Los Angeles herald., 1909-12-19
Southern California Roads


Automobile Club of Southern Califor-
MIA is deserving of the highest COM
mendation. Recently the club directed
the clubs consulting engineer, f. G..
Finkle. to make a report on the work
that is being done and which has been
done on the highways in and around
the city of Los Angeles
From its directorate the club ap-
pointed committee composed of Pres
ident George b. Ellis, Fred L. Baker
of the Baker Iron works and II. W.
Keller of the South Coast Land COM
pany. All three of these men are men
of large affairs with big business in
terests, which makes them particularly
valuable on such a comm. ttee. Be-
sides giving their time and attention,
they selected T.. C. Finkle to act as
consulting engineer to assist them In
inspection of the work being done by
the Los Angeles county highway COM
mission. We give herewith Mr.. Fin
kle's report, which will illustrate the
thoroughness with which the commit
tee and Mr.. Finkie went into the
matter:
"You have requested me to act as
your consulting engineer in connec-
ton with the improvement of the coun-
ty highways in Los Angeles county,
now being carried out under direction
of the Los Angeles highway commits
sion.
my understanding of this employ
ment is that 1 shall inspect the work
in progress from time to time to de-
termine the manner of administration,
quality of work being done, and note
the methods of improvement in con-
nection with the road work. and shall
report to you from time to time what
/ find and make such recommended
tions as 1 believe to be for the good
of the work
1.-The present report is the first
have been able to make. although l
have for the past two months devoted
more or less time to the investigation
of what has and is being done. 1 ex-
pect to follow this report by others as
my work of investigation progresses
from time to time.
Before entering into any of the rec
concentrations which l can safely make
at this time, l will give a brief synop-
sis of what has been accomplished by
the Los Angeles highway commission,
all of which is of date November 1,
1909.
History of Work
1.-THE agitation on the part of the
press of Los Angeles and people who
believed in better roads resulted in the
calling of an election for July 30, 1908,
when bonds to the amount of $3,50000O
were voted for the improvement of
the highways in Los Angeles county.
Prior to this election a map had been
issued which described approximately
the highways which were to be i'm
proved. Since the voting of these
bonds 81, 000, $50 of the issue have been
sold at premium of $50,137.50. These
were delivered and the cash received
on February 1, 1909.
Expenditures
"There has been expended to Novem-
ber l, 1909, $131, ,S96.64 for the following
purposes:
Preliminary work prior to bond issue. s21 sol IS
Commissioners salaries and expenses S4S3 SO
Office and chauffeurs' salaries, ex-
penses and supplies ................... 39OS .63
Engineering department including
surveying parties, craftsmen and
right-of-way mans salaries, ex-
penses and supplies .................. 4539S 9S
Rights of way purchased ,,............ 3,S72. so
Road oil ....,........,.......,........ 34S. SO
Construction 533s3. .25
Total '$l35 $50 %
1.-THE larger part of this expenditure,
as will be seen by the itemized state
ment is for preliminary work, such
as engineering. rights of way, etc.
Less than $54, 100000 have been expend-
ed for actual construction.
Cash Still Available
"On November 1, 1909, there was still
on hand 1868, ,24OS6 in cash to be used
for road construction. This amount in
cludes the balance of the money re-
ceived from the sale of bonds plus
$3.50 donated to the fund from other
sources.