The record-union., 1896-03-31
TOUHEY WILL GET THERE.
Where Did You Get the Tip, TOuhey?"
Asks the Governor.
Sleepy San Francisco Contractors Who
Had Not Heard of the Folsom
Rock-Crushing Plant.

the bituminous streets around the Cap
itol Park was continued before the
Board of Capitol Commissioners yes
terday morning.
Touhey was present with his attor-
neys and the contractors were repre-
sented by Messrs. Perrine and Swift.
Trustee Devine and c. f. Dillman were
also present ON behalf of the citizens.
The Governor opened the ball with,
We'll, Touhey, how did you manage to
get that tip on the price of Folsom rock
and keep the other contractors from
getting it?"
II got it through public information,
and the other contractors also knew it, !"
said Touhey.
well, 1 want to say to you gentle
men," said the Governor, that 1 have
thought this matter all over since last
week, and talked with the other mem
bers of the board, and we are agreed on
the point that the authority of the board
in the matter is only a trust.
"The wishes of the property-owners
fronting on the streets should be re-
spected, as they are individually taxed
to pay for the Improvement Whatever
they say the board will abide by, as they
are the ones who are most directly in
terested, having to pay the bills in pro-
portion to their frontage. No vote will
be taken by the board, therefore, until
the property have been heard
from as to their wishes in the matter" :"
Mr.. Perrine, for the contractors, sug-
gested that the board should start
paper and see how many of the proper
ty-owners would sign a private con-
f~,, liz \ Il in a IL
anee with his offer of Saturday.
ooh, no." said the Governor, that is
your place, not ours. The State owns
half the frontage, and for it to start In
and ask the property owners to come
in with it would not be fair and might
influence them to the disadvantage Of
the other party.
Perrine still thought his suggestion
the best one.
NO." was the reply, '1et the contract
ors get a majority of the property-own-
ers and we will give them the contract.
OF course, know from San Francisco
dispatch in the 'Record-Union' this
morning that you contractors were
placed at a disadvantage in not know
ing that that Folsom crushed rock was
available at a cheap price"
THAT does not apply to me-" said
Perrine Il knew the price of the rock,
and my offer is to do the work at $1,000
less"
Yes, / know it," said the Governor,
"and if the State only were concerned
it would be accepted, but the property
owners are the ones who should have
the say in the matter" -
Clinton L. White, for Touhey, then
presented a written request, signed by
nearly two-thirds of the property-ow
ers fronting on the park, that the con-
tract be awarded to Touhey.
What is that? When was that
signed?" asked Secretary of State
Brown. This is the first have heard
of that"
''It was circulated and signed on Sat
urday night said Mr.. White. 1--WE
did not know what action your board
was going to take, and wished to show
you what the sentiment of the property
owners on the subject was. We could
not see them all, however"
TT is evident, then, that you gentle
men could not get half the owners" said
the Governor to. Mr. Perrine, land the
contract will have to go to Mr.. Touhey.
Secretary Brown and Treasurer Rack
life both answered that it was.
saThis has resolved itself into just the
proposition that I made to these gem
tlemen the other day-that the proper
ty-owners should decide it" said Sec
retary Brown. 81 saw X. L. DeVhn, anu
if is his opinion that the State can en-
ter into a private contract with MT.
Touhey, on payment of a nominal sum,
to keep the street in repair for term OF
years" o-o
''Then we will give Mr.. Touhey sou
to contract to keep the street In repair
for five years, and he can put up a ponu
of say S20,000" said the Governor.
State Treasurer Rackliffe thought the
bond should be for the full amount OF
the States payment, and as Tourney
said he did not care what the amount
was. it was fixed at $4,000 for each of
the three streets.
s'Mr. Perrine," said the Governor, If
YOU think you can get one-half of the
property-owners, we will fix day for
hearing the matter further, as Friday
is the last day we can act.
Mr.. Perrine replied that if by Thurs
cav he could not get more than half the
nroperty-owners there need be no meet
ing as Touhey would get the contract.
He would notify the board in time.
Trustee Devine called attention to the
ia ct that he had several times, in the
Board of Trustees, been instrumental
in having the work of Improvement put
off. and he did not see how contractors
could avoid knowing the fact.
Eyes, I myself wrote to the Trustees
for the Capitol Commissioners, asking
to have the work deferred until cheap
rock could be had from Folsom" said
the Governor.
"Oh. I knew all about the rock" said
Perrine.
Yes. I did not think you were such a
Young man as not to-" said the Gov
ernor. "but it seems Mcdonald did not.
Now, Mr.. Perrine, you said the other day
that the object of your continuation
There is no combination, Governor" "
"Well, you said that the object of the
mine-owners and contractors was that
outside contractors who could not do the
work properly should not be allowed to
purchase bituminous rock, in order that
they should not, by doing bad work, de-
stroy the reputation of bituminous
pavement Don't you think it would be
best for you mine-owners to see now that
Mr.. Touhey gets the best rock obtain
able. and help him with hints as to the
best way in which to do the work?
II see that Mr.. Mcdonald says that
Touhey can get all the rock he wants,
either from his mine or yours. Tt will
be for his benefit and yours that as good
job as possible be done on these streets
for the reputation Of hltumen. I know
you have done some good work on