Los Angeles herald., 1908-09-23
URGE PUBLIC TO
FIGHT SALE OF
ROAD BONDS
ADVISORY BOARD ASKS FOR
DEMONSTRATION
SUPERVISORS MUST FEEL LASH
OF PEOPLES OPINION
Indignation Expressed Over the Fact
That County Board ignored Let
ter Of Protest Sent
Monday

Indignation was expressed in no un-
certain terms yesterday by the MEM
bers of the advisory board at the dis
courteous action of the board of SUI
pervisors on Monday in passing over
without consideration their letter pro-
testing against the carrying out of the
private sale of $3,5O0O00 good road
bonds.
Surprise was manifested when Sec
retary +. w. Blanchard told the ad-
visory board at its meeting In the
chamber of commerce that no commu-
nication had been received from the
county body. and this was changed
into feeling akin to anger when 1t
was stated that the letter of protest
had been filed without even the civil
ity OF comment
The meeting of the advisory board
yesterday was the most important
thus far held by that body in connec-
tlon with the sale Of the bonds, and
as a result of the deliberations resolu-
tions were passed calling upon all civic
bodies throughout the county for an
expression of sentiment and for aid
in the war of the taxpayers against the
irregular action of the supervisorial
body.
To Plead for Injunction
A committee also was named to Sc
.
interests and those of the citizens gem
orally In the, injunction suit which is
to be heard tomorrow before Judge
Hutton. To defray the legal expenses
the executive committee of the Good
Roads association met Immediately
after the adjournment of the advisory
board and appropriated sufficient
funds.
The committee to which was left the
NJ fn n ~ fnV ho hfno oY.1
in the injunction proceedings consists
of s. A. Butler, p. ]. Beveridge and r.
w. Blanchard, and later in the day
they retained former Judge John ID.
Works, one of the best known attor-
neys of Los Angeles and now at the
head of the charter revision committee.
The resolution calling on civic bodies
throughout the county for an express
sion of their views on the bond sale
was prepared by A. p. Fleming and is
as follows:
Whereas, the attempted disposition
by the board of supervisors of $780,
900 of bonds voted b ythe people of Los
Angeles county for the purpose of con-
structing permanent system of high
ways at private sale Is a direct viola
tion of custom heretofore adopted by
it, and in our judgment Is directly
against public policy, and
Whereas, we believe every civic or
ganization. should give public express
sion to their views in this matter
therefore be 1t
Resolved, that we do hereby re-
quest the chamber of commerce, NUM-
cipal league and Merchants and Man
ufacturers association and all public
bodies in this county to publicly ex-
press by resolution their views as to
the transaction"
The first matter taken up at the
meeting of the advisory board yester-
day was the letter addressed to F. w.
Blanchard, secretary of the board. by
the Los Angeles Trust company, in
which its president, j. C. Drake, said
if any suitable and legal way could be
found for his company to withdraw
from the sale 1t would do so. Each
member of the board present was
called upon to give expression as to
the action that should be taken not
only in regard to this letter, but also
concerning the future work of the
board in connection with the private
sale of the bonds. j. p. Beveridge was
the first to respond. From the begin
Ming" he said, 1--WE have tried to work
for the fnterestsl of the citizens of the
county. This body has shown great
deal of patience and courtesy but /
believe the time has come when we
should take action. and I believe we
should employ counsel to appear for
us to aid the parties in the pending in
junction suit
A. P. Fleming, commenting on the
action of the board of supervisors,
said: "It has been the rule, and be-
lieve Ii is still mandatory, that the
state board of examiners be notified in
advance so that they may have an OPP
portunity to made bids for bonds.
There is nothing for this committee to
do but to stand by its guns. The pub
lie knows a mistake was made by the
board of supervisors and If we do
sons who have declared their inten-
tion of carrying the sale through"
Speaking in regard to the letter from
the Los Angeles Trust company, Harry
Barndollar said: IF there is anything
we can do to further the wish of this
company to withdraw from the sale we
should do 1t. am sorry that the three
supervisors have ignored us entirely,
but we will have to do the best we can
without them"
Duty to Public
e. C. Richowski of Pomona said:
'.We owe 1t to the public that this
matter. The people voted with the ex-
press belief that the advisory board
would protect their interests. We
should take strong action in helping the
bond buyers to get from under a cloud"
Similar statements were expressed by
ether members of the board, and the
action of the board in selecting a COM
mittee to engage counsel to aid in the
injunction suit brought against the
board of supervisors and the purchas-
ing firms was prompt when p. J.
Beveridge stated that $3.2S0,000 San
Francisco bonds were sold in New
York Monday at high figure.
II understand" he said, that it has
been stated by the firms purchasing
the bonds here that IL they won the
suit they would at once demand the
entire issue. This would throw a lot
of money into the hands of the county
which is not needed. If the banks re-
fused to take this money 1t would mean
loss to the county of $4,000, and ifI
they did take it it would involve loss
of $190,O0O."
S. A. Butler, p. ]. Beveridge and E.
w. blanchard were appointed a COM
mittee to secure counsel to act for the
board.
Chairman Butler, speaking of the ap-
parent lack Of interest manifested by
civic organizations in connection with
the bond sale, said: II would like to-
make statement. There has been a
great deal Of criticism concerning the
bond sale, but we have not as yet heard
from the civic bodies throughout the
county. Here is matter of vital inn
portance, and l would like to suggest
that this body take some action to have
civic organizations. not only here but
in Long Beach, Pasadena and other
places, express through resolution the
sentiment of their members. They all
acted Enthusiastically when the ques-