The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1905-04-14
ROWLAND
ON GRILL
Personal Features oil
the Wharf
Case.
(From Thursday,s AdvertIserl

the Brewers wharf contract investiga-
ton came to close last night, after a
session which developed the important
information that Assistant Superin-
tendent Rowland had had an unusual
amount of enmity toward the Amer
ican-H Hawaiian Engineering & Con-
struction Company, which eventually
lost the contract to build the wharf, by
court proceedings.
The examination of Mr.. Rowland
was conducted mainly by Mr. Thurs
ton, although some pertinent questions
gave an angle to the inimcal feeling.
These We're:
I'm whose house do you live Mr..
Howland?"
Jack Lucas's, since January"
He is the plaintiff in this case
against the American Hawaiian En-
cheering & Construction Company, is
he not?"
Yes sir
Mr.. Thurston ross-examined Mr..
Rowland with view to developing his
competency to supervise the building
of wharves such as Honolulu requires,
and this went into Mr.. Howland's pro-
fessional career very thoroughly. How
land worked for Mr.. Freeman for
some years before he attended the Bos-
ton Tech" school, which he left in
1897 before graduation, going back to
Mr.. Freeman, under whom he surveyed
constructed factories for fire insurance
concerns. Then he was with Mr.. Lea
witt of the Calumet-H ecla Mining COM
pany at Cambridgeport, drawing de-
signs for mining machinery. Then he
was with concern building water
works. He went to Hilo and there con-
structed fumes for Olaa and surveyed
lands and did some surveying for the
Puma railroad. He had never had any
experience in building wharves before
he came to Honolulu. He was not a
!. lumber expert. He had heard of the
custom of allowing an inch leeway for
piles, when the specifications called for
14-inch butts. In this specification I'M
der fire, he considered that only an ex-
act 14-inch pile could be used. Be
tween man and man." as Mr.. Thurston
put it, he thought it would be right
to reject piles less than 14-inch even
though the contractors had secured
their piles believing the customary lee
way would be allowed. He believed
material to be used, after consultation
with his engineers. 1t cost more than
understandable, although he knew the
Air E. & C. Co, already had 'mer-
chantable,' such as it was" He said
when the new specifications were
drawn he did not think about the
materials the All. E. & C. Co. had on
hand.
You didn't care whether this change
in the specifications would bust the
All. f. & c. Co. or not" asked Mr..
Thurston.
II didn't think of it,
When did 1t strike you that the
company would be badly affected by
the changer
"Oh, little later"
Your mind, then, is blank as to
just when; let's have what you really
did have in your mind, Mr.. Rowland"
well, l thought about 1t later, but
that was when the plans had been
changed. AS to the 22-gauge iron be-
ing specified in the second contract,
he did so because he found the figures
on the tracing OF the plans. He did
not know that these figures were a
mistake. Up to the time of read
vertising he did not know the All. E.
c. Co. had 24-gauge iron on hand
Your relations with the All. E.
81 c. Co., are not cordial are they,
Mr.. Howland?" pursued Mr.. Thurston
II have never had any real serious
friction with them. l have never had
any coarse conversation with them.
always knew we had more trouble with
them than with any other contractors"
when it occurred to you the specl-
fications were being changed. you felt
that here was chance to even up
with the All. Z. & C. Co. didn't
you?"
Yes may have had that feeling"
"As to the change in copper, Mr..
Howland?"
TT was my judgment that heavier
copper was better"
How is it you were so rigid about
this job. Mr.. Rowland and so lax on
the Hilo Armory job?" asked represent
tative Lewis. You let poor stun go
into the armory?"
Rep. Harris stopped further inquiry
along this line.
The cross-examination of Mr.. Cook.
an inspector OF the Public Works de-
partment, showed that enmity also ex-
listed between him and Mr.. Gilman.
Your relations with Mr.. Gilman are