Los Angeles herald., 1892-10-17
COUNTY CONTRACTS.
HAVE NOT THE SUPERVISORS DIS
REGARDED The CODE?
A Statute Which Says That All Con.
tracts Must Be Let to the Lowest
Bidder-An Apropos Quota
tion From the Law.

The board OF supervisors, at a meeting
held one week ago today, passed reso-
luton asking the district attorney to
present to the grand jury all the facts
that he could ascertain concerning a
certain contract made by that body for
clocks for the court house.
AS regards this particular contract
more or less disagreeable rumors had
been in circulation for some time. Ger
tainiy, if there was anything about the
courthouse clock transaction tnat was
not regular, it was the duty of the dis
trict attorney to present the matter to
the grand jury without the board pass
ing any resolutions upon the subject.
Generally speaking, the resolution of
the board is not taken very seriously. As
illustrative of this fact, the following in
terview with well. known citizen and
a Republican, is printed:
During the past four years no grand
jury In this county has made satisfac-
tory investigation into the affairs of the
county or city. Grave ofienses against
the law have been frequently charged,
and occasionally they have been par
TALLY inquired into by the legal inquisi-
tors, but the inquiry is always stopped
short of the object aimed at.
"Over year ago some charges were
presented to the grand jury regarding
the furnishing of the new court house.
That body made what is known as an
inq quiry, and nothing was ascertained as
to the court house furnishing, except
that it had cost considerable money.
1T was alleged at the time by the Re-
publican newspaper of this city that
the whole thing was whitewashing
affair. There are several cases that 1
could mention but l will not, as they
cannot legally be revived, because the
statute of limitations runs against them.
Still, there are other matters within the
statute which the grand jury should
look into.
"It has been charged upon the streets
that ombination was entered into to
award the printing of the great register
to certain paper.
''This in itself might not constitute
an offense were the price reasonable and
just, but the price for printing this great
register has been fixed far above what
it could have been done for. This be-
ing the case, it becomes wrong to the
taxpayers, and inquiry into the fact be-
comes the duty of the grand jury. The
passage of resolutions by the supervisors
is unnecessary-or at least should be.
This is not party question, but one
affecting all of the taxpayers of this
county.
Another charge is that the board of
supervisors have awarded contracts
without competitive bids. Section 4047
of the political code, bearing upon this
question, reads as follows:
The supervisors must contract for:
First-All county printing.
Second-All books and stationery.
Third-All supplies for county institu-
tions.
And all contracts must be made with
the lowest bidder, and after 10 days pub
lie notice that such contract will be let.
The bidding must be by sealed pro-
posals.
'The records in the Office of the board
of supervisors will, 1 think, show that
section 4047 of the political code has
been frequently violated by that body"
This is the opinion Of only one citizen.
He is Republican, but this is the way
ho