The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-28

| concrete foundation was Dut sham.
| There was a thin paper-ilke crust OF
| cement over lot of earth and small stones.
| The specifications of the contract had been
wantonly violated. This was found to
| be especially true in the middle OF the
street, just along the cartIack. Where
the greatest strain would be on the
| bituminous pavement there was no founda-
| ton but that of loose gravel.
The grand jurors turned from the sight
| in disgust to inspect the catch basins or
cesspools at each of the four corners OF the
| street.
| The specifications call for depth of
| feet 8 inches for each catch basin. Actual
a depth of feet inches only. The basins
| did not come within a foot and half of
| the contract. This meant big profit to
| the contractors.
These violations of the contract could
not happen without the knowledge of Sup
erintendent Ashworth's deputy. All the
members of the party were indignant over
the revelations at that place. They walked
| to their buggy soberly and all were slow to
| speak. All expressed their belief in Sup
| erintendent Ashworth's honesty, but they
were deeply impressed with the fact that
| he must be held responsible for the work.
This was especially the case with Edwin
| Danforth and Monson Russell, both of
| whom have known Ashworth for years.
81 can't believe that Mr.. Ashworth has
any knowledge of this" said Mr.. Dan
forth, "but am going to call on him and
| tell him about it."
$50 am l." replied Mr.. Russell, "for I
| don't believe he would countenance the
acceptance of such work"
Mr. Danforth said: 81 have been given
to understand that Mr.. Ashworh is In no
way under the control of the bosses, and
that he does not have to truckle to them.
l think he has said he has none OF the
bosses men in his office, but there is GER
tainly dishonesty in the street department.
lam sorry Mr.. Ashworth is not along
with US so that he could see this himself.
OF course, it is his business to personally
look into these matters, so he is morally
responsible"
A long ride across San Francisco fol-
lowed, until the corner of M street and
Ninth avenue South was reached. The
junction of these streets is in a deep cut
with solid stone walls running up thirty to
forty feet on three sides. Gaden and Elder
brought the grand iurymen to the place
to show them what mockery of comply
ing with the conditions of the contract to
macadamZe the street. but the absurd1ty
of cutting down a bill to put NJ street on a
lower and more level grade struck the in
spectors as amusing. M street South leads
to nowhere, hardly anybody lives on it.
and the grand jurors did not see the slight
est reason in the world for making the cut
through the hill
Looking at house which stood hang
ing over the cliff, forty feet above his head,
Mr.. Russell said: eff 1 lived in that house
| would give up my lot rather than have
to pay the contractors for this alleged
street improvement. 1t VIII cost that poor
fellow more than his property is worth.
He will have to have balloon to get up to
his house from the street."
Mr.. Danforth, in a laughing way, said:
ooh, this is good job. 1t is job indeed
to give the contractors a chance to make
double money. Apparently they will
make the property-owners pay well for
this excavation, and evidently they are
hauling all their rock away to sell to some
body else. What in the world anybody
can lind for an honest excuse to cut down
this hill l can't see. But I suppose it was
done to give somebody work"
An investigation was made of the way IN
which the macadam on NJ street was laid.
The specifications were as follows:
Between the cutters will be spread layer of
sound, hard rock, not less than six (6) inches
in depth, broken into fragments as nearly reg
ular in shape as practicable, which shall not
measure more than six (6) inches in any direc-
~ inches; after this has been spread over the
entire longth of the improvement it must be
thoroughly rolled. Upon the first layer thus
prepared will be spread a second layer of hard
rock four ~ inches in depth, well broken, in
pieces measuring on an average not
This second layer to be thoroughly rolled In
the same manner as the preceding. Upon the
layer of fine hard rock two e. inches in
depth, to be well watered; it is then to be COW
cred with fine hard rock a. inch in depth that
well watered and rolled, and on completion
the roadway to present uniform surface, with
a rise OF one a. inch in every three (3) feet
from the center OF the gutterway to the center
OF the roadway.
Crummey & Hogan, the contractors, ap-
parently made no attempt to fulfill the re-
Qulrement of the contract. They blasted
out the rock in the hill and carried it off
and hauled a mixed lot of decomposed 'red
rock" earth and clay, and dumped it on
the street to depth of several inches. No
attempt was made to put the large stones
on the bottom, as required by the contract.
The plckax showed that two or three
inches below the surface there was mix
ture of mud and clay, with some small
pieces of soft red rock. Hugh Crummey,
an ex-Buckley lamb, came up to explain
why he had not paid any attention to the
specifications. He said: Z" when this
packs down it will be just as good as If
had followed the specifications"
When asked why he had failed to carry
out his contract and had done only as
best suited himself Crummey could give
no answer. He argued at length on the
possibility of red rock making good road
bed until Mr.. Danforth said in a sarcastic
way: "Well, I suppose you are right.
No doubt the macadam will be sufficient
for all the teaming that will be done way
out here"
Mr.. Newman asked: "Why was even
this macadam put down up to the base of
this 40-foot cliff? You must know that
great deal of the work will have to be done
over again after the cutting of this cliff is
completed. The roadbed will be virtually
destroyed by falling rock"
Crummey had no reply to make. He
could only talk on red rock.
The grand jurors drove away both
amused and disguised. The lob" by
which contractors were allowed to cut
down country hill, cart away the rock
and then pile a lot of red rock and mud on
the street in the place of macadam was
such a brazen piece of business that they
could not help laughing.
Notwithstanding all these things Super
intendent Ashworth accepted the street,
and he has made vigorous fight to get
the bill for paving it through the Mayors
Office.
The investigating party then went to
Bernice street, between Twelfth and Thir-
teenth, where Finn & Treacy, aided by
their sinh nfroo Raicah haH