The herald., 1898-12-19
STREET WORK FINISHED
OVER TWO HUNDRED AND SIXTY
THOUSAND EXPENDED
STREET SUPT. DRAINS REP P0RT
A Big Department and the Business It
Has Transacted-Leaking Fire
Hydrants Cause Nuisance

Street Superintendent Drain yesterday
| completed his annual report embracing the
year from November 30, 1897, to November
80, 1898, which will be presented to the
council today The document is quite vol
luminous, comprising tabulated statements
| showing in detail the receipts and expendl
lures of the office, the number of permits
issued for street work, the streets i'm
proved during the year under the bond and
Nrooman acts and the cost, etc. Alto
gether an exceptional showing is made. In
introducing his report Mr. Drain says:
1t is source OF qualification to me to
note that many OF the recommendations
contained in my report of year ago have
met with the approval of your honorable
body and that the same are at the present
time being carried out. This is true in the
case of the transfer to the street department
the care of the street sweeping, sweeping
the business district by hand, which will
be commenced about the Goth day of the
present month, the construction of cross
walks throughout the city, the location of
street signs, which has been about COM
pleted, and many other matters which were
OF vital Importance to the welfare of good
streets"
The matter Of leaking fire hydrants is still
causing much annoyance and is the cause
OF much expense to the city. The nuisance
this matter is creating can be readily seen
along the line OF South Main street, where
the west gutter is continually filing up with
a Shiny substance, neither good for health
nor appearances. l sincerely hope you will
see the Importance of making some provis-
ion for the repair and maintenance of the
hydrants throughout the city.
l wish to call your attention to the mat
ter of the construction OF culvert under
the tracks OF the Los Angeles Traction com
pany at Third and Spring streets, ordered
by you. l have duly completed this work,
after giving notice to said company to COM
ply with the instructions of your honorable
body; l have also paved the intersection of
Third and Spring streets on the railroad
|company's right of way and placed a cul-
vert under the trackl of the Traction COM
pany at Fifth street and Central avenue,
bills for which have been rendered said COM
pany, as per your instructions. No atten-
tion has been paid to my demands for the
payment of the same and l have this week
sent copies of the same to you for such ac-
tion as you may deem necessary.
The receipts of the office are shown to
have been $2O4920 from bonded sewer as
sessments, $5056.43 from engineers fees,
and $3054.27 from printing fees, total of
$40, ,l61 80.
There is on file city treasurer's receipt No.
6l47 for $3.50 10, being received from the Los
Angeles Traction company for the construc-
tion OF a culvert under their tracks at Third
and Main streets. In addition to the above
there has been collected the sum of Sll0l IA,
being for the printing and posting of public
notices for the opening and widening of
streets.
The total expenditures of the office have
been Sl02, 90. OF the $4,000 appropriation
made by council for erecting new street
signs, S372S has been expended, leaving a
balance of $27l.25.
For printing and posting street notices
sl54434 has been expended, but the money
was returned to the city in the shape of
printing fees. Excavation permits brought
in deposit Of S63, 800 during the year; build
ing permits S4350 and sidewalk permits
S3772. This money is required from persons
who excavate or build as guarantee that
the law will in all respects be complied with.
All such funds deposited are returned upon
satisfactory compliance with regulations,
there remaining only s2772 yet outstanding.
Under the bond act thirty-seven streets
or portions thereof are shown to have been
improved at cost of 53,47599. Under
the Nrooman act seventy-fve streets, por.
tions OF streets and intersections have been
improved, costing Sl09,0lSlS, making total
of S262, ,494.7 spent in street improvement
n the year just passed.