Los Angeles herald., 1909-04-27
DAGGETT DEFENDS COURSE
OF COUNTY SUPERVISORS
Replies to recommendation in Re-
port, Denying Accuracy of 4
Statements

D. D. Daggett, chairman of the Los Angeles
county highway commission, vigorously de-
Tended the board of supervisors last night.
committee which proceeds without asking the
why's and the wherefore is not committee
whose judgment and advise Is valuable he
said.
Portions of the communication presented to
the board of supervisors by the advisory COM
mittee as published in the Los Angeles papers
cannot be construed otherwise than as an ar
raignment of the work of the Los Angeles
county highway commission, although 1t is
addressed to the board of supervisors, the acts
of that body being in approval of the formal
recommendations presented to 1t by the high
way commission.
There many msstatements contained in
tho paragraphs of the above mentioned COM
munication. The first paragraph announces in
a qualified way the belief that the 307 miles of
road cannot be constructed II the methods now
pursued by the commission are continued. The
second paragraph is a positive statement that
the present methods of the highway commits
sion will fall short of the end sought to be ac-
ccmplished. The third paragraph impugns
the motives and ability of both the highway
commission and the board of supervisors and
Is based upon mere assertion.
Matter of Opinion
1.-THE lack of competition is mere matter
Of opinion. The work advertised twice
and received all told eleven bids.
LAS to the first formal recommendation of
the advisory committee: The price Is not excess
sive under the circumstances and is below the
estimate of the engineer of the highway COM
mission. And as to the second and third rea-
sons, they are assertions not based upon any
reasonable facts.
LAS to the second recommendation, the ques-
ton to whether IL was desirable for the Ell
Monte road to be constructed by the highway
commission, that matter was under conside-
ration for some time by both the highway
commission and the board Of supervisors. 1t
was decided to do the work by contract be-
cause the highway commission was not equip
ped with proper facilities for doing the work
and 1t was not deemed expedient to secure
them unless it should become necessary Tor the
highway commission to go into the business
of building roads upon large scale in order to
protect the funds and build the roads at rea-
sonabe price. Furthermore the commission
itself and the engineering department have
been working hard and continuously, the engi-
neers and some of the craftsmen working at
night in order to prepare for the letting OF
contracts for work where heavy fills would be
necessary which would require time to settle
before installing the pavement as the harbor
road and the west end of Wiltshire boulevard
until at least four or five contracts were let
1t did not become advisable to take on addl-
tional work which the building OF the Ell
Monte road by the commission would neces-
sary involve.
GAS to the third recommendation relative
to the qualifications of Mr.. Hamlin, Mr..
Mulholland and Captain Fries, there Is no
doubt what they have accomplished In their
own special lines entities them to the high
munity.
Cost of Construction
Accurate data will be kept each day
that will indicate the labor performed and
all material used and the cost OF the same,
and will show the exact cost OF each item
of the work. This will show what the work
actually COSTS whether 1t is done by the
highway commission by the contractor.
1T desire to say further that 1t would
please me personally and also the chief en-
Of tha have
the work of the engineering department
personally inspected and reported upon by
Mr. Muholland of the advisory committee
81 wish to go upon record as being or tne
oninion that any committee which arrives
at it's conclusions relative to matter ol
public Importance involving the expenditure
of considerable money and the business anu
professional reputation of public OFFICERS IN
whom the people have expressed their con-
fidence to the extent of voting s3,5O0'0OO 10
be placed largely under their eontrol, WIN
out its having instituted a careful inVesti-
CATION. without asking the why's and where
fores and lends itself to msstatement or
fact, is not a committee whose methods'
Judgment and advice is valuable. Inc ad-
yisory committee was formerly invited by
me personally and some individual members
of the committee, including Mr.. Butter ana
Mr.. Blanchard. were invited a number or
times to visit the office of the highway COM
mission and inform themselves as to what
was to be done. They have not done SO TO
my knowledge. Each of the last named
gentlemen made a sort or a 1ormal call
discussing other matters.
ION the other hand, the board Of super
visors as a board have discussed import
ant matters at the office of the highway
commission with the commission and It's
engineers The individual members OF the
board of supervisors have on several occa-
sions spent considerable time at the office
of the commission making careful investi-
cations and securing memoranda for the
purpose of enabling them to intelligently sit
in Judgment upon the recommendations
made by the highway commission to the
board~of supervisors.
sit Is very much to be deplored that the
work of the highway commission which up
to the present time has been characterized
with the greatest enthusiasm and pride in
ultimate success, should be disturbed by
what appears to be an lily considered and
unfair attack without the slightest effort
having been made to study the details OF
the work going on in the office of the high
way commission.
1T feel called upon to say these things
because I appreciate the confidence reposed
in me. so far as my share in the work of
the highway commission goes. by the peo-
pie of Los Angeles county in voting the
lcg