Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-01-27
System of Reaching Estimates
Faulty, He Says, and Calls
Work "Paipably Raw

Claiming that the city is losing in
actual cash $3G975 a month by main
tanning its quarry, rather than by buy
ing rock in open market, and giving
figures to prove his contention, Super
visor Larsen sprung a surprise on the
board last night in a report sent in
by him and read by the clerk at the
meeting. Larsen claims further. that
the actual output of rock frem the city
quarry is not nearly so large as the
apparent output, and does not include
in his figures loss for wear and tear
on equipment. His letter is as fol
lows: @,, it,. ~: .... -
Honolulu, Hawaii, Jan %, 1916.
The Honorable Mayor and Board of
Supervisors of the City and Coun
Is of Honolulu. ....." -
Gentlemen: +
AT the request of Supervisor Shin
gle, | have made an Investigation OF
the cost of production of crushed rock
at the city and county quarry. and
beg TO present my findings, without
prejudice and in accordance with con.
ditions as found them. ~ 49, a.
Truth Hard to Get at. .~.. j.. ~
t--
put and correct cost are not avail
able, as all figures connected with the
plant are more or less fictitious. For
example, no proper system OF check
ing up loads is kept, and the custom
seems to be 10 add as much as pos
sible to the loads for instance, loads
of four yards will be called five Yards,
| loads of three yards will be called
four, etc, the idea being to swell the
output, although the actual capacity
| of the vehicles is we'll known, they
being quilt to standard measurement.
1T is only the most simpleminded
and those unacquainted with cubic
measurement that fall for work sc
| palpably raw. ....-.....
Again, coal ordered for the plant is
delivered to the fourth district stable
and charged to the stable, no extra
carriage being charged to the plant
Quarry waste, the curse of any
quarry, is charged to the road where
it is dumped instead of the removal
being charged to the quarry.
Two instances of excessive short
! age on delivery are well known to the
engineer and to certain members OF
this board, myself included, one of SO
yards and one ofl37 yards, the idea be.
ing, no doubt, to increase the appar.
ent output and thereby reduce the unit
cost per yard.
Deducts 10 Per Cent.
The apparent output for the year
| is 1884 yards at a cost of $1.37 per
yard-total $15,S37-but, in accord,
anee with the say-so of the engineer
and those who know, have deducted
10 per cent, which makes the output
10,201 yards and increases the cost
to s155.
Prices of rock of various grades
in the hands of the purchasing agent
are: No. 2, $1.05; No. 8, $1.30; No. 4,
| $1.50; or an average of SIPS per yard,
or difference Of nine cents per yard
over the cost of production at the
quarry; and, on 1884 yards, this
| would make difference of 81 ,02006
not much, but there again after de.
| Quoting 10 per cent for poor measure
the difference would be more visible
and would amount to thu sum Of
$3,060.3S.
Many Thousands in Year.
Assuming that in the use of rock
the city and county uses No. 2, No. 8
and No. 4, it would be used in the fol.
lowing average proportion per each
| 1000 yards: No. 2, 700 yards; No. 8,
200 yards, and No. 4, 100 yards. This
would cost to buy, as follows:
| 200 yards No. 2 a $1.05. ..,.,..S 1856
200 yards No. 3 a $1.30 ....s5.. 260
: 100 yards No. a $1.50 ....... $50
| Total, per 1000 yards ..,...s1, 145
/ Assuming that we should use that
much per month, it would amount to
/ $13,740 per year T.:
! Now take the average yardage
! used per month during 1915 as taken
! from our own figures and we find that
we use on an average 675 yards No. 2.
$50 yards. No 8; and rs yards No. 4
This would cost to buy:
1 675 yards No. at $105- s. 70S75
! $50 yards No. at $3.50 1876 90
Is yards No. 4 at: $50. ..... 1880
IOldl ....p E.Ulb, %
or $12.195 per year. a difference right
there of sS642 between our given cost
and what 1t would cost in open
market. ==a..-
Would Be Big Saving. ~: ...:...
Now deduct the 10 per cent and
We have an annual requirement OF
10,201 yards, or something over $50
! yards per month. and you will find a