Los Angeles herald., 1910-06-15
HIGHWAY BOARDS
WORK IS SCORED
Report Of Grand Jury Contains
Startling Charges Regard
ing Work on Roads
LAXlTY IN MANY OFFICES
Methods Employed at AImShouSe
Come in for Severe Con-
demnation
CONTINUED from Pare One,

OF expenses incurred by this once the
bill of expense should be rendered in
duplicate, one copy to be given the
auditor and the other to be retained in
the office for the purpose of facili-
tating a check on its affairs without
referring to the auditors office for the
data.
SYSTEM GOOD
Referring. to the county clerks office
the grand jury found that 1t conduct
ed a very large volume of business in
a systematic and concise manner. The
system was recommended and partic-
ular stress laid upon the efficiency of
the filing system. which is very thor
ough and easily accessible.
For an institution requiring large ex-
penditure by the county for mainte-
nance, says the report, the county hos
pital, in its system of accounts, is re-
markably deficient An audit of the
books showed that no trial balance had
been taken for a period of eighteen
months and the accounts were COM
PEELED to go back into the preceding
years business to arrive at a working
basis.
A thoroughly modern system of ac-
counts is recommended. particularly in
regard to the purchase of supplies and
merchandise. The store room account
involves q considerable sum of money
and the methods used as a check are
worthless, says the report
PAYROLLS inefficient
The manner of listing employees and
making up payrolls is found inefficient,
demands often being changed after en-
tries have been made in the books.
The county hospital appears to be
we'll managed, says the report, and the
patients are we'll cared for. The street
running east and west on the south side
of the hospital is found to be ungraded
and very dusty and causes great dis
tress, especially to the tuberculosis
patients. There is also grave danger
of infection from the flies swarming
around the corridors, porches and open
spaces of the tuberculosis ward, as well
as the other hospital buildings, and
proper screens are recommended.
The insane ward Is declared to be
too near the adjoining buildings occu-
pied by sick patients, and new build
ing built as far as possible from the
other structures is recommended. The
management of the hospital reveals
state of divided responsibility which
detracts from efficient work, says the
grand jury. At present the duties of
the superintendent appear to be re-
stricted to the medical department and
the caro- of the sick. while the superin-
tendent of nurses and the hospital
steward brook no interference with
thcir respective departments. The
grand jury believes that full power
should be vested In the general super
intendent. An investigation of charges
against the steward of the hospital
of selling vegetables shipped from the
county farm to the hospital, according
to the report, revealed that the steward
had given surplus vegetables to chari-
table institutions. This was found to
have been done without authority. The
grand fury recommended that any sur
plus vegetables should be sent to the
public market and the proceeds duly
accounted for.
DISTRICT ATTORNEY
The grand jury approved of the work
done by the district attorneys office
and went into details of the work
covered by this department. The in
yestigation of criminal cases is con-
sidered thorough and justified in OBJ
tanning an efficient administration of
justice.
An examination of the dockets of the
various Justices Of the peace revealed
many errors Of a clerical character and
these officers are recommended to make
a settlement at stated intervals with
the county treasurer, accounts having
been held back long after cases were
disposed of. Ignorance on the part OF
many incumbents in regard to book
keeping is claimed to be the cause of
loose methods in the transaction of
routine business. The form of the
docket should be revised, says the re-
port, to allow of more explanation and
detail.
More room for the law library is
recommended to be arranged for on the
completion of the new hall of records
and a more modern system of indexing
is asked to be installed.
The Office Of public administrator is
found to have been conducted in an ac-
curate and proper manner, and the
only recommendation made is that
trial balance book, which should show
the various cash balances each month,
should be installed.
The affairs in the Office of the county
recorder are found to be in good order
and the system of accounting Is com
mended. Attention is called to the
economical manner in which the office
is conducted, the receipts from July l, |
19OS to December 81. 1909, being $242.-
534.95, expenses being $194, ,660.83, leaving
q net profit for the Office of $47,874.12.
sHERITT'S OFFICE
An examination Of the affairs Of the
sheriff's office showed them to be con-
dueted IN a fairly good manner tne
only recommendation made being that
all entries in books of original entry
should be written in ink.
An exhaustive report Of the various
jails in the county was made by the
grand jury, which reported that every |
thing in the county Jail was found in
perfect condition. Several pages are |
devoted to commencing the manner in |
which the different departments are
conducted. Early action Is suggested |
in the purchase of land adjoining the |
iail for future requirements in view |
of the fact that the present structure
is already well filled. The purchase of
twenty acres centrally located in the |
county is recommended for a stockade |
for prisoners held for minor offenses |
1t is suggested that the chain gang
can then raise vegetables for their own |
consumption and for prisoners In other |
1ails in the county. The stockade on
the east side was found to be in good |
condition, few recommendations be-
ing made for the convenience of those |
detained there.
CITY JAIL
The city Jail was found to be in an
unsatisfactory condition as to clean
liness, especially in the woman's de-
partment Suggestions are made for
the Improvement of the kitchen, baths
and toilets. The women's department |
should be arranged so that women of |
refinement should be separated from
criminals and the lowest class Of hui
manity, says the report, and this is rec
iury's investigation, showed that he !