Los Angeles herald., 1910-06-15
GRAND JURY HITS
HARD At CONDUCT
OF'COUNTY WORK
Severely Scores Highway Board
for Delays and Waste in
System of Roads
WANTS JAIL ABUSES HALTED
CriticiSeS the Accounting System
in Nearly All Offices In
Vestlgated

VeStlgateu
Tho Los Angeles county grand Jury made
its final report to Judge Wilbur yesterday
Epitomixed, tho report
Censures tho highway commission for de-
lay In completing good roads work.
Demands supervision of police officers tC
prevent abuse of prisoners.
CrlticIses the accounting systems in nearly
all the county offices.
Reports abuse of insane patients and wO-
men at the county farm.
Urges collection of corporation franchise
fees.
Suggests radical changes in several county
and city departments in their methods OF
keeping accounts.
Condemns fee system as vicious and tend
ing to make certain officers less efficient.
The criticism of the work OF the
highway commission is quite severe
and numerous suggestions by the
grand jury for remedying the situa-
ton are made. 1t was found that af-
ter a total of $172,000 of the $3,500000
bonds issued for the Improvement of
the county roads, only two and one
fourth miles on the El Monte road, at
cost of $22,740. had been completed
by January of the present year.
The report says:
'There appears to have been con-
stant pickering between the engineer,
the highway commission and the con-
tractor as to the quality of the rock
supplied. Several tons of rock were
spread on the road and afterward con-
In
used II the construction of the FL
Monte road. At the present time a
portion of this road is unsatisfactory.
The delay has caused the county extra
expense for the contractors time and
a loss of $4,000 to the contractor by
reason of delays. This lack Of pre-
caution on the part of the highway
commission and engineer has seen the
passing of twenty months of road
building time with only two and one
fourth miles Of road completed, but not
acceptably, while the bonds sold for
the purpose OF building the roads are
costing the taxpayers OF the county
some $4,000 more year in interest.
OWNS LIVE STOCK
From the evidence presented we find
that a member of the highway COM
mission is half owner of a contract
ing company which rented live stock
building the Newhall division under a
contract with the highway commits
sion. 1t also appears that the con-
tracing company rented a concrete
mixer to the subcontractor on the Ell
Monte road.
1--WE find that the work of the high
way commission has been unnecessari-
ly delayed, for the reason that those
ifi 0irarge have experimented more or
less. We recommend that competent
engineers be employed, with adequate
salaries, and that an executive and
businesslil1e organization be effected at
once, that will insure the completion Of
all the roads undertaken by the COM
mission at the earliest possible time.
1T would appear that one of the first
steps taken by the commission would
have been the introduction of a proper
record of accounts. and it should be
justified in employing first-class
bookkeeper."
In going over the condition of the
other roads In the county the grand
jury found that road implements owned
by the county, and costing 100000 are
lying out of doors unprotected, in a
negligent and wasteful manner. 1t
was recommended that each road dis
trict should secure suitable places for
the storage of the road machinery
from bad weather. The creation of the
office Of "oil inspector" for an expert
to test all oil purchased by the county,
was also recommended.
All dangerous grade crossings, both
steam and electric, should be provided
with some protection. either flagmen,
gates or electric alarm, according to
the report, and shade trees should be
planted on all highways and boule-
wards now being built by the highway
commission.
AUDITORS DEPARTMENT
The grand jury recommended more
modern system in the auitor's depart
ment and declares that some of the
methods employed are antiquated and
cumbersome and not consistent with
good accounting. The system now in
vogue, 1t is alleged, would necessitate
endless work to find the proper war;
rants.
The investigating body declares 1t
found great difficulty and annoyance
in auditing the board of education ac-
counts, owing to the fact that the
books in this office carried the war
rant numbers in different manner
from the filing system In vogue in the
auditors office. The system used by
the board of education is recommended
to be followed by the auditors office
and the practice Of the latter In making
pencil footings in some Of the most
important DOCKS OF entry, Wfl6n Cn6
same should be in ink, is condemned.
1t is claimed that great many war
rants and demands examined were
found to be deficient in the matter of
Endorsement and the auditors atten-
ton is called to the fact that no de-
mands or warrants should be received
from the treasurer's office unless prop
erly indorsed.
The grand jury commended the man
ner in which the work of the county
assessors office has been conducted,
stating that the business of this Of
flee had increased matrially since the
last audit.
A general examination of the ac-
counts of the board of education
showed the system TO be fairly salts
factory, although the methods are
cumbersome and should be improved,
says the report.
An examination of the coroner's office
shows the records to be in good form
and the work satisfactory. The grand
fury recommended that in the matter
CONTINUED on Pago Eleyenl