
assertions are true the chances are that
there is something in the Others. One
thing is certain. He is the only inspector
we have ever employed who has made a
report to this board"
THAT is because there was never any,
thing to report" interrupted Holmes.
"Other inspectors have made reports"
&C Nnl h1~~. -
piles that were being put in the ferry
foundations and the chief engineer had
them pulled out and others put i'm
"Those reports were never made to this
board, or if they were l never saw them"
said Colnon.
ITS unnecessary to report to the
board, y explained Cole. ga report to anv
Commissioner is sufficient. The Commits
sloner can then order the work done over
again"
1.-The president is the executive officer
of the board and everything must be done
through him. He is the only one who
can make changes and order work done
over again. OF course at the next regular
meeting the board can override him." said
Colnon.
DO you mean to say that outside of the
sessions of the board | have no authority Pr
ut looks that way" The president then
read the law which plainly sets forth that
between meetings the president Is eXecu-
tive officer and everything on the front
must be done through him.
Then what say have [ got outside OF
meeting?"
Not any that know of, f" and a general
laugh followed.
A moments pause followed and Healv
again got the floor. He insisted upon his
paper being read and Colnon YEARLY
granted the request.
The statement contained sworn affi-
daVits denying some of the accusations
made by Bienfeld, and ended by stating
that if the latter had secured a load Of
wood from the contractor the report would
never have been made. An investigation
was demanded. President Colnon again
insisted that the matter was not relevant.
and incidentally remarked that Cofnmis-
sloner Cole had stood by on Clay-street
wharf and allowed Healy to denounce
Bienfeld. He said this was not right. and
considered that an employee of the board
ought to be defended. Cole began to DENY
the assertion, but suddenly recollected
that some such occurrence had taken place,
and said: well, it was only wordy war
fare and none of my business"
81 think it is all our business said the