Los Angeles daily herald., 1876-03-26
Reply to Mr.. Hoist.

EDITOR HERALD.-In your issue OF
the 10Th inst. appeared communica-
ton headed, "ComplaiEt against the
Board of Supervisors" and signed by
Charles Hoist. 1t is true that Mr..
Hoist presented a petition for the ap-
pointment of road overseer of the
Ballona road district, which petition
was duly filed by the Clerk, but for
some cause best known to himself, Mr..
III. watched until the Board had ad-
journed and left the room, when he
surreptitiously entered and abstrac-
ted his petition from the drawer in
which the Clerk had placed it with
the general file. In about a half an
hour after the Board had adjourned
Mr.. Potts was called upon to return to
the Grand Jury communication
which had been received from that
body, but upon examining the file he
was unable to find either it or Holst's
petition The County Surveyor who
had remained in the room informed
Mr.. Potts that Hoist had been to the
drawer and taken some papers from
the file. When the Board met next
morning | reported this matter, and
they concluded then and there that a
person who would surreptitiously en-
ter public office and abstract a pa
per from file of public documents,
was not proper person to serve as
Overseer of the Ballona or any other
road district, and Mr. Lamb, whose
petition contained forty-fve more
names than that of Mr.. Hoist, re-
ceived the appointment.
| am not aware that Hoist made
any specific charges against Donald
son; he did lin a bullying, swagger-
ing sort of way) say that Donaldson
did not work the roads properly, and
that it was time that some good man
(meaning himself suppose) was APP
pointed for that district, but if the
Board would remove Overseers on the
mere verbal statement of parties who
wanted the position vacated so that
they could get it themselves, they
would not have time to transact any
other business. Road Overseers re-
ceive three dollars for each day actu-
ally engaged in working the roads. 1
find that Donaldson received for his
services as Road Overseer last year,
two hundred and seventy-one dollars,
and that twelve hundred and eighty
three dollars and twenty five cents
was the amount paid in his district
for labor, teams, bridges, etc., making
in all, fifteen hundred, fifty-four dol
lars and twenty five cents. being only
fifty-fOur dollars and twenty-five
cents more than the sum which Mr..
Hoist says he received as salary. Mr..
Donaldson was employed as Road
Overseer during the past year, ninety
and one-third days, and l know of no
law which would prevent him driving
the other two hundred and seventy
four and two-third days. In consid-
GRAFTON of the fact that Mr.. Holst'sseX-
animation of the Clerks papers was
secret, and on that account necessari-
ly much hurried, this serious discrep-
ancy between the actual facts and his
published statement may be excused,
but | would recommend him, should
he desire in future to examine any pa
pers pertaining to the Board of Super
visors, that he go to Mr.. Potts and ask
for them and he will be sure to place
them at his disposal. If Mr.. Hoist de-
sires any further information as to
why he was not appointed Road Over
seer, | will endeavor to oblige him.
Respectfully yours,
GEORGE HINDS,
Chairman Board Supervisors.
Wilmington, March Oath, 1876.