The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-03-02

fore. on July /, 1906, the work wa:
stopped, pending the examination bJ
the expert. On his arrival, the pub
lie were invited to present to hin
| all complaints and charges, prior t.
any statement by those in charge.
The plans, specifications and contract
were handed to him, with these re
quests:
First: Please examine the structure
provided for in these documents, ano
report if in your opinion it is safe
IF not, what would make it SO.
Second: Examine the work on the
ground and report If it is in accord
ance with these plans. Report any
work accepted which is defective, un
cover any that may be necessary te
q thorough investigation, and spare nc
/ person.
Pits were sunk and an exhaustive
examination made. Verbally, the ex-
pert stated that in view of the loca-
ton and the material at hand, both
of which were good, the structure plan
ned, as whole, was within the usual
| factor of safety.
There were certain details which the
expert could not approve. He stated
| that every engineer would differ on
details, due to his own individuality and
experience; that he was a special adj
vocate of particular type of dana
dirt dam with back fill of rock.
He stated that the work was in ac-
cordance with the plans, and that no
work had been accepted which was
defective. Some had properly been re-
jected.
He went on, that evidently an en-
gineer was not so much needed as
some one to settle the differences be-
tween the contractor vand those in
charge, or to combat the attitude of
the public. That he was not that kind
of an expert, and had he known the
situation, he would not have left his
work in California to respond to the
call.
On being asked il the structure could
be made safer, he stated that in his
opinion it undoubtedly could be made
so without too great additional ex.
pense. and the gain he thought woula
justify the outlay Other engineers
might not agree with him. To Illus,
trate how they differed, he told of ona
in California who had lately designed
which was far less than that usually
accepted as safe, yet the structure had
withstood all tests, and the capital,
lists back of the engineer had ordered
a second structure of the some de-
sign, involving a larger outlay Thus
time and experience way demonstrate
that heretofore engineers have made
earth dams more solid than need be.
The cause of failure of earth dams,
ne thought, was more often due to
lack of drainage than to any Other
feature, and it was this that made him
an advocate of dirt dam with a bach
fill of rock. for this, in his opinion.
gave the very best drainage.
In regard to the changes that he con-
sidered advisable. his time was too
short to design them or figure accu.
rately on the cost, but he offered to
do both, in writing, after his return to
California. The final report speaks
for itself.
The Administration determined to
make one more attempt with the con
tractor, and to accept the suggestions
of the expert, in the hope that it would
restore public confidence. Thus the
Superintendent Of Public Works ana
the contractor was called in confer
ence. and informed that unless all Diff
ficulties could be satisfactorily settled
and future progress assured. the con,
tract would be Cancelled and the ap.
preparation forfeited. That new bids
would be asked for under a new con,
tract, using the second loan appfo- |
priation, and the question as to which
party had violated the old contract left
to the decision of the courts. That
not more than ten days would be al, |
lowed for the discussions necessary to
reach a determination of the dif1cuf- |
ties.
During aJnuary last the contractor
was asked if the Nuuanu dam, with
the proposed changes, would be finish, |
ed before the end of the calendar year. |
He replied that he did not see how IL
was possible, for he could not afford |
to put in money getting ready for dit,
ferent kinds of work, until he knew /
Just how much of each class of worn |
was to be done-and this statement the
officials refused to furnish him.
Clearly contract calling for |
bids on classified kinds of worh /
that the officials in
tended to avoid all reSponS1bfli. /
ty as to the exact amount OF each
class, but proposed to pay for the fun
amount done. It is to be presumed I
that those who originally Did on this
work expected to take some risk, other
wise the letting of a contract would De
of no advantage. for any Government
official who would attempt to give tina
exact amount of work would place the
contractor in an advantageous position.
and such an act would be a fragrant
violation of public duty, subjecting the
Territory to a demand for a higher
price for any work over or under tina
stated.
Thus the difficulties between con-
tractor and officials do not appear TO
be at an end. There has been little
or no difficulty in securing rapid prog
ress on the classes of work that nave
the widest margins of profit, or on the
additional work required by the change
in plans, where a percentage is allow
ed over reasonable cost.
In the latter case a claim was MADE
that the purchase of implements was
a proper part of the reasonable cost
on which a percentage should be al
lowed. and that such implements