The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-11-27

pert's report. the sum named as the
amount of the net loss to the State rep
resents an illegitimate expenditure for
the work as performed. That is to say,
the State paid legitimate price for
the work and then, as in the case of
the item just mentioned, paid an adj
ditional $10,952 Is to the interested par
ties.
The State suffered a net loss of
S1772 rs by the changes involved in the
omission of the finish of the mezzanine
floor, changes on the ground floor and
the substitution of wire laths for cell
ing tiles. Changes in the thickness of
some of the walls involved a loss to the
State of $505, and changes in the speci-
fications for certain marble work re-
suited in the public treasury being
robbed of the sum of $2162. Other mar
BILE work specified by the expert was
the cause of a net loss Of $196, and
some additional masonry work put
1929 So unearned dollars into the pock-
cts of those who were interested in the
thieving game. The item of extra ce-
ment, the use of which was made
necessary by various changes in the
masonry contract, added $3167 SO to the
bank roll of the conspirators, and the
State was robbed of $4,000 in connection
with the construction of the mosaic
floor of the grand nave.
To make a long story short, the lille
Ultimate profits in injection with the
masonry contract aggregate, accord
ing to the report of Expert Reid, no less
than $28,042 46.
In connection with the contract for
rofing and galvanized iron work, all of
the charges made by The Call were
fully substantiated b. the report of the
expert. In this contract light iron was
substituted for heavy iron, changes
were made in the manner of construc-
ton, and items provided for in the
specifications were omitted. This, ac-
cording to the report, resulted in a net
loss to the State of SS244 81. Changes
in the plans for certain items of mold
ing involved a net loss of 1902 40. The
contractor charged extra for covering
the west wall of the main waiting room
with galvanized iron. though it was in
cluded in his original contract. For
this he received s2978 all of which was
net profit to him and net loss to the
State.
On this contract, which originally
amounted to less than $4,000, the State
was mulcted Of the total sum Of $14,-
7S9 81.
The last contract taken up by Expert
Reid was that for carpenter, plastering
and glazing work. He showed that by
the change of the material for the in
terror partitions from oak to Oregon
pine the State was juggled out of the
taken up and in almost every instance
where changes were authorized by the
Harbor Commissioners the State was
swindled, the sums usually being pro-
portionate to the amount of work done.
On the entire contract the net loss to
the State was stated as being $50, $50 So.
The grand total of lossec on the four
contracts investigated is given as $685.
SAT So.
The figures Of the expert have to do
with the kind of material and work
actually furnished and do not take into
account the great loss the State has
suffered by reason Of the substitution
of poor and cheap material for the good
and expensive material originally con-
tracted for. This is particularly true
of the substitution of Colusa sandstone
for Oregon gray stone. 1t is not con-
tended that one is inferior to the other,
and the expert in his Investigations
was not authorized to go behind the
bids actually made to the Harbor Com
missioners; but 1t is, nevertheless true
that the Harbor Commissioners, by
their act in substituting one for the
other, made it impossible for the State
to benefit by the disparity in the bids
for the balance of the material included
In the blanket contract. The effect of
the change was to make the contractor
present of about 1000, the difference
in the cost price to him of the two ma
terials.
Several important contracts have yet
to be investigated, and the work of the
Senate Committee will not be COM
pleted for several weeks. Another SEES
sion will be held on Monday morning,
at which contractors will be given an
opportunity to question Expert Reid on
the nf his renOrt.