Los Angeles herald., 1906-07-22
MEN MAKE
BEST ADMINISTRATORS
OF MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS
LOSANGELES SINGULARLY FORTUNATE
Board of Public Works Surmounts Most Difficult
Obstacles and Goes Ahead i'm the Face of
Tasks That Would Discourage
Weaker Group of Men

men knew absolutely nothing of street
improvements, garbage collection and
linclneration, the outfall sewer muddle
and other tangled municipal affairs that
fell to their lot. They had to begin at
the beginning and as little children sit
at the feet of street superintendent
Hanley and City Engineer Stafford and
learn their hard lessons.
They began their labors with piled
up mess that had accumulated in the
two months that the mayor and council
had been battling for supremacy. They
quickly learned what was expected of
them and with the energies of former
days by which they had accumulated
their own fortunes they pitched into
the mess of municipal affairs.
Bids were advertised and contracts
we're let, and the piles of unsigned or
dnances were melting as the mountain
SHOWS in spring. For three weeks the
board labored night and day, and then
for a little relaxation made an auto
mobile trip into the owens river val
ley with the water board, for the
board of public works is to be the
court Of last resort on the Owens river
project.
Holidays Paralyze Affairs
Scarcely had they returned to Los
Angeles and prepared to jump into a
mass of unfinished business when the
great temblor in the north demo-
rallied business and the governor be-
gan declaring legal holidays This
brought a stop to all public improve
ment business as far as the board of
public works was concerned. but had
no effect on beginning action under the
Vrooman act. Thus the board saw
work piling up which they We're power
less to act on.
Then property owners began to COM
plain that the collection of garbage
was not satisfactory. The old board
of public works had permitted Con-
tractors Mcclure and Mcclure, who
furnished the garbage wagons, to pur-
chase smaller wagons than their con-
tract called for, and the new board
was asked to accept these wagons.
These were all they had to collect gar
bage with and the board had no choice
in the case. But the wagons were too
small and the householders were kick
ing The board had to devise a means
of enlarging the garbage wagons.
Just as this was being satisfactorily
arranged the garbage incinerator,
which had Just been completed at an
enormous expense, burned. The ma
chinery was practically uninjured, but
the entire superstructure went up in
flames and the incinerator was rem
dered useless until this superstructure
could be rebuilt. There was nothing
for it but to find some other means of
disposing of the garbage, and the only
means at the boards disposal was to
throw It on the city's dumping
grounds and cover it with chloride of
lime.
Troubles Multiply
Meanwhile the steam street sweeper
broke down, something that had never
happened before, and for nearly two
months it was in the repair shop One
day after this happened the public set
up a howl, long and loud, that the
streets were not being swept, and daily
indignant business men and residents
made life miserable for the board Of
public works.
Before the street sweeper could be
placed in commission it was found that
the oiled streets that the board had
not expected to do anything with for
several years, needed immediate at
tention and the city was short Of oil
When this fact became known the
price of oil jumped to nearly double
what 1t had been before the dire need
of the city became known.
Through all these miseries there ran
a persistent undercurrent of anxiety
lHt OulldH SEWER. IUbT6
were troubles and rumors of troubles,
and an inexpressible feeling of impend-
ing DOOM This feeling was justified
last Monday when the hardest blow of
their six months successive bad luck
struck them squarely on the solar
pluxus, when Stansbury & Powell gave
up the outfall sewer contract, leaving |
the third section of the tunnel un-
and the city in the lurch.
The worst thing that could have
happened to the board has happened. |
Nothing greater than the abandonment
of Stansbury & Powell of the outfall
contract could have occurred as far as
the board is concerned.
The climax has been reached, and
that in the short period of six months |
The tale of numbers is told. Come
what may, the board cares not. 1t is |
hardened to misfortune. The faces OF
Anderson. Hubbard and Edwards have |
assumed the stony Indifferent express
sion that comes to all who take |
chances with fate.
But the board is unconquered
There is no hint of a resignation |
heard, and having experienced the |
worst shocks possible the board will |
consider any succeeding troubles only |
aG mild atit11u1oofs