198 ^^^ Philippine Journal of Science 1913 



from such as were presented by the Augustinians and Paulists, 

 the former being provided with free water for their house and 

 hacienda at Mandaloyan as a quid pro quo, were expropriated 

 on the personal valuation of Palacios, not a single complaint 

 reached the municipal board.^^^ Nor were operations attended 

 by many accidents or untoward incidents. There was, indeed, 

 one unavoidable fatality at the Deposito; there was a case of 

 robbery involving the loss of some 600 pesos in cash; and, in 

 1881, two small typhoons occurred which did some damage to 

 the pipe lines and to the roofs of the various buildings. There 

 was also the inevitable delay due to miscalculation by the con- 

 tractor as to the nature of the rock formation; but, on the 

 whole, the work proceeded with more speed than might have been 

 expected, and a misunderstanding which at one time presaged 

 a dangerous outcome and was later the cause of serious friction 

 was removed by mutual agreement. When Palacios was first ap- 

 pointed, it was arranged that the bureau of public works should 

 supervise his work, while he was given a free hand as to the 

 purchase of material by public contract. However, the extent 

 of this supervision was not defined."" 



The first point under discussion as to whether the necessary 

 material should be bought through Madrid, or directly by the 

 municipal board, or in both ways was soon decided by a com- 

 promise; but when Palacios was found to have made certain 

 purchases during the month of February, 1878, without calling 

 for a contract, the board felt that its dignity had been injured, 

 and consequently called him to account for his action. Pala- 

 cios,"^ in reply, called their attention to the procedure adopted 

 in the case of the reconstruction of the Bridge of Spain, under 

 which materials costing between 1,000 pesos and 5,000 pesos 

 had been bought by contract or privately. In accordance with 

 the authorization of the bureau of public works, materials which 

 could be bought for less than 500 pesos had been bought privately 

 on the sole responsibility of the engineer, and only materials 

 above 1,000 pesos always by public contract. With the sarcastic 

 remark that he would soon be prevented from buying even a 

 cavan of lime without written permission, he expresses his will- 



'■"Actas de Manila (1878), 94-95; Actas de Carriedo (Aug. 26, 1889); 

 Expediente promovido por la Comunidad de PP. Agustinos proponiendo 

 se concedan aguas gratuitas al convento de Manila y casa-hacienda de 



I j Mandaloyan (April 29, 1887) 



""Actas de Carriedo (Dec. 19, 1882); (May 27, 1883); (Aug. 5, 1884); 

 Expediente economico (1872-76), 176, 186, 199-200. 

 "'Actas de Manila (1878), 20, 21, 26, 28-31, 76. 



