Los Angeles herald., 1906-07-22
BY Wllfred c. Lewis


Importance in the municipal gov
ernment of Los Angeles, or one
which is called upon to dispose of
questions having a greater bearing on
the welfare of the community as a
whole, than the board of public works.
Although this department as at present
constituted has been in existence for
q period of only about six months, the
three members already have accom-
plished a vast amount of work, and
in addition to this they have been
brought face to face with a number of
problems of the most perplexing ma
ture. But notwithstanding the trou-
bles which continually beset them, the
members at no time have shown the
slightest sign of yielding. They are all
successful business men, and the quail
ties which enabled them to attain high
rank in the commercial and professional
world, have also enabled them to sue
cessfully surmount all of the difficult
ties of their present position.
James A. Anderson, president of the
board, was a prosperous attorney six
months ago. His legal business had
reached the point where he could begin
to look forward to retiring and attain
ing corpulency. At the same period A.
A. Hubbard and D. K. Edwards who
years ago had made their fortunes,
snuggled their portly forms deeper into
the comfortable cushions of the Cali
fornia club and dreamed of the days
long ago, when they were barefooted
boys down on the farm and had to
crawl under the circus tents because
they lacked the measly little two bits
that would have passed them through
the canvas flap But one day, late in
February their dreams of a happy past
were rudely interrllpted
Committee Gets Busy
For two months the mayor and coun-
Gil had been at loggerheads over the
appointment of a board of public works
Mayor McAleer wanted three men and
tried to force his nominees on the coun-
Gil The council would not stand for
any one of the three. While the mayor
and council were bullying back and
forth city improvements were piling up
mountain high. According to the char
ter no one could advertise for bids or
let contracts for public improvements
except the board of public works, and
there was no board. 1t was at this
point that a citizens committee jumped
into the breach in an effort to bring
harmony between the mayor and the
council and unleash the legal bonds
that held back the public improvements.
This committee offered to name the
three men to form the board of public
works If the mayor would nominate
them and the council confirm the nomi-
nations. Both factions agreed to this.
1t was this citizens committee that
late in February intruded on the happy
dreams of the two peaceful old men.
But, no siri Neither Edwards nor
Hubbard would have any of that in
theirs, thank you. They had retired
from business and the cares of office
to spend their declining years in peace
No public office for them. The salary of
5000 a month was no consideration to
them. They had all the money they
wanted and all they asked was a good
cigar and comfortable chair.
Yield to Persuasion
But the citizens committee would not
take mo- for an answer. They pleaded.
They threatened. They cajoled. They
did everything within their power and
finally in desperation Edwards and
Hubbard agreed to take the places in
order to be rid of the committee. That
gave the two Republicans.
In selecting the Democrat the COM
mittee had more difficulty than with
the two Republicans. They had on diff
hculty In agreeing on the man they
wanted, but they had great difficulty
in convincing that man that he was
the one the great city of Los Angeles
was crying for But they got him.
On the first day of March ]. A. An
derson, A. A. Hubbard and d. K. Ed
wards organized as a board of public
works. They drew lots, for the charter
required that one should serve two
. ears, one three years and one four
years. Anderson drew the short straw
and whooped with joy, for he would
only have to serve two years. Edwards
secured the next and was doomed to
serve three years. Edwards secured the
next and was doomed to serve three
years. and to poor Hubbard fell the
four-year term. A hard look has taken
its place in Mr.. Hubbard's eyes, for he
must serve the city four full years.
while some more fortunate individual
wears out the seat of his comfortable
chair in his favorite corner at the Cali
fornia club.
Begin Active Work
1t was hard enough for Edwards and
Hubbard to give up their quiet peace
full lives and for Anderson to neglect
the law he loves for the good of the
city and it did seem that fate would
stop there.
But it was not to be. These three