Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-07-28


labors will not be in vain.
Utilities Commission
A utilities commission, as sug-
gested by the council recently,
should be appointed. This commits
sion should be made up of fair
minded, experienced men, who can
be depended upon to give fair play
to the people as well as to the pub
lie utility corporations, and who
have the necessary qualifications
intelligently to study and report
on the subject. Their report should
be made and given general pub
licity about sixty days before the
time for fixing rates, and l would
recommend that the commission be
authorized and instructed to sug-
est to the council the rates which
would seem proper as the result of
their Investigations.
Franchises
I call attention to the fact that
the Los Angeles edondo Railway
company is running it's cars over
both Grand avenue and Main street
and Seventh street and Broadway
without franchise. This COM
pany should be compelled to pur-
a
A few weeks ago the council
passed, over my veto, a freight
carrying spur track franchise, with
absolutely no restrictions as to the
hours of carrying, the kind of
freight, or the kind of cars that
should be used, and a franchise
that, by the very nature of the case,
acknowledged the right to carry
freight over the street railways
connecting with the spur track.
1t would not be entirely without
the range Of reason for a court to
hold that one who had expended a
large sum of money in a business,
upon the theory that he would be
able to use such a franchise, would
have a right to damages against
the city granting that franchise if
the city refused to allow freight to
be carried to that spur.
1 believe that, under proper re-
strictions as to hours, kind of
freight, kind of cars, and with
provision for compensation to the
city for the privilege, freight-car-
rying franchises should be granted
to the street railways; but certain
ly they should not be allowed that
privilege under their present fran
chises, with no restrictions what
ever; and, should they claim this
right, a court might well hold that
the council, by the granting of a
spur track franchise such as is re-
ferred to here, had intended that
the present street railway fran
chises should permit the carrying of
freight.
Police Department
The effectiveness of the law de-
ponds upon it's enforcement. With
the best laws in the world and an
inadequate police force order could
not be maintained. In some Sec
tions of the city the beat of an Of
ficer covers several square miles.
heartily indorse the request of the
chief of police for more men.
We now have a good speed or
dinance. What we need is a larger
number of first-class, high power
motorcycles to enable our police Of
ficers to enforce this ordinance.
The Police Courts
The records of the four city po-
lice courts show that, during the
year ending June 80, 1909, 1856 ar
rests were made and fines in the
sum of $66,114 were collected. AS
to the charges against these va
rious prisoners, the disposition
made of their cases and the names
of the persons paying the fines, 1
refer to, and by such reference
make a part of this report the
monthly reports of the judges and
clerks of the police courts and the
reports of the secretary of the po-
lice department, on file in the city
clerks office. The calendars of the
four departments at the present
time show them to be in good con-
dition, with cases set for but week
or so ahead in each department.
Receiving Hospital
The quarters of the receiving hos
pital at the city Jail building are
inadequate. There is not room
enough in that building for one of
the police courts; and until the
east side stockade was erected
there was not by any means room
in the Jail to accommodate the
prisoners. We should have a new
and more commodious Jail building.
The Public Health
1 heartily indorse the recommen-
dalton of the board of health that an
ordinance be passed whereby owners
may be compelled to fill depressions
in their lands, where water may
gather, to become stagnant and to
menace the health of the public;
also that, where situated near
sewers, livery stables should be
compelled to connect with them;
also that the lavatories in several
of our parks should be rebuilt and
cfn In
various parts of the city.
I would recommend that, in the
future, our school buildings be
made fireproof and that the ques-
ton of proper ventilation be very
carefully considered, plenty of fresh
air being essential to the develop
ment of strong, healthy minds and
bodies. 1t might be well, also, to
establish open air schools for such
of the children as may have any
tendency toward lung trouble.
Municipal Art Commission
The municipal art commission,
understand, has been working out a
great general plan for the beauti-
fication of the city. In the prepara-
ton of plans for city buildings this
commission should be consulted.
otherwise, it would have no means
of carrying out the, purpose for
which it was created.
In the building of the Fairgrounds
at Agricultural park. for instance,
"a complete plan should be made, to
the end that, in the years to come,
when more buildings are added,
they may be artistically and con-
yenlently arranged.
Housing Commission
Funds should be provided to carry
out the purposes of the housing
commission.
Preservation of PaVements
The oil inspector reports that our