Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-07-29
WHERE RESPONSIBILITY LIES

Sup rintendent Gf Public Works Caldwell
takes the position that he is not responsible fol
the armory construction until the building
completed, when he must approve or reject it
He takes the position that iDasmuch as the su
peryising architects are employed for fee t
with the progress of the work and no response
bility for it.
In this way Mr. Caldwell answers guerie,
that have arisen since a steel truss fell last weel
and dashed Gus Anderson to death
In this way Mr. Caldwell answers queries a
to the safety of the structure, as to the wisdom
Of the method eff construction used
The Star Bulletin publishes today an opinion
written by former attorney general to former
Superintendent declaring that Notwithstanding.
the employment of a supervising architect, the
superintendent of public works is responsible fol-
such job as the, armory both during its con
strnction and after its completion Here is What
the opinion says:
sYcu are charged as matter of law with the
general superintendent and management of al
internal improvements in the territory. Sucl
responsibility you cannot delegate, nor can you
relieve yourself by the employment of an archi
tect, or any other officer or agent, from this gen
eral duty to see to it that the internal improve
ments in the territory are made strictly in ac
cordance with contracts executed for such pur
poses, and for the general benefit of the terri
tory.
1T therefore follors from fiesc general con
siderdtions, ,ccll as from the fact that no mon
fy can be paid out upon this rork ercept aftei
your approval, thai the ultimate control of thil
ie0rk rests ,cith you, together NTH duty o,
goln part to compel its faithful performance.
Ultimately, therefore, the superintendent, til,
representative of the territory-of the public
Is responsible for the armory work
What the Star Bulletin objects to in this ar
mory job is that the superintendent office die
not knowtof the discussion going on between
architects and contractors, Involving the yer,
serious question of the safety of the construc
ton
Furthermore, another thing, that stands GU
Ia significant prominence is that the sub-con
tractors who took the steel erection job were al
lowed to proceed in a. reckless manner Tha
their coursesis reckless is not only the opinion o
this paper, it is the opinion of Prof. J, NJ Young
the steel expert TO whom was originally referred
the question Of construction methods. The Star
Bulletin publishes todaya brief statement from
Mr.. Young showing that the erection of the stee
was carried on reck1essly and without sufficien
safeguards. 4.5es.s~s 1870
And here one gets back to the Fundamental
facts that under the law the superintendent o
public works is responsible for the construction
of the armory and if the work is being done reck
lessly, he should know it.
The point is deeper than the loss of few
steel trusses or even the loss of a mans life
is the point that change is needed in the sys
fem.
Gus Anderson very likely courted death in TIL
daredevil manner of many steel workers. YER
possibly the fall of the truss had nothin. to d,
with the strength CT the steel But the fall o
the truss and the death of Gus anderson hau
brought out facts behind the armOry construc
ton work that the territorial officials can hard
ly afford to overlook
The public, the people of the territory, mus
have better protection so long as the responsible
ity for the carrying out of internal improve
ments rests so clearly with the territory's repre-
sentative
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