The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1896-08-07
THE DIRT IS N DISPUTE
Contractor DOdd Causes
Quite a Furry
THE POLICE FORCE IS CALLED OUT
To Stop the Removal OF Earth
From Sixteenth Street
STORY IN THE BACKGROUND
Councilman Kingery OF the Fourth Gets
in His Work
To Even Up an U.d Score Against the Street
STORY IN THE BACKGROUND
Councilman Kingery OF the Fourth Gets
in His Work
To Even Up an O'd Score Against the Street
Superintendent
What the Parties In Interest Saw About the
Matter-Mesting of the City Board of
EqunIization-Session of the
Sewer Committee

Early yesterday morning word was
sent to the city hall that Contra ctor
Miles Dodd, jr., was cartng away Six
teenth street between Bush and Iowa
streets. 1t was stated that a large
force of men and teams had been put
to work. and that if the contractor was
not stopped at once he would get away
with the whole street. Councilman Kin
gerry was also notified and as soon as
the guardian of the Fourth ward could
make his toilet and get to the hall, he
took hand in the matter. The chief
of police was notified to at once send a
sufficient force to stop the work, and to
arrest any one who should persist in
the excavation after they had been
ordered to desist. The police went out
to the place where the digging was in
progress. Mr.. Dodd promptly showed
written permit from the street super
intendent allowing him to take the
dirt. but this did not go. go. Orders were
to stop the work, or the whole outfit
would be arrested, and on this ultimatum
being given, operations were suspended
until Mr.. Dodd could take legal advice.
This little episode caused great deal
of talk about the hall during the day,
for the reason that this Sixteenth street
matter has been the cause of more or
less gossip for some days, and it was
freely charged that Mr.. KingeryS zeal
in stopping Dodd was actuated more
from personal motives than from a
desire to protect the city's interests.
1t will be remembered that some time
ago quite a scandal was raised by Coun-
Gilman Kingery charging Street Super
ntendent Howard with having at
tempted to bride him in the purchase
of certain lots for school purposes, which
lots were owned by Dodd. The matter
was the subject of an investigation be-
fore the council, but nothing came of
it. Kingery said that Howard tried to
bride him and Mr.. Howard as
positively denied the soft impeachment.
And there the matter dropped; but
since that time the relations between
| the councilman, from the Fourth and
| the street superintendent have been, to
! say the least somewhat strained, to
say nothing of the fact that there are
other people in the city from whom
Mr. Kingery entertains higher re-
| gard than Mr.. Dodd on account of his
| connection with the school lot deal
So much by way of explanation. and
| now to the Sixteenth street matter. 1t
| is claimed that the property owners on
| Sixteenth street have been after the
| street superintendent to have the I'M
| graded section of that thoroughfare
| ''roaded up and some time ago Con-
| tractor Haigler asked permission to
| take out dirt to the sub-grade. AT this
| time it is alleged that there was no OBJ
| lection, but when it was found that
Haigler intended to transfer the privil
| eye to Dodd, who wanted the dirt to fill
| up a gravel pit he owns on Bush street,
| the whole mattre was pigeon-holed.
| In the meantime it is claimed that the
requests to have the street "rOaded up
were renewed, and as Dodd offered to
do the work for the dirt, and agreed to
! roll the street and leave it in condition,
Mr.. Howard gave him permission to go
ahead. as he saw a chance for getting
| considerable work done for the city for
nothing. Another reason for granting
| the request was that it would result in
| a considerable saving to the abutting
property owners, as by having the dirt
| removed to the Sub-grade, it would cost
| much less when they wished to grade the
street. as there would be no surplus dirt
to be moved Knowing that Dodd want
| ed the dirt to fill up his gravel pit, it is
claimed that Mr. Kingery seized the op-
| portunity to get Whack at both How
ard and that gentleman at the same
| time, and raised the objection, stopping
| the work. The whole matter will prob
ably come up in the council meeting
Monday, when a lively time is antici-
pated.
Street Superintendent Howard was
| seen by Herald reporter yesterday
| afternoon, and when asked about the
matter at first declined to say anything,
owing to the relations between himself
and Mr. Kingery. He finally said that
there was nothing in the whole thing
so far as he was concerned. The people
| on the street wanted it ''roaded up"
| Dodd wanted the dirt to fill his gravel
pit, and offered to do the work for the
| dirt. He saw chance to have an i'm
| provement made without cost to the
people. and he told him to go ahead,
| as he thought it was good piece of bust
ness for the city. Not only that. but il
was a direct saving to the property
owners. They would want to grade the
street in a short ime. and they would
have that much less to pay on the con-
| tract. That was the whole matter in q
nutshell.
Mr.. Dodd was also seen. That GENTLE
man promptly stated that the whole
trouble was caused by Mr. Kingery try