Los Angeles herald., 1910-10-02
$4,000 VOTED TO
PROBE DISASTER
Council Turns Over Big Sum to
Mayor to Investigate the
Times Explosion
$500 IS REWARD OFFERED
Alexander Puts Up Money for the
Arrest and Conviction of
Persons Responsible

At a special meeting OF the city
council held yesterday morning, $4,000
was turned over to Mayor Alexander
for the treasury's general expense fund
to be used in determining the cause of
the explosion at the Times building.
The mayor, as head of the police de-
partment, is given absolute power over
the expenditure of this money. When
asked what he intended to do with it
he said:
"Wait and see."
His first act after the money had
been appropriated was to offer a re-
ward of $500 for the arrest and con-
viction of the persons responsible for
the explosion.
The mayor explained that while the
explosion might not have been the re-
suit of dynamite purposely placed, it
appeared very much as though 1t were
and If it did prove not to be and no
one was criminally responsible for the
explosion there would be no need Of
the reward. The reward is offered to
stimulate action toward the apprehen-
sion of the dynamiters.
The mayor also stated that one Of
his first acts would be to furnish more
watchmen for the city hall, as there
Is only one on guard and his time is
almost entirely devoted to the city
treasury. The treasury watchman Is
the only man in the building after the
offices close in the evening.
The extra watchmen are to be paid
from the $4,000 appropriated, for by
the terms of the resolution adopted by
the council the mayor is authorized to
spend it in any manner he deems best.
COUNCILS RESOLUTION
Following is the resolution:
Whereas at an early hour on the
morning of october 1, 1870 the
building of the Los Angeles Times
was destroyed by explosion and fire,
resulting in the deplorable loss of
the lives of innocent citizens and
in a great destruction of property,
and
Whereas, the circumstances at
tending the disaster referred to are
such that the public interest i'm
peratively requires that the cause
of the same be rigidly investigated
for the purpose of determining
whether or not said disaster was
due to criminal act, and If due to
criminal act, that the person or per-
sons responsible therefor be pun
ished with the utmost severity, as
the perpetrators OF heinous crime
against society, and
Whereas, this council believes
that it has the united support of
the citizenship of this city in put
ting forth every effort within It's
power. if 1t shall appear that this
calamity is the result of crime, to
prevent the recurrence OF similar
outrages
Now, therefore, be 1t resolved by
the council of the city of Los An
geles as follows:
That the sum of $4,000 be and
the same is hereby appropriated
from the general expense fund and
ordered transferred to the mayors
fund. for the purpose of providing
for the investigation of the cause of
the destruction of the building of
the Los Angeles Times on the
morning of October l, 1910, and for
the further purpose of taking such
action as may be necessary to pre-
vent the recurrence of any similar
disaster in this city, IL such investi-
cation shall disclose that the de-
struction of said property be the
result of criminal act; and be it
further
Resolved, That said moneys here
by appropriated be placed in the
hands of the mayor to be used at
his discretion for the purposes
aforesaid, and that the city auditor
and city treasurer be and they are
hereby directed to do all acts neces-
sary to effect the appropriation and
transfer of said sum of $25,000 in
accordance with this resolution;
and be 1t further
Resolved, That demand in favor
of the mayor upon the mayors
fund in the said sum of $4,000 be
and the same is hereby approved.