Los Angeles herald., 1909-04-27
HONEST ROADS

FTER receiving a communication
n from the good roads advisory
IA committee, the board OF super
visors wisely decided that the pest
interests of the taxpayers would be
served by the conference asked for by
the committee, and a joint conference
will be held, at. which the various
points of the communication OF the
committee, including the recommenda-
ton that the first piece of road be built
nv the county instead of by private
contract, will be discussed fully. Ihe
advisory committees letter to the
sunervisors is a mastery document,
and our readers should peruse every
word of it.
The committeeman point out there
has been so little competition in DIGS
and the amounts are so close, tnat
while 1t must not be understood or
inferred that any charge OF cemoina-
ton is limited at, it will require con-
siderable explanation to satisfy the
people there was genuine competition.
The committee recommends the
rescission of acceptances OF BIDS When
contracts have not been signed; that
the highway commission be directed to
construct the two and one-half miles
of the Ell Monte road the supervisors
are now contemplating letting the con-
tract for at a cost of $22, 740; and that IN
order-to assure an economical and safe
construction of that road, City En-
gineer Homer Hamlin be called in con-
sultation with the engineer of the high
way commission, for the reason that
his mastery and business-like meth"
DDS employed in the construction OF
the outfall sewer of the city or Los
Angeles, in the face of the most ad-
verse conditions, have entrenched him
in the confidence of the people second
to no man, save those Incompatible
public servants, William Mulholland
and Capt. Amos A. Fries; and Tor the
further reason that when the cost OF
construction shall be obtained and
stated to your honorable body 1t VIII
be a safe and sure guide for future
construction; you, of course, taxing
into consideration that this first piece
would cost more to build than 1t Will
after you are fully equipped, by the
experience gained in building this ini-
tial piece. and your force we'll. organ
lied.
"We believe" add the committee
men. sin the construction of this TWO
and one-half miles of initial road, you
can obtain information that will save
thousands of dollars and that will ena-
BILE the public to secure the number or
miles of permanent roads that was
represented to them could be bullt'
namely 3O6 for the SS,5OO,OOO, for which
they were induced to in effect mort
gage their homes, and thus will every
part of the county be fairly and nom
estly dealt with.
"In conclusion, we now recommend
that at this time you state to this
advisory committee and the public
whether or not you will in the future
consult with this committee and OBJ
tain it's approval in accordance with
vour representation to the public in
vo,,r resolutions and letters as set out
herein"
The public is to be congratulated on
the efficiency of the good roads adVls-
ory committee. 1t will be remembered
that the members of the committee
spent about $500 of their own money
and devoted a great deal of time and
attention to preventing a SNAP" bond
sale from going through, and by their
vigilance with regard TO that deal alone
saved the county of Los Angeles be-
tween 100000 and 100000.
About a week ago one of the super
visors asked with childlike bland
ness equal to that of a character cele-
brated in Bret Hartes verse, whether
1.-The advisory committee had not been
scontinued-whether it had not OIL
cially gone out of existence" We hope
he realizes as keenly and appreciates
as heartily as the public whose inter-
ests are being protected by the COM
mittee that it has not gone out of
existence, but is still 'in commission"
wide-awake, Jealous and business-like.