The record-union., 1899-09-14
WHY IT COST MORE.

port was received and filed, and then
President Mckay inquired of Engineer
Mullenney, referring to the message just
read, the reason why the proposed
sump should cost $4,000 more at the
present time than when the plans and
specifications were drawn and present
ed to the board.
Engineer Mullenney replied that the
plans and specifications had been drawn
on the Goth of June, and that since then
prices of iron and steel had mounted
skyward, which would naturally in
crease the cost of construction. He
denied having had anything to do with
the increased price of those commo-
dities. He further stated that the
plans and specifications had been drawn
with the understanding that the work
should be done during the summer, or
dry season, and that the board, by it's
delay, was responsible for the action of
the contractors in taking broad mar
gins against the possible interference of
fall storms.
DEVINE WAS LOADED.
But Devine was loaded. He had pre-
pared himself with a blue print plan of
a sump which he said had been drawn
by one of the most competent contract
ors in the city, who had agreed to
build the sump, permanently and
strong, for a sum below $4,000.
| But Devine started off on another
tack He inquired Of Mullenney wheth-
er the plants now in would take care of
the waters of next winter.
| Mullenney, when questioned concern
| ing the condition of the plant at Eighth
and streets, said it was not in sat
isfactory condition, and that it would
cost $500 or 5000 or maybe $1,000 to
put it in good condition.
Then Devine got down to his blue
print plan, and he inquired why $4,000
should be thrown away on a temporary
affair." when a strong. permanent sump,
such as the one indicated by his plan,
could be put in for $4,000.
! Tebbets inquired whether Devine pro-
posed to throw away 81, 900 to put the
plant at Eighth and Y streets in good
condition. He asserted that it was
not proposed to throw away a dollar in
| putting the necessary stump for
which the board had voted to let the
contract. He wanted to know why
Devine had not brought in his plan
before.
|
plan in the interest of the citizens of
the city who paid the taxes.
"Who made that plan?" inquired En-
gineer Mullenney.
"One of the most responsible men in
the CITY," replied Devine.
will he give bonds to put in a sump
in accordance with his plan for $9,000?"
queried Mullenney.
Hell give good and sufficient bonds
to put in the sump at a cost less than
| $4,000" replied Devine. He protested
against the board spending money for
temporary affair when according to the
plan he had, a permanent one could be
put in for less money.
Tebbets said the board had during the
past year made no heavy lump expen-
ditures. If the funds were low, the
money had been paid out in small
amounts, which had aggregated a con-
siderable sum. He called attention to
the fact that the Chamber of Com
merce had advised and requested the
appointment of C. E. Grunsky as con-
sulting Engineer, and that the board
had appointed him, adopted the plans
and specifications presented by him
and advertised for bids. IF, he said,
the price of iron and steel had gone up
the board was not responsible for it.
Dolan said he did not like to see any
man pose as a cutter-down of expenses,
or saver of public money, to make
capital in a political campaign. He
didn't like to see a man try to get
before the people that way. He wanted
to see every member of the board get
on record on the question Of that stump
| contract and he did not propose to do
anything until Monday night, so that
Kent, Brown and Bentley might get
on the boards. Devine. he said, was
trying to make it appear that money
was being thrown away. and he moved
to adjourn until Monday night.
Hold on there said Engineer Null
lenney; II want to talk some before
the board adjourns''
1t SO happened that Devine also
wanted to talk some. and Mullenney,
for the moment, was obliged to content
his soul with listening.
Devine said that the man who drew
the plans he held. lived in this city, and
not in San Francisco, and that he had,
in drawing them, looked to the interest
of this city. Personally, he had no need
or desire to pose as a savior of funds
to get the vote of his constituents ror
reelection if he could not get their
votes on his merits and character. he
did not want them. He had, he said,
no desire to make political capital by
the methods mentioned by Dolan.
rs your man better than Grunsky?"
inquired Tebbets.
Yes, he is. replied Devine, land so
am T.
Then III vote for your sump," said
Tebbets. If you're a better engineer
than Grunsky. I'm with you"
Devine said that what he knew he
+ knew as well as any man, and he had
made study of the sump question and
knew all about it. He referred To the
bills run up for street sprinkling. and
he and Dolan argued the new subject
back and forth across the tables. re-.
gardless of McKay's despairirrg repeti-
ton Of the words: ''This is all out of
order"
And after Devine and Dolan had told
one another all about why the sprfn.
king bills this year aggregated 1000
more than last year, and settled 1t TO
their satisfaction and to the relief OF
everybody else present, Mui1enuey, who
had been patiently perspiring and wait
ing, took his cue and got his chance to
! talk some"
Mullenney said that Devine and ev.
cry other member of the board knew
that he had at all times been perfectly
willing to- draw plans and speclrcations
on any suggestion offered. and had De,