The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-28
Grand Jurors Make Discoveries
on a Tour of InVeSti-
cation.
PROSECUTION MAY RESULT.
Poor Bitumen Used and No Cement
Mixed In the Concrete
Foundations.

Jury for their work on the public streets Of
this City. Foreman w. Fl. Gagan and w
J. Newman, Edwin Danforth and Monsor
Russell of the Street Committee of the
Grand Jury drove about the City yester-
day inspecting work done on the streets
and they expressed themselves as surprised
at the apparent neglect of the Superin-
tendent of Streets Ashworth in permitting
specifications to be ignored.
Property-owners have for many years
complained that they were at the mercy OF
contractors who paved streets in front OF
their places in a wretched manner and
then charged higher prices than good
work Justly commanded. Still no one
took any steps to correct the abuse until a
few weeks ago. Finn & Treacy were re-
Gently awarded the contract for bitumin-
izing the street in front of some property
on Hayes street, between Fillmore and
Steiner, which belongs to Mayor Sutro.
When the Mayor learned that the work
was not being done according to specifica-
tons he objected strongly and declared
his Intention not to pay for the work as
the concrete foundation was laid in a loose
manner and no cement was mixed with
the rock and gravel.
Mayor Sutro instructed his financial Sec
rotary, George L. Gaden, to make an in
vestigation of the illuminating of streets
IN other parts of the City. Gaden fol-
lowed out the instructions, though the
investigation seems to have been confined
principally to contracts secured by Finn
q Treacy. The result of the investigation
showed that the contractors secured high
were out yesterday thought was very
poor work. This was in the case of btu
men pavements especially, for the man
ner in which the work had been performed
was sufficient to make it appear that btu
minous rock was virtually valueless for
paving purposes.
The investigation brought to light pecu-
liar operation which is being carried on in
South San Francisco. A hill is being cut
down forty to fifty feet presumably to
properly grade street. but the Grand
Jurors smiled as they looked at the cut
being made through almost solid rock
when to them, at least, it appeared
the world for the cutting unless it
might be to carry out scheme to give
some contractors a chance to grind money
out of property-owners and furnish the
contractors with large lot of good rock
which they are using to fill in another
place.
The investigating party, consisting of
Foreman W. H. Gagan, w. J. Newman,
chairman of the Street Committee of the
Grand Jury, and Edwin Danforth and
Monson Russell, members Of the COM
mlttee, were directed TO a few of the places
where bad street work has been discovered,
George W. Elder and George T. Gaden
acting as guides. The places picked out to
show to the members of the Grand Jury
were the worst found in the different
branches of street work.
The first place visited was Elwood street,
an alley Off O'Farrrell, between Mason and
Powell. The specifications called for two
and half inches of bitumen on concrete
foundation. The investigation showed
that in the middle of the street the btu
men was only one inch thick. In another
place it was only one and fourth inches
thick. The thickest place found was in
the gutter, where the bitumen was two
and fourth inches thick. George T.
Gaden said:
''This was one of the best paid for pieces
of work done in the City. The price con-
tracted for was % cents foot It is quite
evident that the contractors did not use half
as much bitumen as the contract called for,
foundation underneath is. Still the work
was accepted by superintendent Ash
worth's deputy, James A. Dobbie, on Feb
ruary % last.
''The fact that the work was accepted
shows that the deputy was negligent, that
he was paid to make favorable report or
that he had instructions from Superin-
work. At all events, the illegally per-
formed work was accepted, and Superin-
tendent Ashworth is responsible. This is
one of the things which have caused con-
tractors to complain that Finn & Treacy
Were the favored friends of Superintendent
Ashworth:, The other contractors would
not be allowed to do work in such a
wretched manner. Therefore, they had no
! chance to be awarded contracts, as they
would have to put in bid high enough to
enable them to honestly carry out their
contract. This particular contract was let
to Finn q Treacy, but. A. ]. Raisch put
down the bltumlnous rock for them"
While driving out through the Mission
the party passed along Stevenson street,
or San Carlos avenue, and Bartlett street.
A bltumlnous rock pavement was laid on
San Carlos avenue, between Eighteenth
and Nineteenth streets, two and a half
years ago by the San Francisco Paving
| Company, or which A. J. Raisch is man
ager. The contract called for a pavement
Of 2H inches of bituminous rock on six
inches of concrete. The street was found
to be in such wretched condition that
the specifications of the contract could not
have been carried out. The street was full
of holes, and they showed to the minds of
the grand jurors that only slight coating
of poor bituminous rock had been placed
over an apology for concrete foundation.
San Carlos avenue is but little used by
teams, and only by carriages or delivery
wagons. Still in two and a half years the
bituminous rock on apparently one-third
of the street had crumbled away, exposing
gravel foundation that was quickly hol-
lowed out.
w. J. Newman, who was in charge of
the party, did not hesitate to express his
feelings in strong terms. His indignation
increased when the investigators reached
Bartlett street. In front of the noted EN-
manuel Baptist Church, where the pave
ment has just been laid, there are some
holes and the bitumen in many places
shows symptoms of early decay.
On Bartlett street, between Twenty-third
and Twenty fifth, the condition of the
pavement is worse. 1t is quite evident
that the laying of the bitumen was done
by persons who did not understand the
work. The rock was of very poor quail
ity. Apparently it was the waste stuff
taken from the surface of mine and when
put down was overheated. At all events,
it has run, sunk and cracked, and soon the
whole street will be full of holes.
All the jurors expressed themselves as
surprised at the way the rock was spoiled,
and they said it was no wonder that some
people called bituminous rock ''poultice
pavement" All in the party were strongly