Los Angeles herald., 1891-01-06
The Last Meeting of the Old
Council.
Major Bonsall Elected Presi-
dent Of the New Body.
Chicken Brown Has Parting Shot
at the Mayor.
Tho Make-Up of the Standing Committees.
Mr.. Brooks Appears for Mr.. Cobb.
A Speedily Settled Contest.

at 10 O'Clock yesterday morning, Presi.
dent Frankenfield in the chair, and all
the members present.
There was an unusually large attend
ance of spectators, the lobby and gallery
being crowded with citizens of all class
es, who were anxious to see the old
council retire in favor of the new. Each
of the twelve desks were decorated with
a bouquet of flowers, culled from the
plants at the East Side park, and the
council chamber presented gay ap-
pearance, as tile decorations put up in
honor of King Kalakaua had not been
removed.
After the usual preliminaries had been
disposed of, President Frankenfield asked
the pleasure OF the council, and Mr..
Brown arose to question OF privilege.
He said that he desired to reply to cer-
tain remarks made by the mayor in a
card published on election day, reflect
ing upon him in his official capacity. He
then handed document to the clerk,
who read it as follows:
Mr.. PRESIDENT: rise to question OF
personal privilege, for the purpose OF
answering an attack recently made upon
certain committees of this council, of
which am member, and as this is the
last meeting at which shall be present
as councilman of this city, l think it
proper at this time to place myself on
record.
On the day of the last city election
there was, as doubtless most OF you are
aware, a circular spread broadcast
throughout our town, and this circnlar
to which refer was headed IA Card
from Mayor Hazard," and was signed
Henry I. Hazard-so one would natu-
rally presume that our Henry wrote it.
From reading this card, one unacauaint-
ed with the facts would naturally infer
that Henry was the only really honest
man connected with the city govern
ment, but in the exuberance of his self
laudation he seemed to lose sight OF the
point at which statements OF facts end
ed, and allowed himself to indulge in
flights OF imagination to such an extent
that l feel it my duty to myself and the
constituency which I have endeavored
to faithfully represent, to show wherein
the mayor was wrong.
He alleges that the supply committee,
of which am chairman, purchased ''at
one time 100 tons of hay at $40 per ton,
when good hay could be purchased for
$3.50 per ton at retail, and the hay pur-
chased was only fit for and was prin-
cipally used for bedding" Now this
hoy uq~sssion- waa- .purchased of Mr..
Dillon, who resides at Seventh and Hill
streets, and it is true that he paid $40
per ton for it, as can be seen by referring
to the demand on file with the auditor,
but it is not true that good hay could be
bought at that time for 81 80 per ton, or
for less than $40 per ton at wholesale;
and it is not true that this hay or any
part OF it, 80 far as the supply committee
knew, was used for bedding. II it was
the head OF the department so using it
should be removed from Office for per-
mitting such unwarranted extravaganza.
The repairing Of the old city hall bobs
up in Henry's card, and he truthfully
states that the same was done by the
building committee. He also states
that it was 'remodeled at lossito the,
city of thousands of dollars"-all of
which is false. The committee called
for bids for certain of this work, and the
lowest one received was for $1,000. The
committee rejected all bids, and did the
work themselves at cost of $1,000. He
says "much of the work was done by
the prisoners in the Jail under the charge
OF boss, who collected SO per day for
the work OF these men, and against my
protest these bills were paid" Every
single word OF this statement is abso-
lutely false, and challenge the mayor
paid are on file with the auditor and are
HI ISSsH 1<c 10
Of any one who desires to investigate
the matter. The whole truth is that
the building committee by their course
in making these repairs saved the city
at least $1,000.
He regrets that he has not "space to
call your attention to the difference in
the cost of running the government
since the demise of the committee on
supplies" So do l. Iregret it exceed
ingly, for had he taken the space he
would have discovered that since he has
had his own way it has cost the city
one-third more for supplies than it did
when this same committee was looking
after the expenditures.
The people have right to know
where their money goes, and let the
mayor show an itemized statement of
expenditures for the year 1889 and also
for the year 1850, and he will then see
who was the most jealous in saving the
public funds
It is a fact thnt now the lumber is
contracted for because the mayor de-
sired it, and it does not all come from
one place, and the men with teams are
obliged to wait, and this at the order of
our mayor, but when the supply COM
mittee furnished lumber it was bought
at different and at the most handy
places, and instead of paying s25 per
thousand we got it for $22.6n. We also
purchased coal for 80 and $40 per ton as
against $12 and $15 that the city was
paying when we took hold of the pur-
cha sing business, and the same differ
ence in favor OF the supply committee
can be observed throughout the entire
list.
Az to the purchasing of votes, / am
not in position to speak, but judging
from what the mayor says, and presum-
ing that he speaks from hisown expert
ence in such matters, will allow him
to have his own way about.it, although
l do hot believe one word he says in
that connection.
Whenever man in acrowd proclaims
himself as being honest, it is always ad-
visable to keep your hands on your
pocket, and whenever q man attempts;
to build himself up at the expense of
others, " is only q question Of time
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