The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-08-14
SANTA MONICA SEWERS
ASSESSMENTS FOR
LATERAL NUMBER ONE
A Difference Of Over Thirty Cents Per
Foot From tho 0thers-Powell
and Tricks Figures

SANTA MONICA. August 1s.-Many
of the property owners are already kick
ing against the exorbitant assessments
which they will soon be called upon to
pay for the construction Of sewer lateral
No. l. That lateral was constructed by
C. L. Powell at a cost to the people Of IS
cents per lineal foot, and as soon as &C.
cepted by the trustees, which will prob
ably be next Monday, the assessments
will be due.
Laterals Nos. 2, 3 and will cost the
lucky property OWNERS along those alleys
only 51.s, $50 and $50 cents per foot re-
spectively, To old citizen and casual
observer alike there is great difference
apparent in these figures. and thereby
hangs tale. Under the Vrooman act,
the successful bidder in job of this kind
must walt ten days before beginning the
work in order that the people may be sat
isfied that price, etc, are what they
should be. 1t was this little wait that
caused the trouble, for while Contractor
Powell was anXiously counting the days
that must elapse before he could begin
operations on his "fat take" others were
busy investigating the price of pipe, ex-
cavating, etc, with a view to ascer-
tanning to what extent the taxpayers
along Ocean avenue were being fieeced.
]. 7. Kiggens began an investiga ton and
interviewed Los Angeles men familiar
with this class of work. one of whom was
w. A. Prick. of the firm of Prick Bros
Mr.. Prick offered to do the work on later
ais 1 and 2. contracts for both of which
were awarded to Mr. Powell at So. 8 cents
per foot, for 1000 less than Mr.. Powell's
bid called for Mr. Kiggens informed
Messrs, Robert F. and Roy Jones, as rep
resentatives of a large percentage of the
property owners along these laterals, of
the great difference in Powell's and
Tricks prices, which would mean to the
Jones interest alone a saving of several
hundred dollars, further stating that, al
though only five days of the ten were left
In which to negotiate with the property
owners. if they, the Joneses, would sign.
he would proceed under the three fourths
clause of the Vrooman act and have
Prick Bros. do the work. Mr.. Kiggens
says they told him to go ahead and if he
got an amount of frontage that, added
to what they represented, would amount
to threefourths of the property affected
by the work, they would gladly sign. Mr..
KiggenS proceeded to get a written
agreement from Mr.. Frick by which he
was to do the work at saving of 81, 900
on the two alleys; he then had the neces-
sary papers drawn up and procured the
requisite amount of frontage after which
Messrs. Robert and Roy Jones both
signed for themselves individually for
John p. Jones and for Jones & Baker,
representing in all 1926 feet. The in
dividual Baker interest was still lacking
to make the full three-quarters Of the
frontage. This Mr. Roy Jones said he
was authorized to sign for and would
look the frontage up and sign in the
morning.
In the meantime 1t was discovered that
an error had been made in the advertise
ment calling for bids on lateral No. 2
; (Which was traced to the office of the
town attorney, and which cost the city
$113), so that this lateral was laid over for
advertisement and the work of pro-
curing sgners was then confined to lat
eral No 1.
The following morning Messrs. Jones
and Powell and the latter's attorney held
long consultation which ended in
the Messrs. Jones deciding not to inter
fere in Mr.. Powell's fulfillment Of his con-
tract at $50 cents per foot. Notwith-
standing the fact that they would appar-
emily have to pay their share of the ex-
orbitant assessment, and they refused to
sign for the Baker interest, which left the
three fourths 600 feet short, with but
half a day to secure signers to represent
that amount. However. Mr.. Kiggens
took another trip to Los Angeles and sue
ceeded in making good the quota, return
ing to this city at II o'clock at night,
just one hour before the tenth day ex-
pred
! In company with his lawyer, Mr.. Gar
: rett of Los Angeles. and armed with the
necessary authority from the required
| number of property owners, accom-
panied by 1880 bond on which were c.
F. A. Last and Frick Bros. as suretes,
Mr.. Kiggens proceeded to the residence
of II. u. Lowman, superintendent of
[ streets, and stated his desire to enter
into a contract with him to do the work
Mr. Lowman refused to enter into such
contract, whereupon Attorney Garrett
informed him that he had until IL o'clock
TO file those papers and that he might get
into trouble if he refused to perform his
duty Mr.. Lowman replied that Mr..
Jones had served him with written
notice not to execute contract with
Mr. Kiggens for the work, but finally ac-
cepted the papers but said he would not
file them. After a second request on the
part of the street superintendent to enter
into the contract, Mr. Kiggens served a
, notice on c. L. Powell forbidding him to
begin the work, as he had complied with
the law.
However Mr.. Powell began the work
and it is now finished. but it is believed
that he will have considerable trouble
ir collecting the assessments.
Me Joneses claim that their reasons
for withdrawing We're on account of the
! liability of the three-fourths who signed
for the assessments of the other one
fourth who did not sign: just why that
one fourth would be more likely to re-
fuse to pay a reasonable assessment
than a most exorbitant one is not plain.
Another reason advanced is that many
of those who signed as agents were with
out the power of attorney so to do, and
the same answer might be made to this
; objection as to the first.
| Mr.. Kiggens says that Messrs. Jones
and Powell offered to reimburse him the
$1S he was out in bringing this matter
, up and to pay him s25 to drop it, which
he refused to do.
, In explanation of the vast difference
between the cost Of lateral No. and that
| of Nos. 2, 3 and a. the trustees are quoted
as saying that the price of pipe has de-