Los Angeles herald. [volume] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1890-1893, 1890-10-14
favorable to all the protestants was in

IN the m8tter OF Cno prOCcSCS against
the action of the street superintendent in
accepting the cement sidewalk on Hill
street between Sixth and Pico streets,
on motion of Major Bonsall, the action
upon the matter was, after lengthy
discussion, deferred for one week. and it
was thereupOn referred to the beard of
public works.
The following message was received
from the mayor:
To the Honorable Council of the City of
Los Angeles:
am at loss to know why this con-
tract Of Mr.. F. w. Chase is referred to
me. 1t is an honest contract, one of
those in which the city gets more than
it pays for, gets earth excavated and
moved at IL cents per cubic yard.
Judging from the reports of the last
meeting of your honorable body, as con-
tanned in the daily papers, 1 am informed
that sit affords an excellent opportunity
to get back at the mayor" in this, that
no contract in writing was formally
entered into with Mr. Chase, to do his
work, before it was done. If that is
the ground, am afraid your honorable
body is doomed to disappointment, be-
cause on the 9Th day of April. 1889, your
honorable body adopted ordinance No.
"a, which empowered the park commits
sioners ''to do such other work in con-
nection with the development OF the city
parks as they deem advisable"
At meeting OF the park commission
OF June 10, 1890, Mr.. Chase appeared
and stated that his men and teams were
out of work at the Westlake park, and
that if the commissioners would au-
thOrize him to do some excaya-
ton out there, that was impera-
lively necessary for the development OF
the park, he would do it for what he
had to paw his men and for feed for his
animals as long as he was of work, and
that he would wait until there was
money in the park fund to pay for it.
His proposition was reduced to writing
to do this work at Ii cents per cubic
yard, and the same was duly accepted
by the board.
Mr.. Chase was notified by the clerk of
the board that not more than $500 worth
of work was authorized under that con-
tract, but, as am informed, the commits
sioners, having organized under the
state law, of which board 1 am not
member. directed him to keep on until
he had completed the work he was on,
which he did, and thereby executed
work in excess of $500, at this reduced
rate.
Sewer pipe, on which there is cor
ner, and on which the city is victimized
in horizontal raise of 25 per cent. over
retail prices, is furnished the city with
out any contract in writing, and to cor
rect the omission a contract is drawn
to pay the contractor and presented
to your honorable body at the same
time the contract with Mr.. Chase is
presented, viz. at your last meeting,
and is approved without question but
Mr.. Chases contract is not approved,
although this refusal to approve his
contract may result in putting Mr..
Chase into insolvency; and your honor
able body was informed of that at the
time. l refer to the contract with the
Southern California Coal and Clay COM
pany, which is to enable them to obtain
pay for sewer pipe already used by the
city without a contract, which your
honorable body approved, but when it
came to contract in which the city gets
more than full measure, regularly
entered into. you decline to approve it.
There may be some reasons why
sewer pipe, delivered in advance of any
contract therefor, is entitled to adoption
of contract providing for its i'm
mediate payment, but work done in
moving earth at 13 cents per cubic yard
starvation priests not entitled to
like consideration, although the con-
tract with Mr.. Chase was entered into
pursuant to ordinance as provided in the
charter. 1 am pleased that your honor
able body should invoke these limita-
tions on the public expenditure. The
contract, however, covering all that was
done, should be approved, in justice to
all. Respectfully etc.
HENRY T. HAZARD, Mayor.
Mr. Brown said that the fact of the
matter was, the mayor chad put his foot
in it and wanted to get it out again
without pulling his shoe off," This was
matter precisely similar to that old
city hall racket. The mayor was for
once in the wrong, and he knew it as
well as any one else. If it was not for
the men he would never vote for the
bill; but they ought to be paid. 1t
was referred back to the mayor with
request that he sign the contract on be-
half of the city, after it had been APP
proved by the council.
In the matter of the petition of Mrs.
E. H. Andross, ct AL, which had been
denied in accordance with the recon-
mendation of the board of public work,
the matter was deferred for two weeks,
it appearing that there were two
streets of the same name.
The vote by which the Bryson-Clark
franchise had been passed was recon-
sidered so as to admit of the insertion of
clause to the effect that no poles shall
be erected in the center of the street.
The resignation of Capt. A. w. Barrett
from the board of commissioners for the
opening and widening of streets was read,
and there being some question as to the
validity of the ordinance by which he was
appointed, should it be accepted, the
city attorney was consulted, and upon
his reporting that the law provided for
the filing OF vacancies, and that it would
not invalidate former actions, the resig-
nation was accepted ON motion TO Mr..
McLain, to take effect next Monday.
The city engineer was granted leave of
absence tor two weeks.
The health officer reported that the
block on Walters street, between New
High and Upper Main street, was i'll an
unsanitary condition, and recon-
mended that the same be ordered paved
and severed as a sanitary measure.
The matter was referred to the city at
torney.
Tho health officer further RECON-