The herald. [microfilm reel], December 06, 1894, Page 4, Image 4

About The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900

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4
THE PROPOSED CIIY CHARTER.
A View of Its Provisions From
a Favorable Point.
While Hot Perfect, It Is Claimed to
Be an Improvement.
•The City Bas Outgrown its Present
Constitution—The Responsi
bility Attaching to
tha Mayor.
[The Herald, a ehort time ago, pub
lished a view of the proposed amond
ments to the city charter, written by c
gentlemen wbo took an adverse view of
the matter.
Ibe following artiole presents the fa
vorable side of toe matter, and was pre
pared by G, J. Griffiths, the secretary
of the Citizens' league]:
The city of Los Angeles has been gov
erned for the lastßix yeara under a char
ter, whicb, while it was undoubtedly an
improvement on the previously existing
organic law, was made at a time when
the inflation, unnatural growth nnd un
common condition of all affairs in tho
city rendered tbe task of making a char
ter for fnture government very difficult
on account of the great change of condi
tions which must necessarily take place.
While no just criticism of the result of
the labors of the board of freeholders,
which prepared tbe present charter, can
be made, the experience of tbe past fen
years has liuuiuuutraieu iiiat iliac char
ter is inadequate in many respects,
among the prominent points being the
payment of salaries to some offioials i
which are larger than the requirements
of the offices and the current demand
ior such services warrant at the present
time, but which were probably about
rigbt at the time they were made; also,
a laxity of construction in defining and
prescribing tbe duties of officials wtiich
has permitted incompetent, careless or
designing men co great a latitude in the
adminiatration of public offices as to
burden tho city with an expense for
the management of current and ordinary
affaire far out of proportion to the ser
vices rendered, and also to permit tho
efficiency of the public service to reach
a very low ebb. Another grave lauit of j
tbe present charter is that it fails iv !
< every way to provide for the placing of :
responsibility for inefficiency and ex
travagance. The present council has \
been hampered in its management of
city affairs by tbo faults of the charter,
and recognizing the desirability of Ija
provement therein, set to work same
few months since to prepare amend
ments; and the Citizens' league, pur
suing its policy of assisting and encour
aging anything and everything that
will tend to enhance the welfare of the
city, offered its services in tbe work.
Through ita efforts, a committee con- i
eisting of three of its members and :
three from each of tho followiug organi- I
zations, the chamber of commerce, the !
board of trade and the Merchants' it?so
ciation, was created to co-operate with ;
the council committee in preparing j
charter amendments. ' Nearly luur ;
months' time has been Rpent in thia ;
work and the result of their labors is '
now before the people for their ratifies
tion. The proposed amendments are i
not in all respects what the members ol
the citizens' committee hoped nnd en- .
deavored to procure, as tho mom bora of i
the council, with whom the final dcci- I
Bion rested, could not be convinced of i
the desirability ol adopting the propo
eitionß advanced in their entirety, but
the modifications made are a long stride
in the direction of the objects sought,
(and ns the charter, if amended aa pro
posed, will be a great improvement on
the present city law, its adoption by the
people is a most desirable object that
Bhould be attained.
There have been some cfiangeo mside
in the number of offices, notahl? the
abolishment of the offices o: aaßeseor '
and tax collector. Besides these, the
number of school directors is reduced i
by two, the Beater of weights aud meas
ures iB dropped and a building commis- ;
Bion ia established. The abolition of the
two former officers needs little comment
here, ea it has long been a generally ac
cepted conclusion that tho money epent
in their maintenance was a large, use
leas expense to the city because of the
fact that the work done by them is hut
a repetition of that done by county
officials, and the saving which the do
ing away with them will effect will be
considered later on. The cilice of Bonier
of weights aud measures was Btieh it
Beelese one that tho council .has long
since practically done owiiy with it by
ordinance. The building commission is
a much needed addition to the city
government, as the administration of
this department under the present
method ib fur from satisfactory cud there j
have been some sad blunders made.
Tbia commißisiou will be c m posed of ratn ;
of approved char-titer nud ability und J
must be chosen from thoso profesjiens
wherein membership is a guarantee ol
the possession of euch technical knowl
edge aa members of such v commission
abould possess, und its presence in the
oity government will cost nothing, for,
likoall other conircieaions, its members
aro not paid.
Quite a change io mado in tho numbar
of officers who are to be elected and the
experience cf many ether cities much
larger than ouro is a guarantee I fiat
these changes will be greatly for the | i
better. It is here that the queation of i
responsibility cuts a large figure. When J I
tbe mayor is elected Btid ia surrounded i
by a score of officials, who are also elect- ' (
Ed, the office of chief magistrate virtu
ally loses all of its positive usefulness to
the community aud retains only the
naeative quality of use which may be
manifested in an occasional veto. Offi
cials who are elected by tbe people ate
very liable to think that they are en
tirely independent nf all save tbe gen
eral public, and are answerable only to
that, and in these cases the "general
public" is more or less of a vague, inde
finable quantity, possessing neither the
power nor the will lo correct abuses or
right errors, except by now and then
rofosing to re-elect to office some man
whose misconduct has been particularly
flagrant or whose incompetence is glar
ingly apparent; nnd when the time
comes when even this feeble and inef
fective remedy may bs applied, the
mischief is already done and the peo
ple's monoy has been squandered. Bui
under the proposed arrangement tbe
elective offices are mndo very few, and
they are only those officej whose fuoo
tioni are purely administrative or legis
lative, sucholiiccaas circnm'itancearlo or
moy require to be entirely independent
of all others, while all offices the inanngo
ment of which requires the exercise of
technical ability only and do not de
mand the use of judgment, discrimina
tion or discretion io their conduct; in
short, whose dutiea are of a routine
nature, are made appointive, and in
sti'-h a way that incompetence or un
scrupulousnoss in their management
may be at once remedied by removal by
the appointing powers and the people
may thereby be relievod of tho burden
which the bad official places upon them,
instead of being compelled to wait for
tho expiration of a term oi office, during
which time of waiting the abuser) com
plained of aro always continued and
often augmented. The benefit which
thie change will bring, not only in
money saved but in improved aud in
creased efficiency as well, in practically
incalculable. The only elected office's
will be the mayor, city attorney, treas
urer, councilmen and school directors.
All others will either he appointed by
the mayor, subject to confirmation by
the council, or will be appointed by a
commission which will itself be ap
pointed by the mayor under tbe same
approval, so that in any event the I
THE FIRST OF THE SEASON-A scene on spring street yesterday afternoon.
responsibility is located definitely in
some one place.
A very important and valuable amend
ment oroposed is that provid
ing that no officer of the city, in any
capacity, shall be a bondsman for any
pereon ■> ho gives a bend to the city.
This will prevent the possibility of any
j contractor or any other person doing
! business witb the city, being able to se
' cure any influence through bonds that
would permit him to defraud the city in
: any work or business which he under
takes to perform.
Another great point in the amend
ments is that in relation to the receipt
of publio moneys. At present, all offi
; cere who collect city moneys are per
mitted to retain them until they see
{ fit to turn them into the treasury, and
some officials let large suma of money
] accumulate in their offices, often ex
ceeding the nmouut of their official
bond l . Under the proposed amend*
| ruenta such practices will ba stopped,
| for ail moneys received for the city, cx
i cept where state Ibwb govern, must be
paid directly to the treasurer and not to
! the official in whose office the business
j for which ihe money ia to be paid has
! been transacted.
[ A provision ia also made in theße
; amendments for tbo establishment by
tho auditor of a thorough eystera of
bookkeeping and accounts, something
' which the city has needed for a long
. time and the lack of which has cost a
■ greet dent of money. The faults whicb
I have existed are not to be conntrued as
' a source of criticism of those persons
wbo have filled the city auditor's office,
but instead the faults have been in the
1 very poor methods and forms
! which have obtained. The auditor
now keeps a record cf the
general transactions of the
j city which shows the condition of tbe
I different funds and the coat of running
j the different offices, as well as tho total
I coßt of city government: but in the
: other office?, where books are kept, they
i ore frequently f<ir away from the audit
| or's books in balances, and he has no
means of keeping them up, and there ia
much business passing through many
other offices of which he is unable to
havo any record or know anything
about, aud through this system many
extravagances aud much carelessness
' are practiced which a proper system of
b ol:-l»eoping would soon bring to light
aud correct. The different city offices,
in so far as accounts are concerned,
fchould bo conducted like a large mer
cantile establishment, with a main
office and many brancli33, the auditor's
office being the head und all other
offices branches. The books in each
separate office should bo a careful, ac
curate, complete, intelligible and scien
tific record of the transactions of the
office, and from them, at stated pariods,
comprehensive reports should be Ben}
to the auditor's office, whicli reports
Bhould be plum epitomizitions of the
bueinoßß of tbe cilice, and from these
tbe auditor would bo able to keep a
food record of thu detail of city offices.
One of the worst faults of tha present
syutom is the manner in which the de
mands are bandied. Theße paporß are
made out in the different deportments
where the demands originate, and are
not uworu to, iv Dome cases not even
signed, b; tho payee, until the
money is received. Thoy go from
these departments to the council,
and upon approval there are sent
to tho mayor for his assent. Thence
they ure t'orwarucd to the auditor, who,
il he approve, turns them over to the
respective payees, who take the de
mands themselves to the treasurer and
receive their money, after which the
demands are returned to the auditor to I
LOS ALETTES TIERALTTs T THURSDAY MORNING, DECEMBER. 6, 1894.
be tiled away, Tbe demands ahould all
be signed and aworn to by the reapect
ive persons who are to be paid before
being presented to the council, after
which tbe courae ahould be the
aame aa it ia at present till the auditor's
office is reaohed, where they should be
retained and the payee should receive
bis money from the treasurer on a war
rant drawn by the auditor in conformi
ty with the instructions given in the
demand. This amendment provide*
for all of this, and makes imperative the
filing of reports from ell officers, which
will plainly show not only all ordinary
business transactions and the receipt
and disbursement of all public moneys,
but also tbo receipt aud disposition
made of all materials end supplies as
well. It also provides that the auditor
ehall keep an alphabetical list of tbe
bondsmen of all city officials, no that the
sufficiency or insufficiency of any offi
cial's bond may be easily ascertained at
any time. This amendment is one of
the most desirable and most needed
i that could be conceived, and, taken by
itself alone, is amply sufficient reason
I for the adoption of the proposed amend
ments.
The city attorney and his deputies
are made to be city officials in the true
sense of the word by a provision which
requires tbem to devote their time to
the duties of the office, and forbids them
from attending to any legal business
i outside of that iv which the city ia in
terested. This will give the city the
benefit oi the undivided attention of ita
paid legal advisers, untrammaled by
the distraction incident to tho work
wtiich must be done on outside business
and will prevent the possibility of col
lusion in any matter to whicli the city
is a party or in which it is interested.
The question of reports from tbe dif
ferent officials is given particular atten- I
tiuu iv theso atfiajfidments, provisions
being made which require thoroughly
comprehensive and intelligible reports
to be made annually, whereby tbe gen
eral publio will bo able to know all the
details of municipal affairs, instead of
the general and very unsatisfactory
knowledge which may be gleaned from
tbe reports whicli aro now made.
In tbe matter of salaries, some excel
lent and commendable changes have
been proposed. Tbe office of mayor
carriei witb it a great degree of distinc
tion but to piece the sulasv at a email
sum would be to make it a rich man's
office exclusively, and wouid debar
many worthy and honorable citizens
whose livlihood"must be earned by their
daily efforts, so the office Bhould have a
salary which should not estop the aspir
ations of tbis class and it haa been
placed at $.'!'JOO per annum. It would
not be possible to find men of aufficient
ability and character to act aa connoil
man for less money than is now paid, so
the salary of this office has been left at
the old figure. Tbe duties of the city
clerk are eucb as to require a good deal
of labor, fair ability as an aoconntant
and the exercise of good discriminative
judgment, and it is thought that $2400
per year ia as small a sum as will
command the services of such
a mm, so this salary has not been
alte cd. There are few, if any, book
keepers in tbia city who are receiving
more than $200 per month nnd ai it
must be admitted that this is a good
salary for this kind of work, the audi
tor's pay haa been placed at that figure.
The treasurer's salary has not been
changed, remaining at $2100, and the
salaries of engineer, chief of police and
attorney have been lolt at $3000. The
superintendent of buildings has been
reduced from $2900 to $1800 per annum,
the belief being general that tbe office
is not worth more, aud co with the
health officer, who is reduced from
$2400 to xgJOO. The largest reduction
in salary is made in the office oi street
superintendent, it being from $3000 to
$2000 per annum. The duties of thie
office do not require any brilliant nor
remarkable qualities in its incumbent,
being purely administrative, and any
man wno has a fair knowledge of streets
I and roadways aud possesses ordinarily
good judgment can fill it acceptably
and many such can be found who will
take the office for a smaller sum, and
not only that, but this sum is much
more than some Btreet superintendents
that wo havo had in the past could pos
sibly havo earned outside of office. Al
together, these reductions in salaries ef
foct a saving of $2800 per year, and in
tbe line of direct saving, to this must
be added the amount which tbe abo
lition of the office of tax collector will
save, which will be $20,000. Here is a
total of nearly $23,000, and it Is not all.
for with the increased efficiency in all
officas which must come from the
stringent rules which they make, taken
I with tbe facilities for the detection and
correction of minor extravagances, will
increase this naturally and it is sure
j that a saving of at leaat $25,000 per
year will be effected.
One of the best propositions in these
amendments is that plaoing the c:ty
election in the early spring. At present,
with our city election following close
upon others which of necessity are of a
otrong partisan character, the voter is
greatly influenced by his political affilia
tions, when he should be at liberty to
cast hie ballot with a view only to the
benefit of the city. A lapse of four
months will give time for partisan feel
ing to nubside, and the selection of city
officials may then be made outside of
party associations,which will often work
for the welfare of the city.
Au excellent provision is also made
concerning contracts for cortain city
work. Under these amendments all
contracts for lighting, street sweeping,
cartiuj? garbage and kindred business
must be publicly advertised for at least
six months beiore the expiration of the
contract which the uaw bidder is to su
percede. This will permit of new com
petitors having a chance at this kind of
work, and destroy the monopolies which
now exist by reason of tbere being in
sufficient time between tbe time of ad
vertising and the commencement of
work for new plants lo be got ready for
oporation.
Another excellent amendment la tbat
relating to atreet railway franchises,
which provides that cars shall be run
on all tracks under franchise from tbe
city at least every 15 minutes, aud a
failure to comply therewith will result
in the immediate forfeiture of the fran
chise.
One of the very wise provision*) ia
that relating to the term of office in the
council and board of education. Under
the present system if a bad element in
politics succeeds in carrying a city elec
tion it gains full away, for all council
men and achool directors are elected at
one time, but under the new arrange
ment only half of thie new body (or aa
near thereto as may be) is elected at
one time. The term of office in each
case iB made four years, tbe members of
tho council, from the odd numbered
wards being olected one year, and two
| years from that time those from the
i even numherad wards are elocted. The
board of education is composed of seven
members, elected at large, which will
insure the opportunity of getting a good
hoard at all times, and they will also be
elected alternately.
These proposed amendments are not
fully in lino with the modern ideas of
municipal government,whioh have given
great satisfaction wherever tried, but
they are in the right direction, and all
voters who have the prosperity of our
city at heart, who wish to soe a more
efficient administration of municipal
affaire, who wisii to have taxes reduced,
and wbo desite to prevent the future
domination ol rings and other corrupt
political influence*, should use every
j endeavor to bring about tbeir approval
I h* tha Afitvtla
Ac it ia impossible to give a full, de
tailed account of so lengthy a document
and bo many amendments in a newspa
per letter, there is much in favor of
amendments which is left unsaid here,
but many facts and much data can be
produced in support, and I will take
pleasure in giving all wbo wish to call
upon me further information in the
matter.
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
New Members Reoalved—Routine Bnal-
The board of directors of the cham
ber of commerce met yesterday after
noon. There were present the follow
ing directors: Freeman, Forman,
Stimson, Francisco, Cohn, Eieen, Sev
erance, Mullen, McGarvin, Klokke and
Jones.
The secretary reported on the con
dition of the finances of tbe chamber,
and eaid that when 70 more members
were obtained tbe organization would
be in a satisfactory condition, and that
at least two-thirds of this number ought
to be obtained thie month, It was de
cided to resume the active canvass until
the required numboi was scouted.
The following were elected to mem
bership: Henry A. Darling, real estate
and loans; H. C. Wyatt, manager Los
Angeles theater; D. P. Hatch, attorney ;
Southern California Lumbar company,
wholesale lumber; Lawia Thome, sec
retary Agricultural Fair association.
A communication was read from Geo.
VV. Parsons, delegate of the chamber to
tbe trausmisßießippi congress, reporting
what he had accomplished at the meet
ing of that body, and the thanks of the
chamber were tendered Mr. Parsons for
his services there and his action in pre
senting a resolution in favor of the im
provement of tbe enter harbor of San
Pedro.
A communication waa read from D.
Edeon Smith, secretary of the Southern
California Pomological society, asking
that a committee be appointed from tbe
chamber to confer with a committee
from their organization with regard to
inviting the members of the American
Pomological society, which ia to meet in
Sacramento in January, to visit South
ern California. The chair was empow
ered to appoint a oommittee of three in
the matter.
The 26th of December wae fixed as
the date for a meeting of the chamber,
at which nominations shall be made for
officers and directors.
Additional new members bave recent
ly been brought in by \Y. C. Patterson,
(Jeorge Gebhardt, Hancock Banning,
M. F. O'Daa. O. G. Johnson, E. F. C.
Klokke, T. D. Stimson, O. Pooley, li. B.
Young.
Petty Offenders Fined.
In the police court yesterday George
: Davis got 20 days in the chain-gang for
! petty larceny; John Gleaaon, Paul Con
rad, John Smith, Jack Henley, Thomas
j Brown, Charles Tolland and Thomas
I Camp got one day each for vagrancy, and
I tne drunks came in for the usual fine of
!$2 to $5, according to the "aiziness of
! the jag." Thomas Bishop got ao care
' lubs aa to disturb the peace, and waa
i mulcted of $5 to settle the damage.
Held for Burglary.
J, W. Ellis was given a preliminary
examination in Justice Austin's court
yesterday on a charge of burglary, and
was held for trial in tho sum of $1600,
Ho is accused of robbing tbe residenoe
of Mrs. l'omeroy, at Tenth and Olive
stree(6, several days ego, getting away
with some valuable cloake, aucquoo, etc.
Vucklfjn'e Arnica Halve.
The best salve in the world for outs, bruises,
sores, ulcers, uaitrhoam, lever gores, teller,
chapped bunds chilblain', coma and all skill
eruptions, and positively earns piles or no pay
required. It is gmrunteed to give perfect tut
islactiou or money refunded. Price, Vis cents
per box. For aale by (J. F. Ueinzeuiaa, i'l'i N.
main street.
Largest stock of wa 1 piper at lEckstrom's, 30D
Ida It at. Kigbt price-good taste.
YESTERDAY'S WELCOME SHOWER
The Crops Are Started and the
Farmers Jubilant.
A Large Yield of Grain in tbe
County Now Assured.
Oahnanga will Keep Up Iti Reputation
for Kerly Shipments of Vegeta
ble!—Dlapatchee From Neigh
boring tovii,
It commenced to rain gently Tuesday
night and a general downpour kept up
all night, much to the gratification of
tbe merchants and business men of the
city, who reuiembored the general hard
times of last year caused ,by a dry sea
son. The farmers are particularly jubi
lant, for rain to them meana prosperity.
They have patiently waited for a down
pour for a month or more, realizing tbat
without it their crops would atart only
to be burned by tbe heat of the aun's
raya.
The producera ot tha Cahuenga dis
trict are elated. Their section ia noted
all over the country for prodncing early
vegetables, and the rain to tbem means
extensive shipments to supply the de
mands of the eastern markets. Ca
huenga aIBO produces the finest lemona
iv tho state, and tbe rain of yesterday
will give new life to tbe lemon trees and
insure a bounteous crop.
Around Downey, tbe great grain cen
ter oi the county, the farmers bave
built up great expectations on account
of the ahower. Laat aeason tha grain
crop waa vory light, hardly paying the
coat of harvest, but yesterday's rain ie
indicative of full granaries and exten
sive shipments.
The rain in the elty hae given new
1 lustre to the house fronts, fresh life to
to tbe flowers, and has generally purified
the atmosphere and flushed the Bewere
as no artificial meane could do. It has
given a Btimulus to trade, and all our
merchants feel like eelecting their holi
day gocda with a greater consciousness
of ample retnrn.
In speaking about the shower, tbe
men in charge of the weather bureau
said yesterday that it had set in for a
"big rain." The barometer began fall
ing on Tuesday with easterly-southerly
winds and cloudy |weather all over tbe
coast. Slight rains had fallen before
laat night in San Diego, San Luie
Obispo and in Northern California, and
there is every indication oi a general
storm all over tbe coast.
Yeaterday forenoon the barometer be
gan dropping again, and the ehower
whioh started in the early part of the
night before had reached .31 of an inch
at 5 o'clock yeeterday morning and .74
of an inch at noon, making a total of
I.4Binoheß for the seaaon.
TIIK RAIN IN THE COUNTRY,
Santa Ana, Deo. s.—lt baa been rain
ing nearly the whole day, after ahower
all hint nigbt. The rain falls quite slowly
and all goes into the ground. It ia a
grand thing for the ranchers. It ia atill
raining, with good proapocts for another
all night rain.
Riverside, Dec. s.—The firat general
rainatorm of tbe seaaon began last night
and continued alt day, with good pros
r l®S®a®
& m
I Woodlawn! i
® This beautiful property « f, i MAMMOTH PEPPER *W
H fronts on - j H| ; TREfiS.
Jefferson, —I gt mtfirsa T9 *— 'ii ' —n l!!-year-old orange trees H
in Main ' /ill 111TiTrifm iTn f r-*-----—" 011 evci> y h,t * ©
gh Thirty-filth, Z3 | | I \ I ! , j Graded Streets. w
Thirty-sixth, ill ' f' IA Cement walks and curbs.
™ Thirty-seventh and IIIii!!||JI I I 1 , { 1 I | 11 Q Building- restrictions. j*
\? Maple avenue. ~■ ■ ■ . .y. ■■, ■ ■ igp\ PRICES: jg
i 3 SLiff :SI MOO TO,IOOO :
%) ~ oa ° b '° Ct We " U SL—J jl[j jj (TTm-nTfTi k CTTN TERMS: H
5 Line, - jjj | j | n IQTT g
• -M.p1...'. Electric. j Uj? (JlWi nIKJJ OAM) J
-One block N. K. I S *"" Balance i and 2 yeara.
FOR MAPS, INFORMATION, DATTrD P, WFCT Owners, 158 W. FIFTH street, mm
ETC., ETC., SEE TUI IX-iIY OL YV LiO 1 , or irquire at office on tract.
\ HIGHEST PREMIUMS OFFERED IN AMERICA. *^:$««».
—1 * Above aU com petitore at
\ "" " > ,I s /-\ -~F*f~\ ~ J all exhibits vriie;e work
1 nontn t t e ne ( B late omP '- t; -
STUDIO AND OPERATING ROOMS have lately bien remodeled and equipped with all the latest improvements,
which places it among the foremost studios in America. All the latest styles and designs used. Platinotypes
Carbon and Sepia Portraits. iECURE YCUR SITTINGS IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS.
lOT NORTH SPRING ST., LOS ANGELES, OAL..
pect tonight for a continuance. The fall
here bas been about an inch and a hall
of rain, whioh was welcomed by tbe
farmers ol thia connty, who now ace a
proapect for a good aeaaon'a crop.
Santa Monica, Dec. s.—lt commenced
raining laat nigbt at midnight and con
tinued alowly but continuously until
tbia evening, and the indications are
good for continuance all night. Ihe
gauge shows 1.31 inches About one
third of tbe land in this vicinity is
planted and the farmers are delighted.
San Brk.nardino, Dec. s.—lt began
raining here about 10 o'clock last even
ing and ia still pouring down. The rain
fall up to noon today is 1.80 inches. At
Squirrel inn, in the mountains north of
the city, the rainfall was 3.25 inches up
to 3 o'clock today.
Pasadena, Deo. s.—Tne rain, the
beautiful rain, put in an appearance last
night at (bout 11 oclock, and has been
coming down with no let up ever sinoe.
Up to 7 o'clock this evening the tall had
amounted to about 1.75 inches, and
prospects good for a coniinuance. The
downfall comes in good time end will
prove of much benefit to this section
generally. Farmers will he now able to
set about ploughing for the grain orop,
which has been delayed on account of
the rains being so backward. No
trouble has ao far reaulted from the rain, .
except the falling of an clectriu light
pole at the corner of ColnVado and Los '
ltoblea, which delayed travel for a ohort
time. The gutters, generally, are carry
ing off tbe ntorm water in good shape.
AT SAN DIROO.
San Diego, Dec. s.—At 5 o'clock to
night .18 of an inch of rain had fallen.
The barometer was low and indicated
more rain. Reports of the downpour
bave been received from all over the
county. An inch and a half cf rain
fell in the mountains.
AT SACRAMENTO.
Sacramento, Dec's.—A drizzling rain
has been falling here nearly all day and
tonight. It ia the kind of rain that far
mers like. Tbe fall today was about
three-quarters of an mob, making 3.25
for the season to date, aa againat 3.32 to
the same date laat year.
CLAUDE CAMPBELL.
Bis Father Sayl the Boy Ii Thoughtless
bnt Not Hed.
Rev. J. W. Campbell and bia wife, the
parents of Claudo C. Campbell, who was
hazed by hia olaaamatea at the atate
univeraity at Berkeley, the other day,
for wearing Stanford colora at a football
game, were eeen about the matter by a
Herald reporter yeaterday.
"You may aay," eaid tbe reverend
gentleman, "that while our- boy has
caused us more or lesa trouble, he ie not
at all vicioua. He ia unusually bright
and haa a very nervoue temperament.
He ia extremely impulsive, and often is
guilty of doing things thoughtlessly
whioh be would refrain from doing if he
would only stop and think.
"His troubles at Stanford laat year,
while to be regretted, were not at all
disgraceful. He waa entered at the
Btate univeraity for thia term and waa
to have bean returned to Stanford next
year. I hope that thia last trouble will
not prevent hie entering tho latter insti
tution, for be much prefers to attend
there than any place else. The boy iB
wild and thoughtless, but. we have every
hope that by the time he reaches man
hood he will outgrow these- boyish
freaks and make up to come extent for
the worriment he has caused his frienda
who are interested in hia eucceaa."
Dr. Parker, dnntiat, 13.1 i West Pint stroes
SANTA MONICA.
Tha Tt.ln Krok.a Thankagtvlrjg- Aa
Kn(ln«rt'i BUI.
Santa Monica, Dao. 6.—The patter ol
the rain npon tho roof, about midnight,
waa the tlueat muaio that our citizsna
could hear, und it kept up until about 1
p. m. wheu there waa a ceaaation, but
every indication oi more before the final
closing up. Ita ooming haa gladdened
all henrts, from farmer to tradesman.
A large portion of the adjacent lands
have already been planted and thus tha
rain can' do its good offices with double
the results ordinarily expected.
On looking over the records of tba
nroceedings of the board of trueteea, it
ia found that on October 15th tbey passed
a resolution authorizing the acting en
gineer, Mr. Thomas li. James, to do cer
tain work under the supervision of the
Btreet committee, which bo did to the
complete satisfaction of ths committee;
his bill, a small one, by the war, for tha
seivices performed, was tbo $15 one left
over at the Monday evening meeting,
when in fairness to Mr. James, it abould
iiave been paid.
On Thursday, at the bride'a parents'
residence in Pasadena, Eulogio Garrillo,
aon of J. .1. Carrillo of this place, will
be married to Miaa Grace H. Westover of
that place, but who formerly resided
here, both bride and groom being popu
lar among our young people.
Oards are out announcing tbe ap
proaching wedding of Miss Marion
Annabel, daughter of Mra. V. V. Hop
kins.
Joe Kennedy, an inmate of the
soldiers' borne, was tried before Justice
Willie for assault with a deadly weapon
in stabbing a fellow inmate witb a pair
of shears, and was bound over to await
the action of the superior court.
Captain Dnuiieid, of ihe luatuuiuiii
wharf, has gone to San Franoisco and
will return to Port Los Angeles witb tha
tug Collie.
The wharf haa been aupplied with a
number of water pails and ropea, etc.,
ao au additional protection against fire.
Mr. and Mrs, Alexander Young of
West Bend, lowa, are enjoying a week
here, preparatory to making an extend
ed trip through Southern California.
Seaside lodge No. 360, 1.0.0. F., at ita
last eeaaion elected the following officers
for the ensuing term: Geo. W. Heimer,
N.G.; I. D. Richmond, V.G.; CD.
Middlekauff, treasurer; I. A. Willis,
recording secretary ; Geo. B. DexUr, Peo
Sec.; S. F, Carpenter, trnatee.
Miss Blanche Bancroft, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. D. L. Bancroft nf Third
street, who haa boon absent for tbe paat
year and a half, haa returned home, ac
companied by Miss Sullivan X, Hooper
of Weupun, Wis.
Trouble Over Diamond!.
J. W. Coleman and A. H. Reed, who
got into tronble the other clay concerning
aome diamonde belonging to Coleman's
mother, Mra. A. H. Spencer, of 845
South Broadway, have been released,
the charges against them having been
kept out of the courts. It is asserted
Coleman took his mother's valuables,
and ehe refused to prosecute him. Reed
was arrested on a charge of receiving
stolen diamonds, but there is not enough
evidence to convict him. lie was re
leased from tha city jail yo«terdav, while
Coleman secured bis release in Sau Ber
nardino by means of habeas corpus.
Herr August Asmold, Norwegian vio
linist, playa on a JSOOO instrument.
Performance at Normal School hall, to
morrow evening. Tickets, 50 centa; re
served aeats, 75 oenls.
Drink Shnnta Water, Woollacott agent.