The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-04-28

neglect of duty by the officials OF the
Public Works Department.
VIOLATION OF SPECIFICATIONS
We find that there are so many de-
partures from and violations of the
specifications that we are forced to
believe that they were not only irten-
tional, but systematic, and must have
been calculated upon when the con-
tract was estimated upon.
We are informed that as to the bulk
of the violations of the contract no
attention was paid thereto by the Pub
lie Works officials until outside parties
repeatedly called attention thereto.
There are so many of these depart
ures from the specifications that we
will only enumerate the principal ones.
They are as follows:
/. Stills. The specifications called
for stills 8x16 inches in size.
The contractor has used sills 10xl2
inches in size, making a saving of ma
terial of the value of about $50.
2. Posts, Orders, Stringers and Roof
Trusses.
The specifications call for best quail
ity of material, and give dimensions.
Some of the posts used are smaller
than called for by the specifications,
and are OF unsuitable and inferior ma
terial, resulting in further saving to
the contractor and loss to the public.
3. Purlins. The specifications call
ed for 3-foot centers. The plans show
ed 5-foot centers.
The proper strength of the building
requires the purlins to be 3-foot cen
tiers, but the contractor ignored the
specifications and placed them 5-foot
centers, and the Superintendent of
Public Works has permitted it.
BY not following the specifications
the contractor saved about $50 on this
item.
4. Splicing. BY ignoring the speci-
fcations about splicing the contractor
saved about $50.
3. Outside Trlmm hg. ~ not FOL-
lowing specifications the contractor
saved about $50 OH this ITEM.
6. Columns of Porch. The spteifi
cations called for madenip columns
16x16 inches.
The contractor substituted SKIS inch
plain columns, entirely changing the
appearance of tie porch and saving
about $50.
I. Window Caps. The contractor
ignored JHe anu saved
about $15 on this item.
s. Corrugated Iron Roof. The speci-
fications called for two laps at joints.
The contractor only made / 1-2 laps.
This change weakens the roof and
saved the contractor about $75 in
weight of iron.
9. Iron Ridging. The specifications
call for extra wide ridging. The con-
tractor used narrow ridging instead,
making an understandable job and saw
ing about $14.
10. Finish Flooring. The specif-
cations call for vertical grain selected
flooring.
The contractor has substituted an
inferior grade of flooring, making
saving of approximately $64
This chance will not be compensated
for bv ma'i9g a reduction in the price,
which is 81 per 1000 feet of lumber.
The inferior grade of lumber viii
never make as good a marching floor
as that specified.
In this connection it is to be noted
that while vertical grain lumber was
called for, for flooring for the interior
of house to be used by men, inferior
material was allowed, while in the case
of the Brewer Wharf, where vertical
grain was called for to be used out
doors, chiefly by horses, the depart
ment refused to allow the material to
be used
This is cited as an illustration of the
fact that official favorites can make
or break a contractor.
IL. Whitewashing Interior. The
specifications called for withdrawing
the entire interior.
Tho af
washing, machine finished the interior
at saving of expense estimated by
your committee at SIS.
u. Painting. The specifications
called for painting the exterior of
the building.
The contractor has not painted the
roof, and claims it is not included IN
the word exterior
The government inspector agreed
with the contractor.
If this claim is allowed it will save
the contractor not less than $50.
Mr.. Ouderkirk reported that the
specifications included painting the
roof.
We are informed that notwithstand-
ing this. the Superintendent of Public
Works has referred this point to ar
bitration.
w Z are Oh the OPINION INdL I0e gu
perintendent has no right to arbitrate
this point
- Exterior means "outside, . and
the outside of the roof is as much
q exterior as the outside of the walls.
The word exterior is a plain. or
binary English word, having no tech
meal meaning. 1t is not open to con-
strUction.
The universal custom is to paint iron
roofs. 1t is ba>l workmanship not TO
paint them. If the contractor does not
paint the roof. the government Will
have to, Or the roof viii speedily be
eaten mp by iron rust, as it is near the
sea and the regular wind blows direct
" to it from the sea.
10. Rustic The specifications call
for best material and a workmanlike
job. This would require the rustic to
be dried and shrunk. Instead of do
ing this, the contractor nailed the rus
tic on green. The joints have shrunk
and in many cases are open quarter