San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-04-19
OUR FRANKINsTEIN.
To the DAILY LIGHT

rIdnhiusbSiu n hiOhoeOA III
Mrs. Shelly's romance OF the same
name, constructed by young
student of physiology out OF the
horrid remnants Of the churchyard
and the dissecting room, and
endowed, apparently through the
agency of galvanism, with a sort
OF spectral and convulsive life.
This existence, rendered insupport-
able to the monster by his vain
craving after human sympathy,
and by his consciousness OF his
own deformity, is employed in in
flicting the most dreadful retribu-
ton upon the guilty philosopher.
The word Frankenstein has be-
come a proverb, for one destroyed
by his own works.-Webster.
The attention OF the city council
lie earnestly called to the above de-
scribed literary romance, and for
their own sakes, and the good name
Of the city, it is to be hoped that
they will not permit Consulting
Engineer S. NJ. Gray to be their
Frsnkenstein, and destroy them
he certainly will do so, IL they do
not at once destroy him, and self
preservation is said by some to be
the first law of nature.
Possibly having been informed
that our foolkiller was just then
enjoying a furlough, this Mr.. s. M.
Gray came to Sau Antonio, claim
ing to be an expert engineer, and a
specialist in sewer construction,
and he was employed at fabulous
cost by the city authorities to draw
up the plans and specifications for
this city's sewers, the city furnish
ing him all the data. He was after
ward retained as consulting engin-
eer at $3.50 per month, and up to
date he has been paid, say $l4, 900,
while the contractors have been
paid say $4,000. A goodly per-
centage, truly, for Sammy.
Our fellow-citizens, the school
teachers, firemen, policemen, etc.,
are still waiting for their money,
but Sammy has been paid hereto
tofore without delay.
Let's see what the city has re-
ceived in return for this $l4, 600.
An examination Of Mr.. Gray's
unique plans shows that larger
sewers are to empty into smaller
ones.
He furnishes the detail drawing
Of flush tank which our plumb
ers and their apprentices laughed
at and which experiment proved
would not flush at all, and another
design by another person, (the
"Miller'D flush tank had to be sub.
stituted.
He also furnished the detail
drawings of a manhole cover,
which our mechanics clailed con-
tanned all the elements of its own
destruction. Experiment proved
that our own mechanics knew
their business and that Mr.. s. NJ.
Gray did not, for these manhole
covers could not be cast as Mr..
Gray designed them,as they pulled
themselves asunder cooling off.
The absurd specifications for the
sewers, furnished by Mr.. Gray is
the chief cause of most of the
trouble between the city and the
contractors. At present all work
on the sewers Is stopped, and an
other firm Of lawyers is employed at
great expense OF the city,in an effort
to bring order out OF chaos, and en-
deavor to settle by legal methods,
what Mr.. Gray ought to have
stated plainly and unequivocally in
the specifications, but which is
really worded so uncertain, contra.
dictory, and ambiguous, that it
may easily be construed to mean
almost anything and everything.
Can these plans and specifications
then be the work of an expert, or
are they the maiden effort of a
novice?
Would an expert design a flush
tank that would not flush?
Would an expert design a man.
hole cover that could not be cast?
Would an expert draw up speci-
fication which requires the assist
ance of a court of law to decide its
meaning?
Mr.. S. NJ. Gray has done all this
for us; and more too.
One thing however, is now clear,
and that is, the sooner the city |
council dispenses with Mr.. S. M.
Gray's valueless services, the bet
ter iG will be for them and their
he has demanded his pay for
the month OF March P. ID. @. and
according to the newspaper re-
ports the council has taken no
action on his demand. But, gentle
men, this is said to be q business
administration; failure to act is
not business.
The way to stop Mr.. s. M. Gray's
$3.50 monthly raids is to notify him
that you have decided to dispense
with his services. Then IL Mr..
Gray fondly imagines that he has
any just claims on the city the
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