The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-11-21

prosecution from connecting Ashworth
they will try to shift the blame to his dep
uties.
After Ashworth's attorneys had admit
ted that the defendant was Superintendent
of Streets, J. B. Garland was placed on
the stand to identify the contract for
sewer work at Clay and Spruce streets
drawn between McHugh & Co. and Ash
worth and for the contracts for work on
Broderick street, between Ellis and O'Far-
rell, and on Ellwood street.
e. j. Morser, a deputy in the Surveyors
office, was called to testify to the plans I'M
der which street work is done, and which
are furnished the Superintendent of
Streets by the Surveyors office. The evil
dence went to show that plans for street
work are not always furnished to the Su-
perintendent OF streets, nor are they in
every case furnished to the contractor. In
the particular contract under investigation,
the building of cesspool on Clay street
and Spruce avenue, the general plans of
cesspools which that piece of work was
supposed to follow were kept in the Sur
veyor's office and the Specifications by
which the work is to be performed were
furnished the Superintendent of Streets.
1t is only in case the specifications differ
materially from the general specifications
IlaU Separate OF special Dian Is furnished.
Supervisor j. c. Hughes was called to
tell how he had inspected enc of the cess
pools on Clay street and Spruce avenue.
He had measured the one on the north
west corner in the presence of George w.
Elder and some of the Supervisors, and he
found 1t to be 4 feet 10 inches in depth.
They also measured the trap, but the wit
ness could not remember the exact result
of the measurement. They did not meas
bn an ha h
because Mr.. Elder had said the work was
correct. They had measured the work on
the northwest corner because Elder had
complained that it was detective.
Supervisor Morgenstern was with the
party which measured the cesspool on
Clay and Spruce streets, and he corrobo-
rated the measurements of Mr.. Hughes.
Peter McHugh, the contractor who built
the obnoxious cesspool, was then called.
He said the plans called for depth of
about six feet, and when the depth was
measured by Supervisor Hughes there was
q lot of sediment in the bottom. He said
that after the work had been accepted he
went out and dug the cesspool deeper, be-
cause he knew the Mayor had recon-
mended that the work be refused.
Mr.. Black asked McHugh how far apart
he had put the US or side sewers on
Broderick street. 81 was not there all the
time" replied the witness.
"But while you were there, did you
notice how far apart they were being
putt"
mo; did not pay any attention"
The witness said he did not even have
any memorandum to show how many
had been put in.
us it not fact that they were put in on
an average say fifty feet? was asked.
81 could not say"
Witness said that he did not even have
any specifications, but went to the prop
erty-owners and got the contract and put
the Y's IN as they wanted them.
SIS it not fact that you never get
contract without you agree to follow the
specifications of the Street Superintend-
ent?" asked Mr.. Black.
"Well, suppose the property owners
wanted me to put them in different from
the plans?"
E. J. Morser, Assistant City Surveyor,
was the next witness called. lie was
asked for the plans and specifications of
street work done in April and May OF this
year in the district covering Clay and
Spruce streets.
This brought on discussion as to
whether the Street Superintendent should
be bound by the plans and specifications
filed in the office of the Engineer and not
in his own, and Judge Murphy asked that
further information be furnished as to the
laws In regard 10 private anu pupllc con-
tracts for street work. The witness stated
that the number of Y's are always speci-
fled and that the law provides that they
shall be twenty-five feet apart along all
sewers.
Objection was made that this referred
only to public work but the evidence was
admitted subject to Mr.. Blacks offer to
show that all work must be done In accord
ance with the specifications OF the City
Surveyor. Mr.. Black then read from the
orders of the Board of Supervisors showing
that VS. must be put in every twenty-five
feet along all main sewers. Z
Judge Murphy asked the witness if in
cases where lots varied in width, some be-
ing forty-three wide, how far apart the Y's
should be placed. ''In such cases on lots
of forty-three feet in preparing the specifi-
cations two Y's would be provided for"
was the reply. Witness admitted, in reply
to Mr.. Alderman, that where one man,