Douglas daily dispatch., 1928-03-28
MulhOIland Tells Coroner
That He Alone Shoulders
Blame
PROBE
Geological Structure Prom
ises to Answer Cause
OF Disaster

LOS ANGELES, March 2T Up.
William Malholland, chief engineer OF
the Los Angeles bureau OF water
works and supply, looked the world
in the face today and took on his
own broad shoulders full responsibility
for the building of ST. Francis dam
Recalled to the witness stand late
today in the inquest on the victims
of the dams collapse, March 13, the
r. year old engineer said:
II didn't neglect this job, anyway,
Whether it's good or bad it's my
responsibility, Don't pass the blame
from me. If there is any blame it's
on me-"
Two hundred and eighty-one bodies
have been recovered from the silt
and debris Strewn wastes left in San
Fral1cisquito canyon and the Santa
Clara river valley by the flood deluged
forth in a great wall from the broken
dam. The list OF missing is around
ITO persons.
Asked it he designed the st. Francis
dam, Mulholland said that he and
his engineering force collaborated
upon it--"they gathered about me as
OAA GA JOOo' SetAA Y N'CNy C11O AN1OSl
was mine
That state engineer had examined
the dalnsite before the concrete was
poured was testified by Mulholland.
The engineer, named Mcclure, and
his assistants, stumbled all around
there" Mulholland said, "but they
never said anything to me about the
site" He said that Mcclure was on
the site "only half day-long
enough"
When he was asked what was the
"red stuff" on the western foundation
of the dam, which had been cSe;ed
porphyry, the veteran engineer said
it was igneouS rock. He added that
he put a transverse tunnel in this
ridge and two or three holes down
from the top to examine it. A piece
ot rock from the site was handed
him, which he said was 'vagrant
rock, and which he testified would
not dissolve in water.
The rock was cut in two and a
part put in a glass of water It
did not dissolve, but discolored the
water.
When questioned about intinlations
that he no longer was active as an
engineer .Mulholland declared brus--
quely that he was the "firss at the
office and certainly not the first to
leave at night" He declared he per-.
scnally visited all the Bureaus
engineering jabs.
Denial that the foundation strata
.of the dam turned to mud when
soaked with water was made in
ringing voice by MUlholland.
"That foundation wasn't clay at
ALL" he declared, his hands trembling.
but his voice firm and clear. "I mad
numerous test holes bored into the
earth throughout the canyon. These
holes were filled With water. Attel
two weeks time I had the water
drained, and the earth was no softer
than in the beginning"
The veteran engineer asserted that
upon his experience as an engineer
he believed he had not erred in
selection OF the damsite.
A bitter announcement OF his sub
ordinates, VINO previously testified be-
fore the coroner's jury was made by
this water test.
Their minds must have gone wool
gathering" the aging man declared
emphatically II was amazed by testi-
mony Of our employees. The idea OF
their saying they knew nothing OF
the test holes. Why, gentlemen" ne
addressed the jurors, those impress
sions are still there. You can see
them now"
Testimony of Deputy District Attor-
ney E. j. Dennison also was attacked,
and branded as absurd" 1t was the
instance in which Dennison had put
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