Los Angeles herald., 1910-06-21
FAVORED RIVER
BED FRANCHISE
Harry LeIande, City Clerk, Certi-
fies to History of the At
tempted Steal
McALEER VETOED ORDINANCE
HeaIy and Houghton Voted to
Give Away Rights to the
Huntington Road
McALEER VETOED ORDINANCE

A history of the famous riverbed
franchise deal, in which the city came
near losing one of it's most valuable
possessions. treacherously sought by
the railroad corporations, aided in their
notorious Vaccinations by "Bafney
Healy and doc" Houghton at that
time machine members of the councll,
is Of considerable interest to voters JusI
now because of the fact that these
same two men, Healy and Houghton'
again have been nominated by the
Walter Parker push for the Guy
| council, and the voters of Los Angeles
are to decide next week whether or not
they prefer the machine and its dupes TO
our present good government anu anu
honest and progressive administrative
methods. which have held the corpora
tions effectually in check although not
discriminating against them, and have
| in a large measure freed the city OIL
corruption, graft, immoral institutions
and degenerating influences.
The history of the attempt to steal
the riverbed has been prepared ana
was certified to by Harry Lelande, city
clerk on whom Walter Parker ana 9 nl9
allies attempted to work tne fusil ti,a
act" to induce Lelande to sign tine
ordinance during the mayors absence
| II is q valuable bit of municipal MS
tory and should be read by every voter,
as also should the affidavit OF Mr.. Le-
lande. The riverbed history, printed III
circular form by the Los Angeles eIood
| Government central organization Is TO
be sent out over the city this week and
reads as follows:
THE STATEMENT
| In 1906 the Los Angeles city council was was
completely under the control ana uollllia
of the Southern Pacific and allied corporations.
| Property rights of the people contlhually "ete
| frttered away But it was not until an az. :.
| tempt was made to vote away the rlVerpeu
franchise-popularly estimated 10 DS, pe lines
| 81 900 900, but probably worth many times times
| that amount-that the citizens became actuaiiy
| aroused. This Infamous act brought puohc
| indignation to a white heat.
| The riverbed franchise, which was slppeo
| quietly into the council the afternoon OF
| March g. 1906, granted to q. W. Gli1hore'
who was afterwards discovered to be dummy
| for the Hartman Huntington trolley interests,
| a franchise to construct and operate steam
| railroad along the official bed of the Los
| Angeles river.
OF GREAT VALUE
This route was of great strategic value.
| II is practically the only route remaining ny
which a railroad can obtain entrance 10 OF
| eeress from the city. Its possession by any
| private interest would give that interest,"
| domination over the railroad situation, but
worse than that it would prevent the city
! ever from building a municipal railroad tc
the San Pedro harbor, which is one OF th'
strong possibilities of the not distant future
| Gilmore and his attorney, w. r. Herveyt
| recently appointed superior court Judge py
| Governor Gillett, entered the council late in
the afternoon and passed to the councli @ cleLN
| a petition for the franchise and an ordinance
| granting it.
HOUGHTON CHANGES VOTE
No one aside from those who parties
| to it had intmation that such franchise was
| to be asked for. The utmost secrecy sur
rounded the deal up to the time it was sprung
| in the council. Under suspension OF the
| rules the franchise ordinance was at once
| placed upon it's passage. Healy voted for and
| Houghton against the passage The ordinance
was declared lost, there being five votes tor
and two against The clerk then started on
| the next order of business when Houghton
| changed his vote from no to aye, and the
chairman thereupon declared the ordinance
! carried.
| the city. and Theodore Summerand act
| ing mayor Summerland was waiting to sign
| the ordinance, and an attempt was made TO
| give City Clerk Lelande the rush act" have
! him sign the ordinance at once and send 1t
| on to Summerland for his signature. Instead,
| Mr. Lelande locked the ordinance up in his
safe.
INVALID
Next day it was discovered Houghton had
| changed his vote after the result of the vote
| had been announced, which too late, and
that the franchise, even if signed by Acting
Mayor summerand, would be declared invalid
/ by the courts.
| Mayor McAleer hastened back to the city.
The ordinance was presented to him. He
promptly vetoed it. Meanwhile, the Municipal
| league caused petitions to be prepared and
ready for circulation invoking both the refer
endum and the recall
| Thereupon, another council meeting was
| called March 2S, two days later, and the fran
! elise was again presented and passed by the
council. Healy and Houghton both voted in
favor of it.
| The intimation was given out that the fran
chise was wanted for an entrance into Los
! Angeles for George Gouds Western Pacific.
The Express telegraphed Mr.. Gould in New
York and received a reply denying that he
had any connection with the matter.
HUNTING FOR FRANCHISE
Then the Hartman Huntington interests ad-
mtted that the franchise for their
| benefit.
| Public indignation was at white heat.
| Everywhere it was declared that the men
who voted for this outrageous deal never
! should hold public office again.
When Mayor McAleer's veto came before
| the council the following Monday, April 2,
| every member of the council tamely voted to
| sustain the mayors Veto
Thus failed a DEAL iniquitous both in con-
ception and the manner in which it was
attempted to carry it out
!