Los Angeles herald., 1910-04-30


county has been allowed to dribble a
least 100000 in interest that shoult
have been saved; county roads are ia
from completion and cannot be con
structed at the rate at which the high
way commission has been doing it,
work without an additional 100000.
This is in substance the arraign
ment of the solid three" filed yester
day by the advisory committee, whose
report comes as formal pressing o
charges of gross incompetency and mis-
management recently made by the ad'
Visory board.
A S50,000 discrepancy in the cost oi
two roadbeds involving the equa
amount of work is salient feature
of the roasting"
The document was received in COM
paratiVe silence, save for an outburst
of wrath on the part of Supervisor
Eldridge, and on a motion made by
Supervisor McCabe referred to the
highway commission itself for reply
and the hearing in general continued
until May 9.
The communication covered fifteen
typewriter sheets and was complete
in facts and figures.
COMMISSION ELANED
1t arraigned the highway commission
severely and referred to promises made
by that body in the past comparing
them with actual accomplishments. 1t
said that the county had lost $50, 900
in interest it might have had on $1,050,
900 that had lain idle since the sale
of that amount of bonds through un-
necessary delay in the building Of coun-
ty roads. 1t pointed to only 2 IA
miles of roadbed completed on the El
Monte road in two years since the
voting of $3,500,00- in bonds July, 1903,
and called attention to the fact that
the roadbed was already disintegrat-
ing. Prospect avenue, built by day
labor under the personal supervision
of the commission, was held as a shin
ing example as to the commissions pre-
sent competency.
The report called attention to prom
ises made by the board of supervisors
before the bond election that an ade-
quate rock supply would be obtained
in order that the road work could be
carried on economically, but that no
preparation had been made and as a
was put to extra expense. Rock, the
report says, is being hauled from dis
tant points, 10000 tons having thus far
been purchased at a cost of 500 900
more than as If ii had been procured
from the county quarry at san Dimas,
now leased to private persons. Sud-
den famine in rock supply, reads the
report, has caused excessive bids and
loss to contractors.
SLAPS SOLID THREE
Possibly the strongest point scored,
and one that appeared to cause the
"solid three" to sit up and take notice,
#Ins. .N.#- 10
gin of $53,263 in actual cost in the diff
ference between the cost of county
work on the Pomona, Whittier and
Washington street roads and the same
amount of work being done in Pasa-
dena. Eldridge in his chair later scof-
fed at this and twirled his eye glasses !
nervously. The report said that at the
present rate it Will cost $SS1O0 to
complete siXty-five miles of the easiest |
work, not including the San Fernando |
road, the Newhall tunnel and other of
the heavy roads, and that the eXpen- |
diture of this amount will leave 81 !
$4,000 to build 242 miles of road with |
the hard jobs included. The bond is
sue at that rate would lack 100000 |
in filling the bill and completing the !
good roads project on which rests the |
pride of Los Angeles county.
The report of the advisory committee
or its members did not arrive at the
supervisors chambers until shortly
after the board had been called to or
der A few minutes later Eldridge
hustled in and, scanning the room
quickly, a look of satisfaction crossed
his face. where's the bunch" he
inquired jocularly.
HOT UNDER COLLAR
When told that they had not yet
arrived he grew indignant and de-
manded that a subpoena be issued at
once for the advisory committee, but
before action could be taken members
of the committee arrived with their
report. Hardly had Clerk McPherrou
began to read the report in which ref
erence was made to Eldridge's atti-
tude in the matter than Eldridge
slapped his hand on the table with a
thud and interrupted the reading by
inquiring who it was signed by. The
same as the other communication" re-
piled McPherron quietly and continued
his reading. "People who live in glass
houses shouldn't throw stones"
growled Eldridge hoarsely.
On finishing the reading of the com
Supervisor McCabe moved
that ii be referred to the highway COM
mission. Hadn't we better hear from
the highway commission first?' asked
Pridham of Eldridge. "The highway
tOIlIulSSlOIl Id5 not given US ANt udLd
it agreed to-" asserted Eldridge bland
ly: This communication is just a lit
tie rake up with a boost for some of
the members Of the board" and he
glared defiantly around the table at
the other members of the board. Il
favor issuing a. subpoena for Mr.. Hol-
aday, the engineer of the advisory
board
BITTER TILT
whats the object Of the motion?
Do you want to get rid Of the repOrt?"
,ried Supervisor Manning pOintedly TO
Eldridge. "Tm not through with that
'eport," growled Eldridge. MY mo-
ion," said McCabe, 'is to send it to
he highway commission and give 'em
/ chance to reply It isn't for us to
answer" In that case" said Man
ling quietly Il have no objection,
With the understanding that it comes
Jack to US" Il would like to see if
his is a misunderstanding and if so J
We can straighten it out or employ !
n expert to get at the facts" said
Following is the advisory commit I
ee's communication:
THE REPORT
Responding to your request for informa-
on upon which we based our communica-
on to YOU under date of April %, 1910 we
asre to say:
We wish to express to you our sincere regret
lat the contents Of our communication
iould cause one Of you members to indulge +
language and exhibit conduct unbecominC
member of a body charged with the great
sponsibility of caring for the interests OF
citizenship Of the high character Is
lown TO comprise the taxpayers of Los An h
les county. n