The herald., 1893-08-22
'dis The Council Advises It to Be
'os.. s,.s More Economical.
Proceedings Yesterday at the Meet
Ing Of the City Council.
Jhs Widening Of First Street Between
Los Angeles and Main Streets Ad-
vooatsd-shs Third Street
Grading Matter.


tition to widen First street and the mat
ter Of grading Third street.
BOARD OF EDUCATION SCORED.
A particularly interesting discussion
WAS indulged in when the finance COM
2 mittee presented petition in accord
aucs with ideas expressed In the HERALD
Of yesterday relative to the expensive
Z, habifs Of the board Of education. The
committee reported as follows:
1--WE, the finance committee, would
recommend that the council instruct
the school board not to make any con-
tracts to improve, enlarge or change any
building or buildings, nor increase the
!, wages Of any teacher or other employe
connected with the scholars Of this city
hisher than what they have been during
'oeths past school year, until after the
council has made the tax levy and
ascertains the amount OF money they
are TO Eeceive for the coming school
year-the city charter limiting the
amount that can be provided for such
purposes."
8 af THE MATTER DISCUSSED.
Regarding the report, Mr.. Nickel said
) that the teachers' salaries have been
flxedas required by law and that they
could not be changed.
Mr.. Munson moved that the portion
Of the report referring to the teachers'
ealaries be stricken out.
Mr.. Gaffey was Of the opinion that 1t
might be arranged between the board
and the teachers to receive tho same pay
% they did laet year.
Judge Holton, being allowed to speak
upon the question, said that since the
board Of education had fixed the salaries
Y and employed the teachers, it was inter-
fering With them to cut their salaries
T., down.
" COULD TURN THEM OUT.
W. Mr.. Nickell said that if the school
board did not do its duty. the people
could have their ''say" when their
terms expired. He said it was not in
the Jurisdiction Of the council to say as
to how the schools shall be managed.
Tho raise in salaries may or may not be
wrong. The council can grant only 90
y. much money and no more.
BAD TIME TO RAISE SALARIES.
Mr.. Gaffsy favored economy in the
matter. The city and the country have
been hard pressed, and he was of the
opinion that the school board had se.
~ lected wrong time to raise the teach
aers salaries. He considered the report
as only . friendly hint to the board to
60 slow In the matter OF expenditures.
He believed the teachers would have
worked for last years salaries.
.x THBY WANT THE EARTH.
u IT was brought out that the board Of
education had asked for 40 per cent Of
the tax levy when the city charter al
lowed them but 20 per cent at most. In
other words they asked the city for
ebout $50, 600 more than they are en-
titled to or the charter will admit. Last
year the school portion of the tax levy
was about $50, 900; this year the board.
through mistake or otherwise, asks for
the enormous sum of $132, 900.
Mr.. Nickell said the board was not
doing exactly - It should, and that he
was not in favor Of the raise in salaries,
but contended that the council had NO
Jurisdiction In the matter.
THE REPORT ADOPTED.
The report o. presented by the finance
committee was adopted. Now the ques-
tion is, will the school board accept the
Z hfendly hint 40 outlined by the council?
GRADING or THIRD STREET.
The matter Of grading and macadsmiz-
ing Third street between Los Angeles
y and the easterly line of Crocker street
was the first business to claim the
\ boards attention. In this connection
y the mayor presented the following meg
sage. returning the resolution Of award
Z, without his approval:
MAYORS MESSAGE.
"Without . comparison OF the prices
for the other items IA the award, mono
Of which certainly are too low, would
call your attention particularly to the
! prices named for curb and sidewalk.
The cash price paid by private parties
for good job Of cement curb is not
over 50 cents per lineal foot. The price
named in the award, SO cents, is an
overcharge OF 661s per cent. A good
cement sidewalk can be laid down
under private contract for 10 cents per
square foot. The price in the award is
10 cents per square foot, an excess Of
50 per cent.
s'The fact that there was but one bid
on this work should not authorize us to
allow the contractor more for the work
than Il IL reasonably worth. Even
should We be willing to make the
property holder pay for the deficiency
In the market value of street bonds,
discount on the bonds OF 20 per cent
would justify an increase ON the con-
tract of but 26 per cent, and not 80 per
cent and over, ~ 10 done by this award.
while / am very anxious to see our
olty improved and beautified 90 quickly
- possible, and more particularly under
the bond section Of the street law, as
5 have heretofore recommended, being at
that time under the impression that our
= street bonds were selling at par, do
not approve Of requiring our citizens to
have 30 cents worth of work done and to
pay Z dollar therefor, with or per
cent interest thereon besides.
II am assured by prominent At
toYneys that our street bonds are legal,
and that we will have = decision in
short time to that effect, and recom-
mend that this sacrifice Of the means Of
the property owner be averted till such
= decision be had.
II would state that endeavored
without eftect to have member OF your
honorable body request return of this
resolution for reconsideratiop."
CONTRACT AWARDED.