Los Angeles herald., 1892-01-09

sire especially 10 commend OdpIaih
Davis for his proficiency in military dis
cipline and tactics.
VII.
We find the girls cottage already
about full, and unless some additional
provision is made for their aecommoda-
ton, further admission must be denied.
Mrs. Jones, the matron in charge, gives
literary instruction and teaches plain
sewing and house work. We FULLY en-
dorse the management OF this depart
ment, and commend the matron for the
good order and neatness maintained
therein.
RECOMMENDATIONS.
We recommend to the board OF trus-
tees the propriety of doubling the ca
pacity of the girls cottage by finishing
off the attic for dormitories, and putting
a basement story under the building, to
be used as kitchen, dining room, etc.
All the necessary labor can be per-
formed by the boys and their instruct
ors, the only cost would be for material.
We would recommend that the legis-
lature be requested to change the name
from estate Reform SCHOOL, to Estate
Industrial School,"
Here follow a number of recommen-
dations advising that more cows be
placed on the farm, the planting OF fruit
trees, the construction of printing
office, machine shop and shoe shop, and
the organization of brass band.l
In conclusion we desire to say that
many other charges and rumors not here
mentioned have been investigated with
similar results as those noted; and that
a very noticeable feature of this whole
matter is that all charges and reflections
against the Reform school have origin
ated from unsuccessful competitors or
employees who have been discharged for
incompetency or other apparently good
causes. We desire also to cay that the
investigation has been made under the
advice OF Attorney General Hart.
COURT HOUSE FURNITURE.
In our investigation and examination
of the court house furniture we have
very carefully examined the minutes
and records of the board of supervisors,
the contracts and all other papers con-
nected with the business. We have also
had the evidence of the members of the
board OF supervisors, furniture company
| and all persons supposed to know any
| thing about the matter.
| We have also had all the furniture ex-
amined and priced by competent furni-
ture builders. AS result we find that
in the latter part OF the year 1890 the
board of supervisors of Los Angeles
county advertised for bids on court
house furniture. We find that bids
were received and each bidder submitted
his own plans and designs. All the evi-
dence shows that no two bidders sub
mitted the same plans, designs and
specifications, consequently there was
no competitive bidding in the strict
sense of the term. We believe too much
money has been paid for the furniture
under this contract, and we also believe
that very grave mistake was made by
the supervisors in not first adopting
plans. designs and specifications, and
then receiving bids on plans 80 adopted,
then each person or firm would have
been bidding on exactly the same thing.
We believe many thousand dollars could
and would have been saved to the tax
payers of this county if this latter plan
had been adopted.
The records or minutes OF the board
do not show the amount of any bid or
bids received said minutes only give
the names of bidders and state that the
contract was awarded to the Los Angeles
Furniture company, they being the low
est bidder. All unsuccessful bids were
withdrawn, and we have no way of ascer-
tanning what their bids were. This
company, however, did not manufacture
the furniture, but had contract with
Conant Brothers of Toledo, Ohio, who
manufactured the woodwork, and the
Fenton Metallic company of New York,
who manufactured the iron work, by
which the said Los Angeles Furniture
company was to receive 10 per cent for
receiving, putting in place, collecting
and remitting the money.
There is no evidence that any county
official, furniture company or any other
person unlawfully received a dollar of
money or other benefit in the transac-
ton.
Our sworn experts carefully exam
ined and priced the wood furniture in
the court house. These experts agree in
saying that the furniture is in every
particular first-cass. They differ in re-
gard to the value. On some articles this
difference is fully 100 per cent on others
less.
In matter of changes made from orig
inal designs their evidence shows that
exorbitant prices have been paid for
such changes. The most fragrant case
is the charge OF $524.47 for changing
counter in county clerks room.
On counters, judges desk and screens
the highest estimate made by any ex-
pert is not one third the actual cost of
said articles.
OF the metallic work we can only say
it is the very best, but we have no way
by which to determine it's value. If,
however, the estimates of our experts on
the wood work are approximately cor
rect and the metallic work is proper
tionately high, the county has paid many
thousands of dollars too much for the
court house furniture, and so far as we
can see it is one OF those unfortunate
transactions for which there is no
remedy.
We find the total paid for furniture to
date is $94 ,907 .9S, and that contract,
just awarded, for furnishing the third
story for the sum of $3,2l7, making a
total cost for furniture, carpets, etc., for
the Los Angeles county court house of
| sos. .124 9S.
The Taxpayers union is commended,
and the statement made that all its
charges made in the report had been in
vestigated by former grand juries. The
su pervisors' records before kept loosely