The San Francisco call., 1898-03-04
They Disagree as to the Amount to Be Used
 on Piles.
In Their Opinion the Water Front Is Now in Good
 Condition.
Another Dreary Day In the Injunc- ton Suit Against the Harbor
 Commissioners.

But little testimony of public inter- est was given yesterday at the trial of the injunction suit brought by the Paraffine Paint Company against the State Board of Harbor Commissioners The examination of the witnesses called by the defendants proved very weari- some. When the adjournment hour ar- rived the defense had a half dozen oth- CT witnesses in attendance Owing to the fact that to-day will be devoted to the calling of the law and motion cal endar and that Judge Belcher devotes the first Monday of each month to the trial of appeal cases from the Justices Court, the further hearing of the wa ter front suit was postponed until next Tuesday.
 l.. J. Le Conte, surveying engineer, who has followed that profession since 1875, was the first witness called by At torney Stratton. After being questioned at length to prove him an expert on the subject of timber preserving, he testi- fled that he made an examination of the water front on the 21st and 23d of last month
 Tn what condition did you find the wharves?" asked Attorney Stratton
 Tn better condition than I have ever seen them"
 Le COnte, in response to other uues- tons, said it would take from 150O to 200O piles to place the front in perfect condition. Not more than half that number of piles would be required to place 1t in good condition. Le Conte further testified that with but few ex- CeDtlOnS the nilaS fn al 1tvra I appearance, intact. He believed if piles were properly croSoted under the new process, they should last between twen- ty and twenty-five years. In his opin- ion, ten pounds of creosote to the cubic foot would be sufficient to prepare the piles. if the work of creosoting was properly done.
 Attorney Cope croSs-examined Le Conte at considerable length, and elic- ited the information that the witness had been engaged by the Harbor Com mfsSioners to examine the water front for the purpose of giving expert testi- mony at the trial of the present suit
 Should l tell you,'' said Attorney Cope, that the commissioners claim that 1t will require S17 piles to repair the Green-street wharf and 500 for the Spear-street wharf, would you still stand by your estimate that between 15OO and 2OO0 piles would put the water front in perfect cOndition?
 T would have to change my figures, D replied Le Conte.
 The witness next admitted that he had not seen any perfect creosoting until within year and half ago.
 Who accompanied you on your tour of investigation?''
 'The first day MT. Thompson accom- panied me: on the second day Mr. Hinds,' replied Le Conte.
 ''Did UOlI know that Jipdc ic times employed by P. F. Dundon?"
 T did not" answered Le Conte
 Attorney W. H. Jordan, who repre- sented the Pacific Pine Lumber Com pany in the injunction suits brought by that corporation against the Harbor Commissioners, was then called to the stand. He said Attorney Stratton called on him relative to a dismissal of the actions. President Herrick of the lum- Der company was in the office at the time. Jordan testified that he discussed the law points involved with Stratton, and that they agreed on some and dis agreed on others.
 My clients felt aggrieved," said Jor- dan, flor they felt they had not re- ceived proper treatment at the hands of the commissioners. MT. Herrick said he intended to compel the commission to comply with the law when letting contracts. Several days later I met MT. Stratton at his office and informed him that the Pacific Pine Lumber Com pany would dismiss the proceedings if given a certain percentage of the or ders for lumber, shingles and piles Stratton said he would consult the com missionerS, and some time later tele- phoned me to go ahead with the suits At our first interview I told him the commission had in my opinion violated the law in awarding the contract to