Los Angeles herald., 1891-11-24
Garry, of the board of public works, was

| sin the matter OF bids for street
sprinkling for the next three years,
| beg to present minority report.
| After careful calculation on the bids OF
Messrs. Belts and Cross, find the bid
of Mr.. Belts based on the only available
official data obtainable at the time, viz
100 miles OF graded and paved streets
amounts to $24.63 per mile, and the bid
of Mr. Gross, based on ninety miles,
amounts to $25.2 per mile, or 50 cents
per mile in excess of Mr.. Bettss bid
On a cursory glance, the total OF Mr..
Cross's bid for $27 ,240 for ninety miles
would seem less than $32, 900 for the
entire city, but Mr.. Cross claims the
same rate per mile for all in excess OF
ninety miles now graded, or that may
be graded; while Mr.. Belts agrees to
sprinkle all new streets that may be
graded d1ring the term OF three years.
During the past three years seventy
three miles have been improved, and
under the new bond law and the impe-
tus given to street improvement, it were
an exceedingly low estimate to
say one-third of this improvement will
continue during the next three years.
This number of miles added to the
ninety miles would cost $21. .700.0S for
the three years-quite an item in city
expense and by no means above the
chances in favor of the city by accept
ing the Belts bid.
The discussion at once grew lively,
and the following boiled-down extracts
tell all that is necessary
Mr.. Rees-It IL impossible for anv
one to sprinkle 100 miles OF street for
$32 900 and do it well.
Mr.. McGarry-I am pretty good at
figuring some of these fractions myself.
Mr.. Cross-I don't see how this coun-
Gil could accept bid legally which does
not mention the kind of wagon to be
used, as the specifications require.
Mr.. Gibbon-We did not wish to
offend the dignity of this council by
using it as means for advertising any
particular sprinkler.
Mr.. Nickell-That's all right, but Mr..
Belts cannot possibly do good work with
such rank outfit as disgraces the city
now.
Mr.. Tufts --pd like to know all about
these things. l move that the matter
be referred to the committee of the
whole, to meet next Friday morning at
10 80.
Mr.. Nickell-I am tired OF listening to
attorneys and contractors. The board
of public works has done enough of that.
The whole matter has been fixed up by
couucilmen, and want to vote now.
Mr.. Tufts-The gentleman from the
First ward may be ready. but am not.
No contractor or any one else has ever
talked to me about the matter, and
want to learn.
Mr.. Summerland-Yes several gen.
tlemen did fix it up, and nice mess
they made of it. have been out shoot.
ing ducks all week, and l want to look
at this thing some more.
Mr.. Rees-The attorney for Mr.. Belts
has talked of the dignity OF the council.
If he thinks the present tstreet-sprinklers
are dignifed, / don't think he has high
opinion OF the dignity OF this council.
Mr.. Rhodes-I have been looking up
the mileage OF streets. In 1890 there
were S9A miles of graded streets, and
l don't think that three miles have been
added since. The street superintendent
himself told me that his estimate OF 100
miles was an unreliable approximation.
The street-sprinkling bungle was
eventually referred as moved by Mr..
Tufts.
The rest of the recommendations Of
the board of public works as hitherto
published were then passed.
THE cnENowfTH CONTRACT VETOED.
Mayor Hazard sent in a message with
which he returned the contract with
Frank Chenowith for grading Central
avenue unsigned, because it provides
for the payment for grading the street
out of the general fund, and not by the
tNlI Bnx Tt,0
council thought that property on the
street named is not sufficiently valuable
to warrant an assessment, and that the
improvement is OF general benefit, be-
cause it opens good approach to the
city. The contract was therefore
awarded, Notwithstanding the mayors
objection.
ST. JAMEs's PARK ouITcLAIMED.
The quitclaim deed made by George
w. King and J. Downey Harvey to the
city, Of st. James's park, was accepted
and ordered recorded.
PEARL STREET PAVING BIDS.
Bids were opened for paving Pearl
street, between Sixth and Pico streets,
as re-advertised for last week. The bid
ders were j. E. Smith, who offered to
do the work for 261a cents per square
foot, including grading, for Chino rock,
and 2S 95 100 cents for San Luis Obispo
rock. Referred to the board of public
works.
]. w. Pattillos bid for cement side
walk on the west side of Pearl street
was IL 4S-100 cents per square foot, that
of David Mulrein being l3 cents.
M'LAIN's DEMAND ALLOWED.
At the afternoon session the ball was
opened with the reconsideration of the
Temple street fill difficulty and the 1895
claim OF George A. McLain. On motion
of Mr.. Rhodes the clerk was instructed
to call upon the mayor for the requisi-
ton which his honor had failed to at
tach to his veto last week. This motion
was passed. Clerk Luckenbach wentout
and brought in the demanded
requisition, together with a message
from the mayor, in which the
latter declares that he returned the
requisition unapproved because the
work had already been done, and
requisition empowering somebody to do
work which has already been done
would be unnecessary.
Councilman Rees asked Street Super
intendent Hutchinson whether the
Temple-street fill had been properly
done. Mr.. Hutchinson stated that he
had seen that fill had been made, but
that he had no means of knowing any
thing about the nature of the work be-
cause he had not been authorized to
have the work superintendent. He said
the work looked all right on the out