Los Angeles herald., 1906-07-28
.COUNCILMEN ARE
READY TO FIGHT
KERN AND H0UGHTON ENGAGE
IN HOT DEBATE
Trouble Arises over Question Of Pur-
chasing Lot In Vernon District
to BE Used for Engine
House

AT special meeting Of the city coun-
Gil yesterday afternoon II was decided
to advertise for the purchase of lot
on Fifty-second street between Hooper
and Central avenues, as site for the
new engine house for the Vernon dis
trict as was decided at the city coun-
Gil last Monday afternoon.
! Through the efforts of Councilman
Houghton yesterday morning the ques-
tion Of approval of a site for the pro-
posed engine house was brought before
the board of fire commissioners.
AT the meeting of the fire commits
sioners Councilman Houghton stated
that Chief Lips had expressed his salts
faction with the site that had been Sc
lected by several Vernon residents and
which was considered the most CEN
| trally located in the Vernon district.
Mayor McAleer Immediately turned
to Chief Lips who was seated beside
him and asked IL he had personally
seen the lot proposed by Councilman
Houghton.
Chief Lips replied that he had not.
Before the meeting had reached a
close Chief Lips was instructed to ac-
company Councilman Houghton to the
proposed lot and the two left the city
hall together.
Action Delayed
At the special meeting of the city
council yesterday afternoon Council
man Kern opposed the motion on the
part of Councilman Houghton and for
several minutes the action of the city
council was delayed
Councilmen Healy and Kern voted TO
not advertise for bids for purchase of
property on Fifty-second street as a
suitable site for the proposed engine
house
AS Chief Lips had been instructed in
the earlier part of the day to make a
report to the council on his opinion of
the site for the engine house, the alb
sence of this report caused still fur
ther delay. Councilman Healy wanted
to see the report of the chief before he
would vote in favor of the acceptance
of the plans suggested by Councilman
Houghton.
Chief Lips was sent for but failed to
appear and after several minutes of
petitioning on the part of residents
from Vernon Councilman Healy
changed his vote, making it to l in
favor of carrying out the plans sug-
gested by Councilman Houghton in his
motion.
Have Wordy War
During the agitation of the question
before the council Councilmen Kern
anu iiOdS Ahbpi piooNu StNtA OIL ClluSln6
remarks to each other.
ANY man that will deliberately stand
in the way of protection to life and
property of residents In Vernon is not
worthy of the respect of a decent citi-
zen," said Councilman Houghton, "and
I'll go down into his ward and defeat
him"
Councilman Kern was Immediately
upon his feet and invited Councilman
Houghton to visit him in his ward.
'I'll be glad to meet Councilman
Houghton in my ward any time he has
time to come around. l nearly had to
go to Jail a short time ago for him and
am willing to do so again.
Keep your temper, gentlemen"
called President Summerland of the
city council.
For while it was believed that
vote of five to two would carry Coun-
Gilman Houghtons motion. But 1t was
disputed and the city attorney was
called in to settle the question. The
latter decided that 1t would require a
vote of six in favor to carry the motion,
whereupon Councilman Healy changed
his vote.