The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-11

Tor the property, but speaks or the rental as
giving handsome return on the investment.
~ IS interesting to note continues the re-
nominal consideration, prior to that transfer
was held at valuation of $4,000. Alfred S.
Moore, who says that he is familiar with land
values, declares that he would to-day pay
$4,000 for this same property If he could
make as favorable terms for disposing of the
remainder of the rock on it as is enjoyed by
Holmes.
Samples of the rock were submitted with
the report, which declared that in several
places pieces of rock larger than the
specifications required were found. The
report also says that the work is being
rushed rapidly, and that the samples
selected do not agree with the re-
qulrements of the specifications; that
the rock is not clear and appears to be OF
an inferior quality; that much mud and
dirt can be seen in the broken rock coming
from the chutes at Gray Brothers rock
breaker; that there are no evidences of the
washing of the rock, which is taken damp
from the quarry. Comparison between
the rock used by Gray Brothers on the
depot foundation with other blue rock used
1or similar work IN the city shows that GER
tain specimens forwarded with the report
clearly fail to meet the requirements.
Marsden Manson, a civil engineer under
whose direction much Of the seawall was
built, states that the htue trap rock used
was from the quarry ON Douglass street,
near Twenty-fifth, and, despite the long
haul, the contractor made profit. G. e..
Grunsky, the well-known civil engineer,
says there are many kinds OF rock in the
quarry used by Gray Bros.-some of it
very good. An inspection of the quarry
shows that the rock remaining on the lot
owned by Mrs. Holmes is not as hard as
that IN the street or on the lot owned by
Gray Bros.
With reference to the cement, the speci-
tications are quoted and the report of
Lieutenant Kuhn as TO it's tensile strength.
Lieutenant Kuhn declared that his tests
prove that the cement which cost the
State 10 cents per barrel more than was
necessary, shows great weakness and ION
a Seyen-day test shows a loss of strength
instead OF gain, as is usually the case"
Lieutenant Kuhn having tested indiscrimi-
nate samples of the cement being used
declares that the samples submitted must
have suffered deterioration either from
age or exposure to moisture, inasmuch as
it was full of Jumps"
The loss in tensile strength OF the cement
used by Gray Brothers in the building of
the foundation is clearly demonstrated by
technical reports, and in the second test
showed an inferiority of 532 pounds to the
square inch with the cement furnished Tor
experiments by Grace & Co., which had
These several tests prove conclusively that
although the cement used in the piers and
archfngs of the depot foundation may have
been furnished this State as provided for by the
specifications there has been something radi-
cally wrong with the material. There is moth
ing in the specifications under consideration
which calls for any test OF the strength or quail
ity of the cement.
'In the course of my investigation" reports
Mr.. Stilwell, az was informed that men in the
employ of Gray Bros. were in the habit OF ex-
tracing one-third OF the cement from all bar,
rels received and replacing the tops on said
barrels after doing so. As foreign cement is
packed in the barrels by hydraulic pressure,
for the purpose of reducing bulk to mini
mum, the two-thirds still remaining in each
barrel could easily be shaken and loosened so
as 10 again fill the barrel. Thus, on piece OF
work requiring say 300 barrels OF cement only
zoo actual barrels would be used. In lnVesn-
eating this charge have ssund men who were
ready to say that they knew this kind OF work
had been going on from the fact that they
could not make a given quantity OF cement go
as far as it should and that when they drew at
tention to this they were told, with wink,
that contracts were being taken at very low
figures these days"
1t is also stated that the proportions of
one part of the cement to one part of sand
were not carried out and that fine pow
der or dust which is formed in large guam
titles in the breaking of the rock at Gray
Bros quarry, and which closely resembles
Portland cement, has actually been placed
in barrels and mixed with cement and
used as an adulteration of the imported
article. The asphalt flooring over section
of the foundation is declared to be I'M
perfectly done and to show series of de-
pressions of the most pronounced charac-
ter. The ages of the piers from which |
Senator Greaves took samples of concrete,
are given.
A conversation between Contractor Mat
tingly and Engineer Holmes, said to have
occurred prior to the letting of the con-
tract, is very interesting. According to
the report Mattingly said: Holmes, lam
figuring on this contract. There is a great
deal of work in connection with it and |
am trying to get it. If my bid is the low
est intend to get the work. Now, tell
me, is this straight business? Because, If
everything is cut and dried | would like to
know it now, in order that | may not go to
q whole lot of trouble unnecessarily"
To this Holmes is said to have replied
''Well, to be candid with you, you need
not bid for it." Mattingly did not bid.
In conclusion the report declares that
the expediency of thorough practical in
vestigation is apparent and that Howard
G. Holmes, acting as chief engineer OF the
Board of State Harbor Commissioners,
contrary to the law and public policy, has
had an interest in the work as alleged IN
the complaint made to the Grand Jury.