Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-11-03
taylor CHARGES
CEMENT SKIMPED
in LAIMI WORK


Formal complaint was filed with
the board Of supervisors today by
James T. Taylor, civil engineer, that
construction work on Improvement
District Z, Nuuanu valley, the Laini
district, is not being done by the
contractor in accordance with the
specifications.
Mr.. Taylor declares in letter to
the board that the proper amount of
cement is not being used, notwith-
standing City Engineer Cantin's e1-
press orders to the city inspector
that the specifications must be OBJ
served.
Other defects are also cited, the
whole letter being complaint that
the contractor is skimping the work.
Taylor accompanies his letter to
the board with three letters previous
~ written to Engineer Cantin One
of these is dated October IL and the
other two on October 20, all contain
ing in some detail similar complaint
that the, contractor, who is John
Duggan, is not observing specified
tionsS
Particularly does Taylor charge
that Duggan is not using as much ce-
ment as the specifications call for.
Z He says that he himself personally
inspected the work for the week end
ing October 90 and his statements
1 are based on his own observations.
Yesterday Duggan was instruments
al in the arrest OF some workmen EN-.
ployed by Taylor in laying curbing
in this district, the controversy be-
ing over the location of the curb-line.
Taylor's letter to the board follows:
Gentlemen:
Il wish to call your attention to the
matter of the construction work
which is now progressing on Improve
lment District Number Z. Nuuann val
ley.
The work has not been carried on
IN accordance with the specifications.
On October II, 1917, notified Mr. A.
s. Cantin, city and county engineer,
in regard to the same. / again noti-
fled Mr.. Cantin in writing on October
49, setting forth in detail where the
work was defective.
sMr. Cantin in my presence in
structed the engineer and inspector.
Mr.. Black, to the effect that the
specifications would have to be car
ried out. Notwithstanding these yer.
bal Instructions to the inspector, the
work Is still being carried out not In
accordance with the specifications,
especially as to the lack of the proper
amount of cement, which is clearly
defined. in the specifications. The de-
tails as to the defects which / have
called the attention of the engineer
TO, refer you to the letters above
mentioned dated October II and Oc-
tober 90.
81 desire to say that personally
5 inspected the construction work
which was done during the week end
ing October 20, 1917, and nay requests
are based on my personal obserVa-
S.tions. certainly insist that the
specifications shall be carried out on
fthis work
'1n addition to the matters which
have called your attention to above,
/ will say that there are other de-
fects as to line: and grade on the
curbings which need immediate at
tention, also that the catch ;, basins
which have been constructed on Park
road have not been properly rein
forced according to the specifications,
also that a considerable amount of
dirty material has been used and ma.
feriaI which has not been deposited
upon pianks, which, according to the
specifications, shall be Condemned.
and not used on the job.
7sn1,
ed to this matter, as it is a matter
of Importance and the property own.
ers are certainly entitled to have the
specifications carried out in full"
THE action of Contractor Duggan
yesterday in having some Of my work
men arrested for relaying curbing in
the Laimi improvement district is
the outcome of controversy over
the location of the curbing," said
Taylor this morning. 81 received my
boundary and curb line when George
Collins was city engineer, and had
the curbing laid in accordance With
that line. Under Engineer Cantin, a
new line has been established and my
curbing was taken up. had the curp-
ing relaid along the former line, and
contend that this is the proper pro-.
cedure." @-l
Mr.. Taylor accepted a rather in
formal service of summons to appear
in court with his employees who were
arrested, he having gone to the police
station to look after their bail. Al
though his name was put down
4among those on whom a warrant
AMas served, he was not arrested.
The case was to come up this
morning but was postponed until
next Thursday by mutual consent
The men are charged with unlawful