Los Angeles herald., 1908-11-05
SUPERVISOR
EXPOSES DEAL
OF SOLD 3
GEORGE ALEXANDER RELATES
PRIVATE SALE DETAILS
PROPOSAL OF ADVISORY BOARD
OPPOSED BY MEMBERS
Fiqht Made by Himself and Manning
Against Course Pursued Described
by Witness with Great
Minuteness

ONLY one witness testified yesterday
in the Injunction suits to restrain nc
board of supervisors from proceeolilS
further with the sale of the good roaus
bonds under conditions prescribed III
the recent advertisement Tor olos 1ilu
the printing and furnishing OIL tno
bonds by the w. p. Jeffries company
at the price named by that concern.
This witness was George Alexander
the superyisor who has led in the OPP
position to secrecy in the bono mat
Ter Every detail of the private sale
and the events which preceded ana
followed that TRANSACTION. SO Iar as
they came within the scope OF ms
knowledge. was related. His efforts TO
nrovide for the formation of an adj
yisory committee, which were almost
thwarted; his resistance when the
nronosition to sell privately was
broached and his fight against tne
adoption of the resolution September
were gone into minutely; ana the
defeat Of himself and capt. Mannlns'
not only in regard to the sale OF tne
bonds, but also in the matter oL the
printing, was told.
Alexander said he was the first per-
son TO suggest the appointment OF an
advisory board. This suggestion was
made prior to the bond election and
there was opposition to it by members
of the board.
"rhe proposition was discussed" he
said, "and l gave my reasons for per-
sisting that such a body should be
formed. In canvassing among the peo-
ple | found much opposition among
the voters and this was on account
of the stand the board of supervisors
had taken on many public questions. In
conversations with the editors OF Inc
Herald and the Express L found they
were not disposed to support the bond
issue unless they knew just how the
bonds were to be handled. The mat
ter was continued and when the board
again met Mr.. Manning introduced
resolution providing for the appoint
ment of an advisory committee, which
was adopted.
"lrhat was before the election, and
/ have no recollection of anything be-
ing done until August 81"
Knew Nothing of Meeting
Mr.. Alexander said he knew nothing
of the meeting on August "a, when j.
X. Martin first made his proposition
to the board to purchase the bonds
privately. He was not present, but
was notified a day or two later to be
present at a meeting August 81 ito
consider the matter of printing the
bonds"
When he entered the little side
room" on that day. he said, he was
surprised to hear the private sale
broached. II opposed it at once" he
said Patterson took the lead in adj
vocating the private sale. Martin ad-
dressed me especially, as L had taken
the lead in the opposition. L asked
him why he did not wait and put in a
good bid at public sale. He said it was
generally understood that local bond
buyers were forming a combination to
buy the bonds at low price. l argued
against it, as it would cut out our best
bidder, the state board of examiners,
which, if the bonds were sold in small
issues would have bought them at a
good price.
q also said the whole scheme of the
good roads question was carried large
ly on the promise that there would be
no politics and that things would be
above board. l could not explain Il
private sale to my constituents. Their
arguments We're so thin did not pay
much attention to them"
Wilson, he said, declared it was
case of urgency; that there were many
persons seeking positions on the good
roads and that contracts for stone
quarries and side tracks must be let.
Il cited the fact that the bonds were
gilt-edge and should bring a good bid"
The scarecrow of the city's expert
ence was held up to him. "They told me
the city had advertised for bids and
there was failure" he said. Il told
them the county should also try pub
lie sale, and if it failed that was the
time to talk about selling privately"
Witness declared that Martin had
said positively, August 81, that he was
authorized to offer quarter of a
point for part of the bonds and half a
point for the remainder, and declared
the proposition on September had no
resemblance to that made August 81.
Mr. Alexander said he left the little
side room" believing that the consid-
GRAFTON of a private sale had been
abandoned. September Z, while he and
Manning we're on Salt Lake train,
Martin went to their car and asked
them to attend private meeting to
consider the sale. Il told him he was
losing time" said the witness, land
Manning also refused to go. We told
Martin we would be glad to see his
rouse get the bonds, but would not
agree to private sale"
September. s, when Deputy Shaw be-
gan reading the resolution providing
for the sale of the bonds, Alexander
said he believed it referred to the
printing. 81 soon discovered my mis-
take" he said, land made all the argu-
ments | could against the sale. The
discussion lasted only about fifteen
minutes, and the resolution was adopt
ed Nobody had told me conclusion
had been reached the day before.
Denounces Proposition
Il told the members the proposition
was outrageous and I could see no
reason why the county should be over
loaded with money. The highway COM
mission was not in a position to begin
work for six months, and we would
have TO make a tax levy to pay the
interest on these bonds on the third
Monday in September. We did make
that levy, and it amounted to $S0,00O.
Two or there days later the advisory
committee took hand in the matter.
'All the members of the board were
present with the advisory committee,
and Mr. Drake and Mr.. Adams were
also there. Mr.. Adams said artin
had no authority to make the offer OF
August 81, but / told HIM Martin had
made a contrary statement. Mr.. Ad-
ans said: Well, you didn't accept 1t,