The San Francisco call., 1897-01-22
EXPERTS AT WORK ON
THE BOOKS.
Kalsomining Charges ThatAppall
the Members of the Board
of Health.
The GRAND JURY WILL BE
ASKED TO ACT.
Expenses for Repairs Paid From the
General Fund and Time Checks
"Kited."

A condition of affairs that savors of
big lob at least if not of fraud, has been
uncovered at the City and County Hospi-
tai. Experts in the employ of the Board
of Health have discovered that the greater
portion of the appropriation OF $l0,oOO,
provided for repairs on that institution,
has been squandered in payment OF bills
that were 'kited."
The books show that repairs properly
belonging to the repair fund have been
transferred to the general hospital fund.
Time checks have been paid for which
there Is no evidence of work performed.
Extortionate charges mark every piece OF
work done in the repairs.
The condition of things is so serious that
the Grand Jury is 10 be asked to investi-
gate the matter, and there is probability
of two or three indictments at least. The
Hospital Committee of the Supervisors
was made aware of the state Of affairs yes
terday and an expert employed by the
City will at once begin an official investl-
CATION of the management OF the instltu-
ton under DR.. Stable.
Dr. J. NJ. Williamson. the present super
intendent, is responsible for the expose.
When he succeeded DR.. Stable few days
ago an inspection OF the hospital con-
vinced him that the improvements for
which the City had been taxed were very
slight.
". D. Griffin, the official expert Of the
Board of Health, was a once called IN,
and the result of his labors up to last
night revealed that while the appropria-
ton of $4,000 has already been over
drawn to the extent of $3.50, the nature OF
the repairs consist principally OF open
sewers, a couple of sheds on the grounds
and few slight repairs in plumbing and
ventilating. As far as the investigation
has gone, and 1t is only in its inception,
evidences of extortion and absolute fraud
have been found.
On December IS the sum of 1915 was
paid to F. Flynn for lathing ana plaster
ing. The work performed by Flynn was
done on closets in TOUR wards. In Ward
A the area attended to was ten square
teet, according to measurements made by
Griffin. assisted by Officer Butterworth,
the official measurer OF the board in
Chinatown; in Ward 22% feet; In Ward
c, including the slnKroom, about four feet,
and similar area Ill Ward D.
This makes a total OF all of not over 40
square feet which the City paid to have
lathed and plastered at the rate of over
$6 per foot; and, to make matters worse,
there are no indications of any lathing.
j MS Is DdQ SHOuSl, Dul W l4Cu IbO OI1dl &c
of $3.50 of J. MuIcreavy for concrete work
the condiuon of affairs becomes peculiarly
interesting. In this bill Mulcreavy de-
tails each piece of work performed. The
measurements of the storeroom are set
down at 24x24 ieet. while the measure
ments of Griffin and Butterworth show
shat the room is only 24x19:6 feet, show
ing an oyercharge for 104 square feet Oh
work.
The vegetable-room Mulcreavy charged
at the rate of q by q feel. In reality it is
but seventeen feet square, showing that
the City has paid for just 440 feet of work
that could not possibly have been per
formed. The butcher-shOp IS set down in
the bill as Is by II feet, which happens 10
be correct.
Three of the passageways were con-
creted. The measurement of the first is
charged for on the basis of 8 by so feet; in
reality it is only forty-six feet long.
A second passa eway is put down as Is
feet long by 10 wide. 1t is but eleven feet
long and SIX ieet wide.
In all the Mulcreavy bill calls for
664 extra feet of work and, taking his
own figures for each square foot of woT k
done, the work of Griffin and BuIterworth
shows that the City was overcharged the
sum OF $211 70, which the Board OF Health
thinks is pressing the limit in total Of
$3.50.
When DR.. Williamson heard of the dis
crepancies in the measurements OF the
various rooms repaired by Mulcreavy they
asked DR.. Dudley, the resident ply ysician,
and Steward Paul Edwards to 60 over the
work again. The figures returned by bud
ley and Edwards tailed with those of
Griffin and Butterworth, and are now
accepted by the board as positive evidence
that in the case of concrete repairs the
City was defrauded.
There is another bill for kalsomining
among the long list of repairs in which
the $4,000 APPROPRIATION was exhausted.
1t is a charge of $1275 for whitewashing
nine closets and sink rooms and small
number of other apartments. This bill
the experts do not hesitate to declare is
grossly extortionate. The rooms referred
NEW TO-DAY.