The Hawaiian gazette., 1905-04-28

IL. Whitewashing Interior. The
specifications called for withdrawing
the entire interior.
The contractor instead of white
washing, machine finiGhed the interior
at a saving of expense estimated by
your committee at $l5.
IL. Painting. The specifications
called for painting the exterior" of
the building.
The contractor has not PARTED the
the word "exterior.'
The government inspector agreed
with the contractor.
If this claim is allowed it will save
the contractor not less than $S5.
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.
We are of the opinion that the gu
perintendent has no right to arbitrate
this point.
"Exterior" means "outside," and
the outside of the roof is as much
exterior" as the outside of the walls.
The word exterior" is plain, or
binary English word, having no tech
nical meaning. 1t is not open to con-
, struction.
The universal custom is to paint iron
roofs. It is bad workmanship not to
paint them. If the contractor does not
paint the roof, the government will
have to, or the roof will speedily be
eaten up by iron rust, as it is near the
sea and the regular wind blows direct
lv to it from the sea.
10. Rustic. The specifications call
for best material and workmanlike
job. This would require the rustic to
I 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
| of an inch, and in some cases more, so
I that daylight can be seen in numerous
places through the side of the house.
This makes botch job, most insight
ly and unweatherly.
| IA. Nails. The specifications call
! for best material. In wet climate
like Hilo, galvanized nails should al
! ways be used, to prevent speedy rust
ing out.
! The contractor has used black nails,
which are an inferior article.
Is. Plates. The specifications call
for bottom plates to the building. The
contractor left these out, until Mr..
| Ouderkirk required him to put them
in, when he sawed off all the studding
and drove the plates in, making most
understandable job.
| 16. Steps. The specifications call
for trent steps of certain width. The
contractor, with the approval of the
inspector, has put in steps of only halt
the specified width, with correspond
ing saving to the contractor, while the
good looks of the building are dimin'
ished by the change.
| II. Extras. The contractor has
claims for a number of extras.
Mr.. Ouderkirk reports that all of
the so-called "extras" are included
within the meaning of the original
specifications and We agree with him
No extras should be allowed.
Is. Changes. The contractor has
claims for some changes which he says
were ordered by the government in
spector.
The contract specifies that ne
except upon an agreement in writing
being signed by the Superintendent OF
Public Works and the contractor.
: In spite of the many changes abev'
enumerated, and others not enumerat
. ed, there is not a scratch of pen au
thoriZing one of them.
: We consider this provision an abso
lutely necessary one for the protec
y 80. ~. ~ ha
the Superintendent of Public Work
. has no right to waive it.
In conclusion, it appears to your com
{ mittee that the rights of other con
tractors and the public have been en-
$ tirely neglected IN connection wit
s this contract. The contractor has az
parentlv been permitted to do as h
: chose, without any adequate check o
r supervision, the law and the specified
tons being alike ignored, the publ
: gettinr the worst of it every time.
r We estimate that by the changes !
and violations OF the contract, the cor
i tractor has saved about 5000, or abou
S l. per cent on the amount of the cor
tract, at the expense of the public.
h The Hilo armory is, by the neglec
e of the Public Works Department an
g the wilful violation of the contract b
the contractor, an inferior and III
r workmanlike building.
REPORT OF JOHN oUDERKIR1
ON HILo ARMoRY.
i To the Honorable C. S. Holloway, 81
). perintendent of Public Works
Sir: Al your request 1 have il
d spected the armory building at Hill
n now under construction by Contractor
l.. NJ. Whitehouse & Co.
IS have to inform you that the col
l. tractors are not doing the work a
l, cording to plans and specification
? nor are they complying with the tern
of their contract.
l. / did not find the contractors on Il
d building, nor did ! find foreman,
the specifications cali for. To n
n mind this is important.
a l find that the contractors have su
let the building to j. c. Carter, al
ID they are using him as foreman in o
e, der to cover that clause in the speci
r. cations, which think is wrong.