Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-07-23
DESMOND TAKES
BIG CONTRACT
CITY WILL GIVE UP COMMITS
SARY BRANCH
PRIVATE CONTRACTOR WILL
FEED LA5oRERs
Man Who Conducted Refugee Camps
at San Francisco viii Furnish
Food on Owens River
Aqueduct

Conducting a commissary depart
ment for the city employees on the
Owens river aqueduct has become an
arduous task In the estimation of the
board OF public works and as approx
mately $4,000, 900 more is to be spent on
the aqueduct during the next year the
matter of feeding the employees has
doomed up in oniInous aspect.
In order to rid itself of this depart
ment the board yesterday asked the
council to grant it the privilege of en-
tering into a contract with some pri-
waite Individual to feed the men. The
council granted the request of the
board.
While conducting the commissary de-
partment the city has acquired a large
number of camp and mess utensils and
erected kitchens and mess halls at the
various camps along the line of the
aqueduct. The contractor that takes
up this work will take over the uten-
sils and pay the city a stipulated price
and will also rent the buildings used
by the commissary department.
The aqueduct employees are now fed
well through the commissary depart
ment of the city. They receive fresh
meat and vegetables, and in fact every
thing that can be transported to the
heart of the desert that is simple and
wholesome. The men are charged %
ttilS lOI Gdtn tltdi anu liltY nave
gladly paid the price, as the cooking is
most excellent.
No Profit to City
At this price the city has made no
profit. The aim has been to give %
cents worth of food for 25 cents, and in
several instances where a small margin
has been left over it has been imme-
diately turned back into the commits
sary department. The board of public
works, however, believes a private con-
tractor can feed the men as well as
they have been fed, at the same price.
and make a good profit. The private
contractor has the advantage of buying
in the open market and taking advan-
tage of fluctuations in market prices,
while the city is compelled to advertise
for bids and issue acquisitions for all it
purchases.
Joe Desmond will undoubtedly be the
contractor to receive this contract. and
he declares he can feed the men as
well as they have been fed at the same
price and make a profit.
Mr.. Desmond is one of the best known
commissary contractors in Southern
California. He has had large experience
in feeding railroad construction gangs,
and after the fire and earthquake in
San Francisco he was sent up by the
Los Angeles relief committee and took
Sulll6 CAdl St VI l0GulliS lil6 nuISIy III
that city. For this purpose he loaned
his own men and equipment and re-
ceived nothing for his services except
the small wages paid his cooks.
Desmond's Fine Record
The record made by Mr.. Desmond in
San Francisco is one to be proud Of
During the days following the disaster
he proved in a remarkable manner his
ability to meet any emergency, and
the manner in which he fed the refu-
gees called forth words of praise from
the people of San Francisco.
Mr.. Desmond is a brother of C. C.
Desmond. trustee of the Whittier state
school, who has been making gallant
fight against heavy odds to purify
the morals, strengthen the discipline
and increase the efficiency of the in
stitution. c. c. Desmond owes his life
to his brother joe who several years
ago saved him from drowning at Ocean
Park. Joe Desmond formerly was a
member of the firm of Shattuck & Des-
mond.
The advantage to the city of Mr.. Des-
mond taking this contract is that the
board of public works will then be
able to devote its entire time to the
work of construction and thus greater
progress can be made.