The herald., 1896-10-29
THE CHARTER AMENDMENTS
Will Be Submitted to the People
at a Special Election
ACTION TAKEN BY COUNCIL
They Went Through as Presented With.
out Dissenting Vote
Mr.. O'Melveny Presents the Needs of
the Public Library-The Arroyo
de Los Reyes Matter.

The city council met in adjourned
session yesterday afternoon at o'clock
with President Teed in the chair and
most of the members in their seats. The
principle business was the consideration
Of the proposed amendments to the city
charter prepared by the League for
Better City Government and Messrs.
O'Melveny, Lee, Forman and Graft, rep
resenting that organization, were on
hand to assist the councilmen out on
any knotty problem that might arise.
The precaution had been taken, how
ever, Of furnishing the councilmen with
typewriter copies of the document
in advance, and therefore the services
of the able attorneys We're not needed.
President Teed briefly stated the prop
osition before the council, when Coun-
Gilman Munson moved that the amend
ments to the charter as submitted by
the league be adopted for submission
to the people at special election to be
called later. and that the same be pub
lished for twenty days in the Evening
Express, the official paper.
The motion was promptly seconded,
and passed without dissenting vote.
There was no debate and the whole mat
ter was disposed of in less than ten
minutes.
Henry O'Melveny, representing the
library trustees, then addressed the
council, protesting against the action Of
the electrician in appropriating to his
use for the fire alarm system one of the
attic rooms which for the past five years
had been occupied by the library as q
store room for newspaper files. Mr..
O'Melveny said that the library quar-
ters We're wholly inadequate as they
were, and no benefit would be derived
from taking the rooms lately occupied
by the board of education, if they were
to be cut down in other directions. Mr.
O'Melveny also registered a vigorous
kick against the lighting of the library
under the new electric system. He
said that on cloudy days it was so dark
at 4 o'clock that the library had to be
closed, as the electric lights did not
start up for some time after that hour.
He asked that the council authorize the
placing of meter on the library floor
so that gas could be used in case of an
emergency. On motion, the first matter
was referred to the custodian of the
building, and the second to the gas and
light committee, both with power to
act.
The union label matter was to have
been called up for settlement at this
time, but as the non-union printers were
not represented, Judge Miller, represent
iEg the Typographical union, declined
to proceed with his argument, and the
hearing was continued until next Mon
day week at pm.
Councilman Munson again called up
the matter of the piping of the Arroyo
de los Reyes, and made strong effort
to secure the passage of the board of
public works recommendation that the
work be done at once, and that the con-
tract be awarded to Frick.
President Teed again opposed this
proposition, on the ground that the
city's finances could not stand the ex-
rense, and, after spirited debate, the
whole matter was referred back to the
board of public works.
Councilman Pessell called up the mat
ter of the publishing the proposed
amendments to the city charter. Owing
to the Importance of the matter and the
necessity for all the people having an
opportunity of being informed on this
vital question, he did not think that the
publication in the official paper alone
was sufficient. He therefore moved
that the amendments be printed in the
other daily papers of the city.
Councilmen Snyder and Savage Sec
onded the motion
FreSlQent IeeO, Wnlle recognizing the
Importance of giving the proposed
amendments the widest publicity, did
not think that the city could stand the
expense The whole matter was finally
referred to the finance committee to
make contracts with the papers, and re-
port at the next meeting of the council.
The recommendation of the bridge
committee that all bids for the con-
struction of a bridge over the Los Ange-
les river on the Los Feliz road be re-
jected, and that new bids be advertised
for, bidders to submit their own specifi-
cations and plans, was defeated, as was
also motion that the contract be let to
the lowest bidder, President Teed op-
posing both measures on the ground
that the city did not have the money
to pay for the improvement, and there
fore it should not be done. The recon-
mendation that the Macy street bridge
be replanked and covered with asphalt
was adopted.
The ordinance for the widening of
Sixth street from Hoover to Vermont
avenue went over for one week.
Final ordinances for the improvement
of portions of Santa Fe avenue and
First streets were adopted, as We're also
street from Ninth to Tenth, and improv-
ing Twenty-fifth street from Central to
Hooper avenue. The ordinance for sew
ering Macy and other streets was con-
tinued for one week, after which the
council adjourned.