The herald., 1898-08-25
SCHOOL BOARD MAKES A STRONG
PLEA BEFORE COUNCIL
OLICEAND PARK BOARDS ALSO
Where They Will Get It, Goodness
Only Knows-some Depart
ments Must Go Short


flying everybody in making UP the annual
budget. The ways might take care of
themselves II only some method Of OBJ
tanning the means would develop. Under
the estimates as fixed by the city auditor,
the matter goes to the council with de-
felt of about 5000 due to the board of equal
ization's reduction Of the assessment be-
ing considerably in excess Of the amount
figured upon by the auditor. The meeting
was for the purpose of discovering where
IN the estimates could be reduced to the ex-
tent of THE $1,000 mentioned. Not only did
they fail in their purpose, but after two
hours session, the committee found. by
reason of new and urgent demands, the
deficit is Increased to nearly $4,000.
The board Of police commissioners were
the first to state their troubles. and in be-
half of their petition, Commissioners Glib
bon and Preuss and City Electrician Fran
els made most eloquent and impressive
arguments The 'lce was broken" by
Mr.. Gibbon, who argued his points about
as follows:
Gentlemen, we are endeavoring to I'M
prove the general morale and efficiency of
the city police department. and without
your sanction and assistance 1t is utterly
the force to the condition 1t should be in,
something more than discipline must be
employed and investigation shows that
good equipment and the self-pride conse-
quent to 1t will be a most valuable incen-
tive to the end we seek. Some time ago
we issued and have enforced an order
which requires officers to be well-dressed
at their own expense, but at recent in
1otn y,,
which a deplorable condition prevails. 1t
is that of pocket weapons. The revolvers
which were shown at the inspection In
question were Of various patterns, calibers,
sizes and colors; some of them could not be
operated and others would prove wholly in
effective II used. We feel that since the
men are buying their own uniforms twice
a year. their own rain coats, and Will soon
be required to buy special pattern Of
overcoat, 1t Is no more than can be ex-
pected that the city should furnish them
with uniform revolver Of desirable size
and effective pattern. rubber scabbard
should accompany each one, and the whole
outfit would cost only st. We expect to
establish pistol range in the police sta
ton to give the men chance to become
practised marksmen.
Nov, as to the police alarm
telegraph system. It seems hardly
necessary to dwell on the impor-
lance or desirabiity Of this improve
ment. Los Angeles has only one police
officer to 1900 people, while most other cities
have one to every five or six hundred inhab-
itants. In some districts in this city the
| residents are regular contributors to the
salary of q private Waterman, because the
city force does not give them adequate pro-
lection. Therefore, we should by all
means take advantage Of an automatic
system which promises to make our force
so much more efficient. If we cannot buy
1t then let us rent 1t. Our city electrician
informs us such an arrangement can be en-
tered into and within two or three years
the rental paid will apply on the purchase
price II we buy"
Cnty Electrician Francis made a lengthy
talk. in which he explained the advantages
Of the apparatus and the details Of the
rental arrangement The city would have
to put up its own lines at an estimated cost
of $4,000, and the alarm company would rent
the apparatus to the city at 500 per month,
the same to apply on the purchase price any
time within three or four years. Mr..
Francis also mentioned the point that the
department had been promised the i'm
provement II the fire bond proposition car
ried, and many people voted and worked for
the bonds with that understanding. Los
Angeles is the only city OF its size in the
United States that has not police tele-
graph system, and 1t is generally believed
to increase the efficiency of police force
from 20 to 100 per cent.
All this was strong argument and when
1t had been Laid before the council commit
tee, the police board retired satisfied that
they had caused enough misery.
President Charles Cassat Davis Of the
board of education, next took the floor. He
was accompaniedk by Messrs. Conrey and
Simonson and Superintendent Foshay.
Their wishes were made known in a sort
of free and easy talk during which the fol-
lowing facts were laid before the council
committee In support of the school boards
claim to more than 800, 900, the amount al
lowed them in the auditors estimate. The
charter of the city does not say that 20 per
cent. Of the money raised by taxation shall
be" given to the school board. The Ian
guage used is significant Of an intention
only to limit the school boards share to 20
per cent. But In another part Of the char
ter provision Is open to the Interpretation
that the board has the sole power to make
their estimate and 1t is commended that the
council has no authority to change the fig
ures so long as no more than the 20 per cent
is asked. During the last six years the al
lowance for school purposes has never been
less than 1853 Of the total levy and has been
as high as 1874. The proposition thus far this
year is to cut 1t to 1874. However the board
believes that the proper and reasonable
basis for computing their financial needs is
on per capita basis. In the past six years,
the allowance for each scholar has been re-
spectively $5.37, $4.37, $6.05. $.26, $5.41 and
A.S3, or an average of $4.95 each year. The
100000 allowance this year would provide
for only A.04 per capita. lower than ever
before.
As to the needs Of the school it can be
said that for some months thirteen schools
have been running only halliday classes In
consequence of shortage In funds and a
much larger number must be run on that
plan next year unless money with which
to erect more buildings be forthcoming The
number Of school children has increased in
the past year 4OS5 and the per capita basis,
even figured on the allowance which proved
so meager last year, would entitle the
board to $120.00O The percentage allow