Los Angeles herald., 1908-01-10
PUT 1T BACK

OCCOIi6 u III thC Std0 -
= the city council. though why this
should be so is not apparent. An anal
ysis of the situation brings into view
an abundance of arguments against the
employment OF $4,000 or any other
amount out OF the general fund OF the
city. and none in its favor.
The proposition of the council. insti-
gated by Councilman Blanchard. is to
use this sum of money, a portion of
the general fund, to pay for the con-
struction of intercepting sewers which
intercept practically nothing. In other
words. the idea is to use a consider
able sum of the money IN a practically
depleted treasury to build sewers in a
portion of the city which has almost
no inhabitants to use them after they
have been built.
In that section OF the Boyle Heights
district in which Councilman Blanch-
ard would have the city erect a num-
ber of these big waste pipes there are
hundreds of vacant lots-little more.
The surface characteristics of the area
proposed to improve are of such a ma
ture that one may see at a glance that
very many years naturally must eiapse
before that portion of the city will be
further improved by the erection Of any
considerable number of residences.
At the present time there is in the To-
cality mentioned probably not more
than one house to each seventy-f1ve
or hundred lots. The locality is series
of ravlnes and hills, the improvement
require the expenditure of so much
more money than the improvement of
other sections OF similar area that IL is
self evident that almost every other
district of the city will be developed
before the people of Los Angeles deem
it necessary to utilize for residential
purposes this particular section.
The city derives a revenue of SO
cents per linear foot for the tapping Of
sewers. Inasmuch as the number OF
houses along the lines of the proposed
sewers in the Boyle Heights district is
almost nothing. and there will be no
material increase in the number for
many years to come. it is evident that
as an investment the expenditure of
this $4,000 would be folly. No connec-
tions will be made until houses are
built on the vacant lots. and these win
not be built in any material number
so long as other portions of the city
are found to be immensely better
adapted to improvement.
AS matter OF fact, there is prob
ably no part of the city where sewers
are less needed at the present time or
in the near future than in this particu-
lar locality. 1t is equally as certain
that the chief and almost only benefit
that can follow their construction will
accrue to owners Of vacant lots.
AS to the use of the general fund for
this work. ]. o. Koepfli of the Munich
pal league has made it very clear that
the council has no right to take money
from that fund for the construction of
sewers or for any other purpose except
that necessitated by an emergency
and no intelligent man will raise the
point that an emergency exists in the
premises. Furthermore there is no evil
dence at hand to show that the city
has Disseminated against the citizens
of the Ninth ward in the matter of
sewers or any other municipal institu-
tions. That ward has enjoyed the same
privileges as those accorded to other
sections of the city in the matter of
sewers, fire apparatus. schools, etc.
The Boyle Heights district has received
its full share Of benefits following the
employment of the general fund in
any particular.
There is growing popular indignation
over the idea that any portion of the
general fund of the city is to be used
to construct sewers, or to do any other
work, in any portion of the city where
such improvements are not actually
needed at this time. 1t is true that
certain members OF the council are
standing by Councilman Blanchard in
his fight to prevent the repeal of the
ordinance authorizing the construction
of the Ninth ward sewers, but the
chances are that some of them are
standing firm through a rnisappre-
hension of the merits Of the case. 1t is
vastly better that every member of
the council should strive to be loyal to
the city rather than to any individual
member of the council If any mem
bers Of that body are pledged to sup
port the representative of the Ninth
ward in his contention that these
works must be completed, now that the
council has once committed itself in
the matter, let them remember the old
saying that a bad promise is better
broken than kept.
Put that $4,000 back into the general
fund.