Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-12-28

CITY HALL.
The absence OF proper municipal .'ac
commodations for public officers and TO
city business is matter OF general com
ment. Efforts have been made to con
struct City Hall, and you are all wei
aware of the unfortunate condition o
affairs which left Los Angeles city il
possession of large excavation at the
corner of Second and Spring streets
with no immediate prospect OF devotine
it to the object originally in view. We
have at our disposal tor City Hall pur
poses valuable and we'll situated piece
Of pro- reriy. BY the recent sale of prep
erty at the corner of Spring and Secono
streets for S120.000 we have a sufficient
amount to enable us to carry on and con
summate the intended work. Zoo much
care cannot be taken in preparing the
plans md specifications for the new City
Hall. In the construction of our private
dwellings or building of our business
blocks, we ordinarily exercise great cir.
cumspection, not only to protect our
selves from the mistakes of architects,
but also to see that we are working
within our means. And il it be true,
as 1 think it is, that the person who
holds public office is exercising char
acter Of trust which is not only d tiicult,
but which requires the greatest care
and good faith, we should devote as
much time, if not more, to the matter
thus intrusted to us than we would to
affairs purely personal.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The influx of population is SO great
that it has been impossible for our
Board of Education to furnish school IA
cilities for the children wishing to
attend. Many new buildings have been
erected during the past year, but they
are insufficient to meet the demands. 1t
is to be hoped that you will maintain
the present excellent standard of our
schools. The children of our city must
have the advantages of free education
in order to make good citizens, and all
the money properly expended for that
purpose will meet with my hearty ap.
probation.
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
Los Angeles has been particularly
fortunate in having had no serious con-
fiapration, which is owing in great
measure to the diligence of her firemen.
The paid fire department, as introduced
by our predecessors, has proven sue
cess, and the recent introduction OF the
Richmond system of fire alarm is an.
other movement in the right direction.
You should give all necessary aid in
maintaining the efficiency OF this depart
ment.
POLICE DEPARTMENT.
Gentlemen of the Council, you have
selected an honorable man for the re-
sponsible office of Chief of Police.
Great care should be exercised i'll ap-
pointing the police force Of the city.
None but men of sobriety and morality
should be selected. We look to the po.
lice officer TO protect cur homes; in the
absence Of father and husband he Is ex-
pected, nay, commanded, to guard with
unfinchiug fidelity the hearthstone OF
the citizen. To that end would most
respectfully suggest the propriety OF
placing on the police force men OF abill.
ty--fearless and honest. Such men will
at all times be true to the interests OF
the people. Politics should not enter
the councils of the Police Commission.
In the selection of body of men EN-.
powered to protect the citizen in his
person and property great care should
be exercised Partizanshp at any time
is to be deplored when oppressive, and,
when INDUCED in to any great extent,
dangerous to the peace and happiness OF
the community. To assist in the faith
full discharge OF my official duties re.
quire an efficient police force regardless
of politics; one that will reflect credit
on the Police Commission and command
the confidence of all citizens, irrespect.
i've of party.
HITCHING OF HORSES.
I call your attention toa matter of great
moment to all pedestrians. The sidewalks
are the exclusive property of the man
and woman who considers it proper to
walk. They should be protected. A
string of horses harnessed to vehicles OF
every character ana hitched to posts and
rings on either side of the streets is
dangerous to the life and limb OF the
citizen. The streets are narrow. Why
should we make them narrower by per-
mitting this obstruction to exist? l
press it on the minds of our police force
to abate this unpleasant feature. En-
force the ordinance correcting the same.
and firmly believe the whole people
will thank you. Crowds assemble dur
ing the day on the corners of certain
streets, obstructing the sidewalks. max
ing it impossible for ladies to pass.
This should be stopped. 1 beg you to
consider this matter in its gravest sense.
The mothers, wives and daughters of
the citizens mast not be insplted by the
loupger.
SEWERAGE.
No city can be prosperous if it is not
healthy, and it cannot be healthy unless
its sewerage system is such as to prevent
the propagation Of malarial matter and
of the various gases which emanate
from the refuse which SO readily accu-
mulates where the population is large.
The rapid settlement of the hitherto
vacant lands of Los Angeles city. and
the large number of persons who are
coming here, make it all the
more necessary to watch the sewers and
to extend, enlarge and improve them.
This condition of things was recognized
when vote was had upon the question
of issuing bonds, and by an exceedingly
large majority it was decided to raise
money in that way to provide for the
making of sewers as well as for the i'm.
provement of the water supply and the
construction of adequate city buildings.
The Committee on Sewers who may be
by your Honorable Body. as
we'll as the City Surveyor, will not prop
erly discharge their duties if they do not
pay more attention to this subject than
has heretofore been bestowed upon it.
The presen. law is no doubt defective,
because it fails, as 1 understand, to pro-
vide any proper means by which those
who do not wish TO aid in the construc-
tion of sewers can be compelled to do so.
As in the case of street paving it fire.
quently happens that all the residents of
Il populous block, except perhaps one,
are in favor of constructing sewer, and