Los Angeles herald., 1892-10-08
Do TAXPAYERS LIKE THIS !?
Supervisors Let a Three Thou
sand Dollar Contract,
But They Fail to Allow Any Competi
tive Bids to be offered.
How Contractor Arnold Got the Job OF
Building a Big Conduit--No
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Published.

The audacity of the board OF supervis.
ors, as at present constituted-fve Re-
publicans--is really something astonish-
ing. So long have the fouted in the
face of public opinion, so long have
they overridden all the laws of man and
of decency, that now, even after their
extravagances and prodigal outlays of
the peoples money have been re-
peatedly exposed by the HERALD, they
still continue to pursue the same policy.
A contract was let in the early part of
thie week which is an outrage upon the
rights of the people, an insult to their
intelligence, and shows what reckless
disregard these supervisors have for the
peoples interest.
On motion Of Supervisor E. A. For
roster the bid of W. S. Arnold to con-
struct brick conduit through the
court house was accepted at 50 65 per
linesl foot, the county to furnish the
necessary sand and cement. This con-
duit is to be large enough to contain all
the pipes that are to be used in the
court house.
On its face this looks very like petty
contract, which in the end would
amount to but very little. The facts of
the case are, though, that it is large
contract which will amount to more
than $50, 600 before it is finished.
Not one solitary advertisement for
bid for this work was ever sent out. In
fact it was kept very quiet, and all
knowledge to the effect that the con-
tract was to be awarded was assiduously
kept from all persons who might pos
sibly put in competing bids.
The contract of w. S. Arnold was the
only one considered in connection with
the awarding of the bid. Mr. Arnold
was given this piece of work at mon
strously high fgure-so experts state.
He also has the job of building the
court house wall, and is doing private
work for Supervisor A. E. Forester at
his place on Seventh street.
A number of contractors were seen
yesterday by HERALD representative.
They all stated that they would have
been only too glad to have had an op.
portunity to bid on the job that was 90
quietly let to the favored Mr.. Arnold,
he being the only bidder whom the
board of supervisors seem to have de-
sired to consider.
If bids that amount to over $4,000 are
to be let without inviting competition,
will the supervisors kindly let the tax
payers know when the law does REQUIRE
them to invite competitive bids for
county work.
Then there is another question the
HERALD desires to ask. The ground in
the court house where this conduit is
being dug has already been dug up
once-only about eight months ago.
Why was not the conduit put in when
the ground was first dug up? Why is it
put in at this late day, at an additional
expense to the people of over $4,000?
Mr.. E. A. Forester always asserts
with great dignity that he is on the
board Of supervisors to protect the tax
payers. Will the supervisors kindly
| explain what protection there is in let
ting contract that involves over $4,000,
without inviting competition Yet this
has been done this week. on his motion.
A contract has been given on hismotion
to a contractor who has already been
more than favored by the board
There is one thing about it, though,
that can be relied upon. The present
board realize that their terms end with
this year; that next year the board will
be differently constituted, and the peo-
pie and the taxpayers will have show.
This being the case, they propose to
make hay while the sun shines. There
fore, between now and January 1st con-
tracts will be let wherever it will be
possible, and without regard to compet-