Los Angeles daily herald., 1876-04-22
OUT OF ITS OWN MOUTH.

1t has never been the custom of the
HERALD to question the motives,
doubt the ability or reflect on the pro-
bity of the Common Council of this
city. That work has been the special
ty of the E'rpreSs. 1t has editorially
or in communications, written, doubt
less in the office, arraigned the Coun-
Gil on many charges of omission and
commission and not unfrequently it
has anlmadverted on the incapacity
of that body in terms more caustic
than complimentary. We reprint a
letter which appeared in the columns
of that paper in its issue of March 21st,
1876. in which a position is taken
strangely at variance with its recent
encomiums on the efficiency and abil-
ity of the Council. We request care
full reading of the communication
which is as follows:
EDITORS EXPRESS I'm your issue
of Friday evening, in regard to there
being but one bid before the Common
Council of this city, for the construc-
tion of submerged dam across the
Los Angeles river you ask, "What is
the matter with our contractors? Have
they become lazy?n There is at pres
ent in our midst as good and energet-
ic body of contractors as graces any
city of its size in the Union-men
xxyhn tn of 70
pleted i'll other places, foot up sum
total of millions of dollars.
There are several reasons why there
was not more spirit of competition
manifested among bidders for this
public work. The first is the vacilat-
ing course pursued by the Council in
regard to former proposals for this
same work, which had strictly COM
piled with the requirements of the
published specifications, for the depos-
iting of $1,000 contingent upon the
filing of bond of $40, 900 for the faith
full performance of the work. When
| that Council found that the estimates
of contractors were nearly one-third
greater than they had been led to be-
lieve the work would cost. Then
they increased the bond to $50,
after some deliberation, thinking
this amount excessive, they simmer
ed down to $30,000 just $4,000 more
than they required in the specifica-
| tions, as if it was as easy for contrac-
tor to obtain bonds as it is for them to
exceed their published requirements.
Legal Courts require an indemnity OF
double the amount at issue, and the
Common Council of Los Angeles is
the only corporation in this State
which follows suit. Does any sane
man imagine that this city could re-
cover $50, 900, providing bond was
given, and the contractor failed when
the work was half completed? Would
not an intelligent jury ascertain the
amount of damage, allow them sc
much, and not one cent more?
Another reason why there was not
more activity among the ''poor and
needy" for this crumb was the man.
ner of payments, which are three in
number, upon estimate, with a reser.
vStion of ten per cent. upon each, the
first payment or assessment to be
made upon one-third of mason.y v work
being completed. Now, this ma.
sonry work is the Gaping of the dam
three hundred feet long, sixteen feet
wide and from one foot to five feet in
height; and hence, the "poor deviP'
of contractor, unless he built and
completed the dam by sections (which
l contend is not the proper manner)
would not receive cent until the en-.
tire work was nearly completed
Hence the contract is beyond the con.
troll of those Of limited means. Look