The herald., 1898-11-24
SUPERINTENDENT MULHoL-
LAND ON THE STAND
GIVES EXPERT TESTIMONY
Relative to the Size and Kinds of Pipe
Claimed by the City Water
Company

4Here were present, Deslues ING hempeio VI
the board and number of spectators, At
torneys Chapman, Scott, Dunn and Senator
White, Vice President Minor and Auditor
Drake of the water company.
The desks in the room had been arranged
30 as to form two half circles. The arbitra-
tors and the stenographer occupied the north
circle of seats, and the attorneys the south.
Superintendent William Mulholland was
the only witness examined. Much of his
testimony was confined to the necessary de-
tails preparatory to bringing up more i'm
portant matters Mr.. Mulholland's long
connection with the water company makes
him an invaluable expert witness. In many
points in the proceedings yesterday he testi-
fled from memory regarding the number of
feet and certain sizes of pipe, and in no case
did he differ from the schedule accepted by
the attorneys on both sides.
A stipulation had been entered into be-
tween the attorneys on both sides covering
the property which shall be subject to in
vestigation by the board, over which there is
no dispute. 1t was also agreed that the city
should open the proceedings, and that the
water company should close.
In opening, the attorneys stated that they
were preparing stipulation which they
would present at Fridays meeting, but
said they were ready to begin the taking of
testimony.
"We desire to make statement" said
Arbitrator Mcndell, regarding the work we
have done, with the assent, if not consent, OF
all parties since we began our work several
weeks ago. The board took upon itself the
responsibility OF investigating the water
company's pipe and other works. We have,
! believe, taken samples of the company's
pipes a. fifteen different points, and these
samples are now in the office of the water
company. 1t is our desire to continue this
investigation, but before doing so we desire
to ask if there is any objection on the part of
the city or the company to the boards ac
ton"
Mr.. Chapman, in speaking for the water
company, said that there was no objection TO
what had been done or to what the board
intended to do along that line.
"The city has no objection" said Mr..
Dunn, "and, on the contrary, would ask the
board to continue such investigations.'
II believe" continued Mr. Dunn, 'that
the board has not the power to administer
an oath, and will therefore request that the
deputy city clerk be allowed to administer
the oath to William Mulholland, the city's
first witness" This request was granted,
and Mr.. Mulholand took the stand.
EXPERT TESTIMONY
"You are the present superintendent of the
Los Angeles Water company's plant, be-
Ieve," said Mr.. Dunn. ''If this is cor
rect, will you please state how long you have
been connected with the company
Il first became connected with the COM
pany in 1879" replied the witness, "and
for the past twelve years have acted as SUI
perintendent of the plant"
"How long have records pertaining to the
laying OF pipe been kept in your Office" was
the next question.
Records have always been kept" an
swered Mr.. Muholland. ''The records
prior to 1890 are somewhat defective, but
since that time they have been kept system
atically."
"Have you schedule showing the detail
of all the pipe in the system and the exact
time it was laid? was then asked.
II have schedule showing all the property
according to dates" said witness, but can
produce it later. My schedule, believe, has
claimed by the company, but have not it
been accepted and agreed upon in the stipu-
lation."
Mr.. Dunn then directed his attention to
the various size of pipe in the system, and
a. the time it was laid. Witness stated
that the largest pipe in the system was a A
inch sheet iron pipe, which is laid along the
old open ditch to the Buena Vista reservoir;
that there was about 4753 feet of this pipe,
and that it had been laid in 1890.
'How much sheet iron pipe is there in the
Eystem?" inquired Mr.. Dunn, "ard what is
the smallest size?"
"Thc smallest size," replied the witness,
is an eight-nch. We have 4,969 feet of this
and the rest is in my statement"
The statement referred to gives the total
as follows: l0inch, 1850 feet; ll-inch, l7,725
feet; sl2-inch, 1852 feet; l4-inch, 776O feet;
l6-inch, 29S0 feet; lSinch, lO,745 feet; o.
inch, 1920 feet 30-inch, 1868 feet.
Of cast iron the totals were given in feet,
as follows: 3-inch, 2l,9l0; 4inch, 342,574;
5,inch, $3.50; 6-inch, 95,470; Finch, 2l7O; s.
inch, 56,470; l0-inch, IS, S,760; Pinch, SO 0OS;
16-inch, 2957; 18-inch, 2099; 2O-inch, 249O;
24-inch, 1920; a total of 597, ,592 feet.
The following feet of wrought iron is used
in the system Pinch, 932, ,5l4; 3nch, 6S, 1872;
4-inch, 6640; or a total of LOOT 7,266 feet.
The above figures include 1926 feet of 4
inch pipe of cast iron and 87O9 feet of Pinch
wrought iron laid by the company since July
2S of this year. The above also gives the
total number of feet in the entire system
as l,6S6674. In addition to these various
sizes of pipe it was stated there were about |
$4,000 feet of fume.
Continuing the examination, Col. Mendell |
inquired as to the character of the sheet
iron pipe, and as to whether the company
in purchasing it had specified as to weight. |
Mr. Mulholland replied that as to the first |
question the pipe was double rivetted, |
straight seams" and also "single rivetted, |
round or block seams" The company. he |
said, had required in its specifications that
the pipe be of certain thickness and that
the weight be in accordance with the gauge. |
On Seventh street, he said, $500 feet of
24-inch cast iron pipe had been laid in 1894. |
ard that 1920 feet of 22-inch sheet iron had |
been laid on the following streets: San Fer.
nando, Upper MainI Ord, Buena Vista and
New High This pipe weighed 27 pounds to
the lineal foot and was laid in 1876 and 1888 |
Mr.. Dunn then inquired as to the cond- |
lion, and was informed that there had been
three breaks in the pipe in the last six years
pnd that all the breaks had occurred in the
old pipe. One of the breaks was due to
defect in the metal known as "cold sheet.
The causes of the other two were unknown
The principal part, or about 249O feet, of
the 2O-inch pipe, he said, had been laid in
1894 and was now on Broadway and Fgue.