The border vidette., 1928-04-07
NO LONGER LeSE MaJEsTe


geologists appointed by the Dis.
trict Attorney of Los Angeles
county to make an investigation
of the cause of the collapse Of
the St. Francis dam, has made
it's report to the coroner's jury.
They found that the collapse of
the structure which caused the
loss of four hundred lives and
millions of dollars of property,
came from improper foundation
material to which the dam was
anchored.
The engineers of the commit
tee found further that there was
failure to make proper tests of
the foundation material before
the dam was built. Had such
tests been made, the report says,
the fact would have been estab-
lished that the rock formation
was unsafe for a dam structure.
Going into further detail the
committee found that some of
the foundation material, while
reasonably hard when dry, be.
came soft and yielding when
satured with water. The de
fective foundation material, re
ferred to as conglomerate be
came softened by absorption, and
the pressure of the dam pushed
it out from under the structure,
permitting the dam to collapse
for lack of support.
The foundation for the St.
Francis dam was passed upon by
William Mulholland, chief engis.
neer of the city of Los Angeles.
The site was of his selection.
The plans for the structure, were
made under his direction. He
supervised the constructing of
the dam. Mr.. Mulholland pro
nounced the dam and reservoir
safe and feasible.
i It has been demonstrated in q
very sad way that the Judgment
of chief engineer William Mul.
holland was greatly at fault.
/ He made a colossal error.
| In the public hearings Of an
official character held on the
| Swing Johnson Boulder Canyon
dam bill, Chief Engineer William
Mulholland. of the city of Los
| Angeles has appeared several
| times to testify. He has been
| the principal advocate among the
engineers of the Boulder Canyon
site for dam on the Colorado
river. He has given it his. un,
qualified approval and endorse.
ment. s .t4 d
!, In these public hearings where
he has appeared to give atesti-
mony, in public speeches. and in
written statements, > Engineer
IMulholland has been quite i'm
patient Withsother engineers who
have questioned the feasibility
or the suitability Of the Boulder
Canyon site. He has not hesit.
ated to state that those who
questioned his unqualified en-
dorsement of the Boulder Can
| yon, site were lacking in engi
neering ability and intelligence.
! Mr.. Mnlbolland has been harsh
| in his opinions of those who
| have differed with him on the
superiority of the Boulder Can.
yon dam site. His attitude has
4 been one of great assurance.
His opinion was fixed, determin
! ed and pragmatic. Mr.. Mulhol
| land spoke with the assurance OF
man who seemed to believe his
judgment was infallible on engi
neering problems. He had a
| great part OF the people of Los
Angeles thinking the same way
prior to the st. Francis disaster
Now it has been demonstrated
that Chief Engineer William
Mulholland, like all other men,
is fallible. Events have shown
that Mr.. Mulholland has made a
Eserious, costly and tragic mis-.
take.
] Even among Los Angeles citi
zens it may no longer be con
sidered, lese majestic to express
the opinion that possibly Mr..
| Mulholland's Judgment concern
ling the Boulder Canyon dam site
might be in error.