The herald., 1896-11-01
COURT HOUSE FURNITURE
An Cd Scandal That Refused to Stay
Buried
An Extract From the Report Of the
Grand Jury-Mr. Morgan's Very
Effectual Answer

To the People Of the Fourth Super
visorial District: Inasmuch as MT. la
Wis, Republican candidate for super
visor, is scattering broadcast over the
district a circular charging me with
mud singing and attempting to smircn
the character of honest and respected
gentlemen" and asks, upon what au-
thority I make such charges?" 1 wish
to call the attention of every voter Of
the district to the following copy of the
report of the grand jury. who investi-
gated the matter of the cost OF furniture
for the court house:
COURT HOUSE FURNITURE
In our investigation and examination
Of the court house furniture we nave
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 evidence of the board of super
visors. furniture company and all others
s,,pposed to know anything about the
matter.
We have also had all the furniture ex-
amined and priced by competent fur
niture dealers. AS a 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 MS
own designs. All the evidence shows
that no two bidders submitted the same
plans. designs and specifications, con-
seuuently there was no competitive bid
ding in the strict sense of the term
We believe too much money has peen
paid for the furniture under this con-
tract and we also believe that very
grave mistake has been made by the
Supervisors in not first adopting plans,
designs and specifications and then re-
ceiving bids on plans so adopted; then
each person or firm would nave been
bidding on exactly the same thing. we
believe many thousand dollars could ana
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 lowest bidders. All unsuccessful
bids were withdrawn, and we have no
way of ascertaining what their bids
were. This company, however. did not
manufacture the furniture. but had a
contract with Conant Bros. OF Toledo,
! Ohio. who manufactured the woodwork,
| and the Fenton Metallic company or
NewYork. who manufactured the iron
work. by which the Los Angeles Fur
niture company received 10 per cent
for receiving. putting in place and col
| lecting and remitting money.
There is no evidence that any COM
papy. official, furniture company or any
other person unlawfully received dol
lar of money or any other benefit in the
transaction.
our sworn experts carefully examined
and priced the wood furniture in the
court house. These experts agree in
| saving that the furniture is in every
Way first class. They differ in regard
10 value. On some articles this differ
ence is fully 100 per cent, on others
less.
In matters of changes made from orig.
iral designs their evidence shows that
exorbitant prices have been paid for
such changes The most flagrant case
is the charge of $524.47 for charging the
counter in the county clerks room
On counters, Judges desks and screens
the highest estimate made by any ex-
pert Is not one-third OF actual price
paid for such articles.
On the metallic work we can only say
1t is the very best. but we have no way
by which to determine its value. If
however, the estimates Of our experts
on the woodwork are approximately
correct and the metallic work is proper.
tionately high. the county has pait
many thousand dollars too much for the
iron work And so far as we can see
it is one of those unfortunate transac'
tious for which there is no remedy.
We find that the total paid for fur.
niture to date is $3d ,907.9S. and that E
contract has been let for the furnishins
of the third floor for the sum Of $S217
making a total cost Of furniture, car
pets. etc. for the Los Angeles cour
house of s3s s124.9S
Now. fellow citizens. I deny that
have upon any occasion made an!
charges of dishonesty against Mr.. Davis
or any of his colleag gues. Mr.. Davis up
on several occasions took to himsel
much credit for having "built the cour
house. furnished it so elegantly. ant
established the poor farm" in answe
to which 7 have simply drawn the rec
ords on him. If any voter is not salts
fed that this. my answer to his circu
lar is not complete, respectfully refe
him to the records for evidence of al
most criminal waste and extravsgance
w. A. MORGAN.
Annrc,rr,r IN, CTrcnTNTnNr