The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-01-15
THEY FEAR NO
INVESTIGATION
Golden Gate Park Commits.
sioners Court an
Inquiry.
They Make Positive Denia's OF
Allegations of Loose
Management.
Meeting of the Late Grand Jury Com.
mittee to Prepare Report
to the New Body.

Park Commissioner John Rosenfeld
makes general and positive denial Of
the allegations made by certain mbers
of the last Grand Jury regarding the
management of Golden Gate Park. He
declares there is no foundation in fact for
these charges, and joins the other Com
missioners in calling for Grand Jury in
vestigation.
81 don't think it is worth nv while to
go into this business" he said last even
ing. IF the Grand Jury wants to have
an investigation of the park management
we are ready at any minute, and it will
find the Commissioners only too eager to
give it all the help possible. Everything
in connection with Golden Gate Park
management is regular and done in a
businesslike manner.
1.-The law does not require the commits
sion to advertise for bids and make con-
tracts with lowest bidders. We buy care
fully ana in diligently, after getting prices
from several houses. If Mr.. McLaren
wants anything he buys it at the lowest
market price from one of the best business
houses. When bids were presented for
the new concrete bridge, he said, Il can
get lower figure; these are too high,
and the estimates were rejected. This is
the truth of the concrete business.
with regard 10 the statement that
something was wrong in the coal bills
let them investigate t. There are tickets
for every ton OF coal delivered and not an
extra ton was paid tor. We can show the
receipts at any time for every ton. A
clerical error was made in the books, but
the tickets were correct. The dealer
who supplied the coal has told me that
he is anxious for an investigation and
wants to go before the Grand Jury about
the statement connecting his name with
the matter.
These people raise a rumpus about a
pump that was bought. 1t was settled
that a Dow pump was what we needed,
it. He ought to know little about ma
chinery, and l suppose we could depend
upon his selection. Then there was no
choice in the style of pump and we had
the price list to guide US.
"Mayor Sutro had his expert, George
Gaden, out at the park for months, and
he made thorough inquiry. He will tell
you that everything was straight as a.
string. Other grand iuries have been
through the mill, and now the books are
open for examination.
$50 far as the concrete bridge is con-
cerned I'm sure / cannot say how many
cubic feet of concrete are there. | don't
pre- tend to be able to keep track OF the
work, not being a scientific man. How
ever, we have given the matter into an ex-
pert engineers hands, and in a few DAYS
he will tell US the exact condition of it.
We are on the safe side here, for the
builder has not been paid in full. The
Government engineer has made favora-
bic report on it, and stated that the con-
crete was of good quality and cheaper than
that sold to the Government.
81 am sorry that these charges should
have been made. as they reflect 10 d GER
tain extent on MIR. McLaren and his man
agement. There is not more honest or
capa BILE man to be found in any public
office than Mr.. McLaren. l know from
long experience. Take him out of the
park tomorrow and it would go to pieces.
We had another man three years ago when
| was Commissioner before this term he
did nothing. but McLaren has done won
ders."
Superintendent McLaren made state
ment yesterday in reply to the charges.
"Instead of paying an excess for the con-
crete bridge, $500 was saved over all esti-
mates" he said. I'm digging for the
foundation walls it was SUPPOSED that
the earth through which the workmen
went would be all of one consistency.
ms DaQ not DeeI Tile CASE. COlI pldCeS
were found, and it was deemed necessary
10 thicken the walls and go deeper, and
this required the use of more concrete.
Lieutenant Potter, who had examined the
work, said it was not only good but cheap.
The fear that the walls would not be
strong enough, judging from the condi-
ton of the ground, rendered it necessary
not only to thicken the walls and thereby
use more concrete, but it also necessi-
tated the use of anchors. and all this cost
money. The extra amount OF wall put in
amounts TO 1000 cubic feet.'
The superintendent was of the opinion
that the coal supplied the park was not
fed to the emus, though the park had coal
TO burn.
There was meeting last evening at 120
Post street of the, committee appointed by
the late Grand Jury. James G. Nealou
was chairman, and W. L. Ashe, August
Drucker and E. P. Farnsworth were
present. c. c. Burr was unable to attend.
The Investigation of park matters was dis
cussed AMI q long report prepared for
submittal to the Grand Jury. 1t was ex-
planned that the report was not quite
finished when the late Grand Jury was
dissolved.
E. P. Farnsworth said: 81 am not pre-
pared to say but that the Park Commits
sioners have done their best. l don't be-
lieve that with their knowledge any
crookedness or irregularities have been
countenanced."
The report repeats the charges already
nj ade public by the committee, and it will
be presented to The Grand Jury to-day or
tomorrow.