Los Angeles herald., 1890-08-26

to school board, and the former strongly
advocated the reduction of the salaries
of the teachers. After some discussion,
the matter was made special order for
two O'Clock p. m. and the council took
a recess until that hour for lunch.
Afternoon Session.
On reconvening at two O'Clock, the
city attorney announced that he was
not yet ready to report ON the matter of
the Citizens Water company, which
had been made special order for that
hour, whereupon the report of the
board of public works, as already pub
lished in the HERALD, was taken up and
adopted; and the accompanying ordi-
nances passed.
The report of the finance committee,
which had been made a special order
for 80 O'Clock, was then taken up, and
Mr.. Shafer at once moved its adoption.
Major Bonsall thought that there
ought to be some change with refer
renee to the school board allowance.
He found that according to the list
of salaries paid to the teachers, they
were being paid more than was the case
three or four years ago, and in view OF
the hard times, and scarcity of money,
he really thought it was duty they
owed to the tax payers to cut down this
allowance. This was the last chance
the council had to say anything, as the
tax levy was going in today, and the
amount ought to be reduced.
President Frankenfield fully concurred
in Majo~ Bonsalls remarks, and thought
it was the duty of the council to reduce
the allowance. They had no power to
o1o,. hut 90
arrange matters that the school board
would be compelled to do SO.
Mr.. Hamilton rose to defend the
motion to adopt. He said that the
finance committee had very carefully
considered all the funds of the various
departments of the city government and
had investigated the matter of the pub
lie schools along with the rest. 1t may
be true that high salaries are paid, but
they were not higher than those of other
cities in the state. For instance, the
average yearly salary in San Francisco
was 1865; in San Jose, 1925; in Oak
land, 81 ,O16; and in Los Angeles, 1928.
Even if the council had the power to
reduce these salaries it would be unwise
for them to do so, as such course would
drive their best teachers to other cities,
where salaries were higher, 1t would
therefore be against the interest of the
tax payers to cut down the allowance of
the board of education.
Mr.. Summerland agreed with Major
Bonsall, and compared the salaries paid
to the teachers with those paid to the
police and firemen, and Mr.. Wirsching
followed suit.
Mr.. Shafer, however, said that these
school teachers had large amount of
capital invested, a fact which had been
lost sight of. He himself had been a
school teacher for twenty years and
knew all about it.
Major Bonsall moved to amend the
report by reducing the allowance of the
board by SIC, 900, stating that the board
got liberal allowance from the state in
any event.
Mr.. Van Dusen said that the state
appropriation was only $40 900, and if it
was not for that thier board would be
unable to act at all.
On the roll being called, the amen d.
ment was lost on tie vote, Messrs
Hamilton, McLain, Shafer and Van
Dusen voting negatively; the original
motion met with like fate, the four
gentlemennamed voting for and the rest
against it.
| The matter was again discussed at
some length, and finally it was suggest
ed by Maj. Bonsall that a conference
committe be appointed with the school
board to report at the next meeting
whereupon Mr.. Van Dusen called for the
opinion of the city attorney as to the le-
gality of postponing action on the mat
ter of the levy. That official said that it
would be better to dispose of it today,
whereupon after breezy discussion, the
matter was disposed OF on motion OF
Maj. Bonsall by transferring the sum of
10000 from the allowance of the school
board to the cash fund.
The report of the finance committee
as amended was then adopted and a
number of approved in accordance with
the recommendations of that committee.
The water question was then brought
up and the following report of the city
attorney was pres ented and read.
| To the Honorable Council Of Los angeles
City.
| GENTLEMEN: ! have Investigated the question
as to what steps can be taken to compel the Cit
| zens' Water company to furnish its consumers
with pare water, and what steps should be taken
| to protect the water ditch belonging to the city
from being polluted. The city of Los Angeles
owns all the water OF the Los Angeles liver
|
water and aer rights belonging to the Los
| Feliz ranch, and also r.ghG of way, fifty feet
in width, through said ranch for the purpose OF
maintaining the city's ditch, which had bsen
built for years. In 1886 the city leased to the
| Citizens Water company twenty inches OF
wafer to be taken out of and diverted
from the citys ditch at point above the tunnel
| on the Lick tract This lease was to expire on
July 23d 1898. bnt could be severed by either
party by giving one years notice of the same.
The city did not agree to keep up the often from
the point of supply to the point of diversion
neither was there anything said in the contrac
| as to the Water company's keeping it in repair
between these points, but the Water compan!
agreed that it would pay ten per cent. of thu
expense OF maintaining an aqueduct necessar,
to carry said water, and that in case the mail
ditch should be cemented or piped that thu
company would pay ten per cent. of the annua
interest on the cost of such work. This ditcl
from which this water is taken is used as al
irrigation ditch, or for the purpose of supply
ing water for irrigation, by the city, and thu
city undoubtedly has the right to fence thu
same and do all other things necessary to pre-
vent the water from being contaminated, bein;
limited only to its ffty-foot right OF way
This, in my opinion, should be immediatel.
done. The water company should be notified
to at once clean and protect their portion OF tn
ditch and to furnish its consumers with pur
fresh water. This company is operating unde
a franchise granted in 1872 to P. Beaudry, ant
of which it is the assignee, granting the priv
lege of laying down pipes in the city of Lo
Angeles for the purpose of furnishing water t.
the inhabitants in the hilly section And
while am of the opinion that the lease between
the city, end this company gives them the RICH
to take twenty inches of water from the city
ditch provided that much is therein) and tina
it can take such water in the condition il