Los Angeles herald. [volume] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1890-1893, 1891-11-11
The Supervisors Are Without
Any Clocks.
Electric 'Iimepieces Which Do
Not Go.
Contractor Brady Given Thirty Days
to Fill His Agreement.
A Complicated System of Clocks Which
Do Not Give satisfaction--A Funny
Incident About Regulator.
RESOLUTIONS Adopted.

Those wonderful tickers in the court
house have not given vent to tick
since the agent of the party who fur
nished them stopped the machinery
Monday morning, and the plain regula-
ton time keepers that have to be wound
every week are now to be seen in several
rooms of the big building on the Hill.
Nothing could have fizzled out more
completely than have those instruments
which rely on the electric fluid as mo-
tive power. As has been repeatedly
stated in the HERALD, they have shown
their utter worthlessness ever since they
we're first started. Nobody has been
satisfied and the board Of supervisors
resolutely refused to accept the time
machines until they worked satisiac-
torily.
There are few people who are familiar
with the details OF the contract made
for the courthouse timepieces. Under
the first specifications apopted the build
ing was to be fitted with a pneumatic
clock system, which provided for an inn
mense clock in the tower, to which big
bell was to be attached.
Before the system was ordered the SUI
pervisors concluded that the pneumatic
system was too rich for their blood and
made an arrangement with 0. E. Brady,
the contractor for the whole building,
to substitute the electric system. Be-
fore this change was made, however, the
board had assurance from agents Of the
electric time machines that they were
entirely practical, and under this as
surance. the change was adopted, the
board making the proviso that the
clocks were to run to their satisfaction
before any payments would be made.
The man Henzel, who put the system
in, is not officially known to the board,
whose dealings have been entirely with
Brady, and consequently no action was
taken upon the communication pre-
sented Monday after the clocks were
stopped by his agent.
Since the system was placed or started
Henzel has had representative in the
courthouse who has been monkeying
with the wires and dials, talking about
cross-currents, etc., and explaining the
trouble in terms beyond the ken of the
ordinary mortal until everybody has
become so befuddled regarding the exact
condition of affairs that it is difficult
matter to arrive at an intelligent under
standing as to what is the matter.
1t is an indisputable fact, however,
that the clocks don't keep time, and
never have kept time, although it is
said they were regulated daily. The
supervisors have record of every day
the clocks have run and how near they
have kept time with a well-reguated
watch. This information was attained
by having a man go around each day
before the electrician appeared to do the
regulating act, and the reports were
filed with the clerk of the. board OF
supervisors for reference.
A peculiar circumstance which tends
to show that there has been someone
trying to fool the supervisors is shown
by little narrative OF Mr.. Henry S.
Knapp, clerk OF the board OF supervisors,
In the room occupied by the board
hangs large and fine clock of the regu-
lation pendulum pattern which has to
be wound every week. This regulator
is model in the way of time-keeper,
and has been ever since it was placed on
the wall.
One night little over week ago Mr..
Knapp had occasion to work quite late.
1t was 10 O'Clock before he got through
and the last thing he did before going
home was to compare the clock with his
watch. The two timepieces were alike
almost to a second When Mr.. Knapp
went to his desk the following morning
he discovered the clock to be twenty
five minutes slow by his watch, though
his chronometer was all right by clocks
outside the court house.
The clock was under the charge Of the
electric clock expert, and was on a dot
with the electric dials. Mr.. Knapp took
the KEY from the electric clock man and
had the supervisors clock set, since
which time it has licked away in per-
feet manner, while the electric dials
have hammered along, sometimes right,
but usually wrong.
The clock man asked Mr.. Knapp for
the key to the supervisors clock Mon
day morning, and upon obtaining it
stopped the ticker, whereupon he hand
ed the supervisors a letter from his
principal.
The outcome of the matter is the fol-
lowing emphatic resolution to Mr..
Brady, which was passed by unanimous
vote yesterday, upon motion of Mr.,
Hubbard.
Whereas, The clocks in the new
county court house, furnished by 0. E.
Brady, the contractor, under his con-
tract therefor, have not run correctly
and are not satisfactory to this board or
in compliance with the terms of said
contract, and the SAME are not now run
ming, having been stopped by the agent
of said Brady, placing the same in, and
the said court houseis now without any
time, it is therefore
Ordered that the said 0. e. Brady be
and be hereby is given to and including
thirty DAYS from the date hereof to COM
ply with the terms of his said contract,
and, in default OF full compliance
thereof by said time, that this board
take such action in the premises as will
insure to said county in said court house;
correct time, either by causing new
clocks to be therein placed at the ex-
pense of said Brady, or otherwise, as it
may be advised.
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.