Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-19
HOUGHTON MAY
Be SHELVEO soon
Procrastinatlon Of Chairman Of the
Special Committee Keeps coun-
ell and Public Waiting for
AIl-Nlght Service

There is turmoil among the members
of the special owl car committee of the
council. Kern and Healy are impatient
at Houghton's delay in acting ON the
owl cars, and Houghton feels indignant
because they are indignant.
The free. expressions of Kern and
Healy on Houghton's dilatory attitude
were reported to Houghton yesterday
morning. He had nothing to say for
himself-no explanation to make as to
why he had not kept his promises to
his constituents and to the members
OF the city council to endeavor to have
owl cars running within thirty days,
but he had unkind things to say Of
Kern and Healy.
when Kern and Healy went to see
Billy Dunn and 1 followed them soon
after l found the door locked" said he.
They were in secret session with
Dunn. and when tn coor was opened
to my fervent knock they were let out
side door and was told 1 had missed
them
Houghton's VacilIation
There are many among Houghton's s
associates who say they are willing to
swear that Dock was not near the
Huntington building on that eventful
saturday morning when Dunn told
Kern and Healy he would look into the
question of supplying a late car SER
vice and let them know his decision as
soon as he could. That was two
weeks ago.
Both Kern and Healy believe that
Dunn is ready to report, but they can
11faf N fnws est IIA..~
him call meeting of the committee
and go to Dunn's office to learn what
has been done.
But Houghton has apparently lost all
interest in owl cars.
In doing this 1t is charged that he is
proving untrue to the city council
which elected him chairman Of the COM
mittee to investigate the question and
to his own constituents of the Sixth
ward, who, according to Houghton's
own statement, have appointed him a
committee of one, through six inn
provement organizations, to secure owl
cars.
Time Is Fleeting
He was appointed chairman of the
special committee of the council largely
through his repro 5entations that he
was deeply interested in the movement
for an all-night street car service that
he had made a quiet investigation of
his own in the interest of Sixth ward
residents and loudly declared that this
city would have owl cars running over
every principal line in the city inside
of thirty days. This YVES about three
weeks ago. Houghton has just ten days
in which to make good his statement:
I'm guarantee that within thirty
days this city will have owl cars on all
he rnFinRfnaI IN
Ten days more and Los Angeles will
revel in owl cars or Dock Houghton is
putting up mighty cheap bluff He
has ten days in which to make good,
and at his present rate of action not
much is hoped for from that source.
May Ask a Change
In all probability Councilmen Kern
and Healy, who are really anxious to
discharge their duties as members of
the special committee and who would
personally welcome owl cars as a big
step in the progress of the city which
they have the honor to represent in
the council, will ask that the present
committee be discharged and a new one
appointed by the council with some
person other than Dock Houghton as
the chairman.
These two members of the commit
tCC ACSi hCchly the EOSltlun luty are
placed In through Houghton's procras-
tination.
Daily they are confronted with ques-
tions on the progress of owl cars.
Everyone is Interested. and Kern and
Healy are compelled to stand the brunt
of the criticism from every quarter.
But they protest they are not to blame.
They have done all they can they
say, without the cooperation of the
chairman of the committee, and in
visiting Dunn and laying their case be-
fore him without Houghton they have
strained point in parliamentary pro-
ceedings.
All that has been done TO secure owl
cars has been done by Kern and Healy
and this Is far more than Houghton, on
whom rests the responsibility for the
owl cars, has done.