Los Angeles herald., 1909-07-22
CHANGE IS SEEN
IN SUPERVISORS
GOOD ROADS ADVISORS ARE
HOPEFUL
TUs ELDRlDGE SAYS POSITION
OF BOARD is SAME
Declares Members of Committee Are
Just a Bit PeeVish, but
Will Have to Get
over II

Members of the advisory committee
declare that, so far, no real harm has
been done by the arbitrary actions of
the board of supervisors and express
confidence in the two men recently ap-
pointed to the highway commission,
while condemning the manner in which
the appointments were made, and ex-
pressing fears for the future if such
methods were to be pursued. They
profess to see a marked change in the
attitude of the three supervisors, Ell
| bridge, Nelils and McCabe, q tendency
toward submissiveness to the will of
the people, in referring the proposed
| appointment of George II. BiXby to the
advisory committee.
| Tus Eldridge, on the contrary, de-
clares that the position of the board
| has not changed in the least; that the
advisory committee is Just bit peev-
| ish, by gosh, and will have to get over
it," and that it is the advisory COM
mittee itself that has changed front In
pronounced manner, and not the su-
pervisors.
"There certainly has been no laying
down on our part" declared G. E.
Bichowsky, member OF the advisory
committee, in Pomona yesterday, COM
menting on Tus Eldridge's criticisms Of
the committee. II have not met with
the members Of the committee, nor
seen any e1nDeTS OF Lne DOdTu, SlllCS
last Wednesday," he went on, 80 I
have no inforation on the latest devel-
opments at first hand, but anything
Mr. Blanchard says I'll stand for my
self He has my confidence absolutely.
Supervisors Too Hasty
personally I know of no objection
that could be raised to Mr.. Calvert as
a member of the highway commission.
1 think it probable that the advisory
committee would have approved his ap-
pointment If 1t had been submitted to
us according to the pledge of the super
Visors. 1t is the manner of doing things
by the supervisors that we object to
more than anything that has been done
so far They show a disinclination to
abide by their pledge, putting things
through without giving us any chance
to investigate. That is the whole
trouble.
1T do not think there will be any
objection to the appointment of Mr..
Bixby. The purpose Of the supervis-
ors to submit the question to the ad-
visory committee simply shows will
ingness, at this time, to abide by the
pledge which they violated before with
out any cause or reason but their own
wlful purpose"
Chairman Butler of the advisory COM
mittee stated yesterday that he had
received no notice of the supervisors
request that the committee file its rec
ommendation regarding the reappoint-
ment of Mr.. Bixby with the clerk of
the board of supervisors before the
meeting of the board on Monday, and
that no meeting Of the advisory COM
mittee would be called for a day or two
at least
81 shall wait until receive replies
to the letter we sent to the civic
bodies" he declared.
"Tus" Eldrldge, at his home on WI"
shire boulevard, said yesterday:
"What business did they have going
to the civic bodies? Why didn't they
come to the board? We waited for
them long enough. and IL they had any
kick coming the place to make it was
there. I know what the civic bodies
will tell them; they'll tell them to
tend to their own work, that's what
they'll do No, we haven't changed
bit in voting to submit the reappoint-
ment of Bixby. Before we made the
other appointments we asked the ad-
visory committee TO make suggestions
and they simply didn't do it. When
we first got together with the COM
mittee we wanted an executive COM
mittee of three appointed. so we could
know who VIC were dealing with. ar1
they agreed to It, Later they wanted
five The committee never has been
appointed and each time a different
bunch comes up there and tells US tt's
the committee.
what, the change of secretaries?
Blanchard had no right to talk the
way he did about that. Chesebro is
rattling good fellow, but he had no
call to think he had life job. When
he was appointed, the question was
asked how long it was to be for, and
the answer was that it was during the
pleasure of the highway commission
and the board of supervisors. Now,
Blanchard liked the secretary; Flem-
ing, you tell me, doesn't like the en-
gineer There you have it. We can't
all suit everybody. 1t seems to me the
advisory committee is childish in its
talk and actions. Blanchards claim
that it's not in the province of the ad-
visory committee to make recon-
mendations is new one on me.
Seems to me that up 10 now they've
wanted to be the whole show. This
talk about politics in the good roads
affairs is just that much bull con. The
roads will be built, the whole 307 miles
of them, and anybody that's scared
about that Is just throwing a scare
into himself. Anyhow, while I'm
supervisor, I'm going TO be super
visor"
A. P. Fleming said "The whole
matter, so far, appears To- me as d
tempest in a teapot, but there might
be danger in the future if the board of
supervisors should continue to ignore
the advisory committee, treating it as
Daggett of the highway commission
did when he said it was nothing but
joke, just appointed TO help get votes
for the bonds and without usefulness
after the bonds were voted
Tempest In Teapot
"I think the highway commission
now is in an excellent position to
bring about friendly relations between
the advisory committee and the board
of supervisors, The members of the
commission are acceptable to every one
of the advisory committee.
my belief is that there should be
one man, and perhaps two, on the
highway commission. giving their
whole time, representing Los Angeles
city, for this city pays 62 per cent of
the cost of the good roads.
"I don't wonder the people are be-
ginning to suspect something radically
wrong, when appointments are made
as they have been, ami when the en-
gineer, Mr.. Loder, preuares estimates
so far above reasonable cost, as shown