The morning call., 1895-02-09
BUT THEY ONLY DRILL MORE HOLES.
Harbor Commissioners Come to Terms
With the Governors Expert, but
The Contractors Rebel.

They are not old chums, bat they had
| agreed to agree, so to speak.
Colonel Chadbourne had been disposed
to look over the top of his glasses at Mr..
Donahoe-fguratively speaking-for as a
matter of fact the colonel does not wear
glasses. He had been known to speak
very disrespectfully of Mr.. Donahoe only
the day before, and to go SO far as to say
that that gentleman had no credentials
from the Governor as expert to inspect the
work at the ferry landing, and that he
would never have any. He was very
ready therefore, to listen to Contractor
McMullen's forceful objections to allowing
anybody not having authority to monkey
with" the piers.
But yesterday morning came telegram
to the office of the Harbor Commission,
dated at Sacramento and signed by James
H. Budd, saying:
I have appointed P. ]. Donahoe to inspect
the work done and being done on the founda-
ton of the new ferry and to report to me.
Please afford him what facilities you can in
the matter.
These few words, costing the Governor
not more than four bits at most, worked
the change, and when Mr.. Donahoe ap-
peared in the office shortly after with let
ter from the Governor worded in due form
he was received with the utmost consider
alton.
Mr.. Chadbourne, who is an active per-
sonality and enters heartily into PROPOSE
ton, whether for or against, Immediately
took the initiative and offered to go to the
water front with Mr.. Donahoe, introduce
J.
going on a new footing. He explained his
willingness to do everything in his power,
and forthwith wrote the following:
BOARD OF STATE HARBoR COMMISSIONERS, ETc.l
SAN FRANCISCO, February 8, 1895. I
San Francisco Bridge Company, Contractors for
foundation Of depot at foot Of Market street, Whdr
fingers and GatekeeperS: You will please admit
the bearer, Mr.. P. j. Donahoe, and assistants,
authorized by Governor James H. Budd to in
spect the foundation of new depot, TO all APP
proaches of same and render them every assist
ance in your power in the prosecution of their
duties. F. s. CHADBoURNE,
State Harbor Commissioner.
That was how it come about that the
novel spectacle of the Harbor Commits
sioner and the but-yesterday-rep
expert coasting down the water front arm
in arm was presented.
Donahoe passed through the big gate
without so much as looking at the
obnoxious man at the gate who had refused
him entrance the day before, for Chad
bourne gave him a look that told him that
all previous orders with regard to the man
on his right were off.
Mr.. McMullen, who is man of very
positive notions, took Donahoe by the
hand cordially enough, but at the same
time declared emphatically that Governor
or no Governor there was to be no more
boring of holes in his piers.
II am the contractor for this work" he
said, land am responsible for it until the
State accepts it and takes it off my hands.
When it does that it can honeycomb the
piers if it pleases. But until then it is all
mine and 1 am not going to have it tam
pered with-this with all due Difference to
the Governor. You are at liberty to watch
the process of making them or to inspect
them as they are, but do not bore any more
holes"
Donahoe declared that being authorized
to inspect by the Governor he could not be
expected to ask anybody as to how he
should inspect. He would pursue his own
methods, he said.
Much of the same sort of sharp dialogue
took place upon the occasion of his formal
presentation to Mr.. Gray, the sub-con-
tractor who makes or mixes the concrete.
Gray said he would expect Donahoe to
notify him whenever he came around.
Donahoe said the contractor expected
too much.
Meeting with this rather unexpected and
jagged sort of cordially and assistance in
the prosecution of his duties" Donahoe
took streetcar and went uptown to
lawyers office to fortify himself with ad-
vice. The lawyer, Mr.. Campbell, looked at
his credentials and then told him he was
sure he was right and to go ahead.
Donahoe then returned to the front with
two assistants, who took with them drill.
They Immediately began to bore holes in
the piles. Donahoe, in another boat, went
away on tour of his own to where the
new piers were under way. The men with
the drill had scarcely gotten to work, when
one of Gray's men came down upon them
like the Assyrian and threatened to call
the police if they did not quit work imme-
diately.
They did quit and rowed away in search
of Donahoe and told him their sudden
trouble. He joined them in hot search
for Gray with the possibilities of exciting
incidents breathing in the dark atmos-
phere everywhere. But neither Gray nor
his man were found, and Donahoe con-
tented himself with writing credentials for
the two men and the drill and instructing
them that if any other person interfered
with them in any way they should them
selves call the police.
They returned to work and three more
holes in the piers were the net result of
their days efforts-McMullen and Gray to
the contrary Notwithstanding.
There will probably be some more CORE
spondence between the Governor and the
Harbor Commissioners on this subject, not
that the Commissioners will start it. Their
point has been gained they say. But the
Governor is intent on having a thorough
investigation of this work, and he may
consider few holes in the piers here and
there necessary incident.
81 still maintain that the position we
took in the matter was justified" said