Los Angeles herald., 1890-12-12
FRIDAY, DECEMBER IL. 1890.
PERTINENT FACTS FOR THE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS.

1t is proper to call the attention of the
board of supervisors to the following
quotations from the report of the COM
missioners vino settled tue business
affairs as between the counties of Los
Angeles and Orange
Page 35. "During the early years of
the existence of Los Angeles county the
details presented in the record are mea-
ger in the extreme. In fact, previous
to the year 1874, there appears to be no
record of any of the business transac-
tions of the county whatever, except as
shown in the treasurer's books and in
the minutes of the board of supervisors.
Subsequent to that date the informa-
ton is scattered throughout the various
books of record in the several county
offices, without any regard to system,
and had to be laboriously collected, lit
tie by little, and item by item"
Page AZ. "One OF the most difficult
Investigations OF the commission was to
ascertain the number of bridges in Los
Angeles county, their location and their
value, 1t was determined by the COM
mission that the cost of each bridge
should be determined and that its value
should be its actual cost. There being
no special record kept relative to
bridges or any matters pertaining thereto
it was necessary that the entire proceed
ings of the board of supervisors, from
1858 up to the present date, should be
searched in order to obtain this in
formation. The tabulated statement,
etc.,
Page 81. "It was thought that the
roads belonging to the county might be
property which could be taken into con-
sideration, and an investigation was
made for the purpose of ascertaining, if
possible, the value of the county roads,
taking as a basis the valuation OF cost of
the rights OF way and other easements
which had been paid out by Los Angeles
county for these roads. The result OF
this investigation satisfied the commits
sioners that it was a physical impossi-
bility to ascertain the cost, because the
records were so indefinite and so general
in the expression of the reasons for
which money was paid upon roads, or
road work, that it was impossible to
make a segregation between first cost
and subsequent maintenance"
These quotations show that the affairs
of the county have been managed in a
..,.xx ,-,b;ol, ,,onld box,o hrourht opv n ri
vate person to grief, and which has bur-
dened the county with heavy bonded
debt The total value of the bonded in
debtedness and interest accrued and un-
paid March IL, 1889, was $6SS, 173, since
which date the people have voted $780,
900 more.
1t may be that our law does not pro-
vide that the auditor shall keep regu-
lar set Of books, opening account 6
against the various bridges, roads, the
courthouse under construction, ETC., but
certain it is that the average office-hold-
er upon taking his position bothers
himself not at all about what has
been, and as little as possible about
WHdU UTdUSpiICS Ill lis uCDdl UblCllV, GA
cepting always his salary.
But whilst negligence in the keeping
of accounts has been the rule in the past
why should it be continued in the fu'
ture? Unless, forsooth, it is desired by
the supervisors to leave no record OF the
manner in which they dispose of the
peoples money.
We have court house building. Can
any citizen find detailed statement oi
the expenditures thereon? 1t may be
in the Office OF the auditor? Possibly
but we do not believe so.
Three hundred thousand dollars worth
of bonds are in the supervisors hands
for the completion OF the court house
and the furnishing of the same. We OBJ
serve, however, that we have six super
ior court rooms elegantly furnished, anc
the old court house is filled chuck-a
block with desks and all that is required
for the business of county likely to bt
divided, and at present owing owe
100000.
Such being the facts, recommend tt
the supervisors, that they improve OIL
the past; that they keep accounts o
have them kept by bookkeeper, ant
that they study economy. Otherwise
taxation will perforce be increased unit
the burden becomes unbearable.
A word to the wise should suffice.
SOME "FIGGERS" ON THE NEXT PRESI