The herald., 1894-07-27
A SU[TRY SUMMER SCHEME,
Some Quiet Points on Street
Sprinkling.
The Proposed Changes in the Speclfi-
cations.
Queer Change in shs Regulations for
Watering tho Eighways which
Now Costs $4,000 Per An
nnm--Lsad Pips Cinch.

These sultry days are prolific in breed
ing schemes in municipal affairs within
the confines of the city nall.
The latest interesting development in
that noble structure which is invested
with interest to the taxpayers 10 with
reference to the street sprinkling OF ths
etreets of the city of Los Angeles. This
important branch of the public service
costs the municipality $35 600 year, and
# it were well done the taxpayers would
be delighted with the results, as evinc-
ing the fact to the admiring stranger
that Los Angeles was progressive city,
in which the cooling winds from the
Pacific could find no arid stretches of
dust to offend the nostrils and soil the
apparel OF the wayfarer. That the
streets have not been we'll sprinkled goes
without saying; that there can be any
hope OF improvement, or in other words
the occurring OF an adequate return for
the $35, 900 annually invested for street.
sprinkling, remains with the council to
decide.
For some time past certain members
Of the council have been extraordinarily
assiduous in asserting that it was neces.
sary that new specifications with refer.
ence to street sprinkliug should be
drawn up. The last specifications were
prepared by the council in 1891, and
they govern the present contract. As q
result OF this persistent agitation thG
board of public works has drawn uE
new specifications, which were submits
ted at the special meeting OF the council
on Wednesday, and referred back on the
objection of President Teed that they
should specify the ungraded streets ex-
sctly that should be sprinkled.
Now for few fncts: 1t costs $35, 900
per annum to sprinkle the streets of Los
Angeles. 10 do this work, Councilman
Rhodes states that the contractor at
present doing the work has 60 sprink-
ling carts. There are 130 miles of streets
to be sprinkled, or, in other words. each
cart of tie contractor ia required TO
eprinkle each day two and ore-sxth
miles OF street. Whether this is actually
done is left to the evidence Of the tax
payers. The specifications now in force
read as follows: "Where sprinklina is
done by the district carts, they shall ao-
tually be employed from am. uatil IL
M. and from l pm. until 5 p.m."
The now specifications have been
changed by emitting the above section.
and clause has been deftly substituted
which simply provides that the streets
shall be we'll and thoroughly sprinkled.
1t is likewise gratuitously suggested that
the work shall be done to the satisiac-
ton of some city official, presumably the
superintendent OF street sprinkling or
the council.
The old specifications likewise provide
that the contractor shall "have first
class sprinklers and valves which will
sprinkle the roadway not less than 20
feet at one time. The wagons shall have
tires OF not less than two inches in
width"
tain as q substitute for the above para
the legality of which is a matter of
which cannot be questioned:
Tho wagons shall have tires of not
less than two inches in width. and said
wagons shall be OF the improved pattern
of the Studebaker or Miller & Knoblock
sprinklers."
In other words. no one can bid on the
contract for sprinkling the streets of
Los Angeles unless he has wagons made
by one of two makers, and the lame de-
tense ia made that this restriction is in
serted because in the past unsightly
wagons may have boen used to sprinkle
the streets. 1t Is also equally true that
the present street sprinkling contractor
uses one of the above pattern OF wagons.
Some figures at this point may prove
interesting. A sprinkiing cart that has
to sprinkle 2 1-6 miles OF street between
the hours Of s. I'm. and 5 pm. should
keep that section of the street thorough
ly aprinkled. That is the proportion
which child can figure on. Council
man Rhodes estimate of 80 wagons and
l30 miles of street. Let the gentle tax
payer bear this in mind, and then look
at the clouds OF dust that circle around
his door. Ia it true that 130 miles or go
miles of street are actually sprinkled
each day in Los Angeles?
Councilman Rhodes states that there
ie an enormous amount OF delay in fill
ing the street sprinklers with water as
the City Water company grudges the
water; further, that it takes 80 minutes
to fill tank in many instances. In
quiry develops the fact that 80 per cent
of the eprinkling hydrsnts will fill cart
in seven minutes.
The expenditure OF $35, 900 per annum
for street sprinkling is a matter that
calls for investigation by the taxpayers.
Are they paying money for water or
wind? 1t has bsen suggested that the
Office OF street aprinkling inspector
should be abolished and the police force
maintain surveillance over the work Of
the contractors. There are thousands OF
people in Los Angeles who have had to
take their peck of dust daily. Will they
bear in mind the fact that under the
present specifications they are entitled
to eprinkling cart for every 2 l.6 miles
of street, said cart being supposed to De
constantly at work on graded streets
from o. m. until .. m? II this work
is not done W hat are the taxpayers pnng-
ling up $35 900 for, and what IL the pur-
pose OF the proposed changes in the
There is food for rehec-
ton to the man who is likely to be cAlled
on to pay $1.20 per Sl00 taxes this year,
in the above facts.
Long Bonch Notes.
uOTMAN THE. DRUGGIST carrIes tha