The Nevada journal., 1855-03-30

that charter the claim laid by the city o
Sacramento against the State of Califor
MIA was commenced. The early rains o
1s49, no adequate protection having beer
provided against them, aggravated thu
miseries of the suffering, and brought OF
fevers of malignant type, which swep
numerous victims to the grave.
Such was the wide spread misery ant
suffering, that, Notwithstanding the activ
ity and humane efforts of the city author
tiles, the assidious attention and untirins
devotion to the cause of humanity on th1
part of the Odd Fellows and Masons, an(
the princely and constant contribution
by private citizens, no amount of charity
which the people of Sacramento were able
to bestow could relieve the wants and ne.
cessities Of the sick and INDECENT popu
lation.
Application was made, in this season Of
calamity, to the military Governor o.
California, in vain; and thus, when the
! sympathies and assistance of nation
were invoked and needed, Sacramento
was thrown upon her own resources,
crippled as they were with constant drain
ings, and, with an empty treasury and
bankruptcy staring her in the face-such
were the enormous rates of interest at
that period-redoubled her efforts and at
tempted to dispel the gloom of the over
shadowing aff1ictiyn; and, though every
thing around seemed to say "die' lifted
her weak yet willing arm to save.
Rut Go to w.c doopooJ - ct,1l
worse calamitics. Early in 1850, the
waters of the river cs me pouring in upon
the city, destroying lives as we'll as an inn
mense amount of property, and heighten-
ing, to an incredible degree, the suferings
of the diseased and INDECENT, besides i'm
posing still heavier burthen upon hold
ers of property left by the flood, and call
ing more loudly for immediate and active
assistance from the authorities in remov-
ing to places of safety the suffering and
needy, and procuring the necessary medi-
cal aid and attendance, and for the burial
of the dead.
During the summer of 1850, such was
the influx of immigrants into the State, a
large proportion of whom centered for a
time in Sacramento, that many poor, de-
hilitated subjects for the hospital were
from necessity, thrown upon the iberality
care and support of the city government
The records of the times, and the facts
brought before the committee, show con-
clusively, that during the year 1850
alone, the city of Sacramento disbursed
for charitable purposes over 100000 be-
sides the constant depletion of the pur-
ses of private individuals, by hapless
mendicants who met them at every cor
ner.
In October of that year, that direful
5courge the Asiatic Cholera, came to
California and swept Sacramento with the
tesom of destruction. The impoverished
stranger debilitated by an arduous voy-
age, or tedious journey, detected with
want, exiled from the comforts of home
and feeling that he was stranger in a
strange land, become an easy prey to the
epidemic destroyer.
Hundreds thus in few short weeks
filled strangers grave, leaving nothing
behind them but debt to the city that
performed the last acts of kindness and
consolation, and granted them the rites of
a christian sepulture. And for all this
Sacramento now asks partial renumera-
ton at the hands of this Legislature.
The committee are satisfied of the fact
that the amount expended, considering the
nature of the times, was not lavishly ex-
pended, but as general thing less prices
were paid by the city than by individuals
for the same services and articles that
the sums alleged to have been disbursed,
were actually paid; that they were paid
in money and for the purposes set forth in
the petition and accompanying papers,
referred to the committee by the House !;
that the whole amount of $144,295 SO
was paid to furnish necessary comforts,
medical aid, and attendance to the suffer
ing sick and needy from all parts of the
State as well as all parts of the world,
and for the proper burial of persons of
this class.
While it is true that Sacramento had
no legal right to assume the duties, re-
sponsibilities and liabilities, which she
now contends belonged to the State at
large, to have done less than she did do,
would have branded her citizens with last
ing infamy and disgrace.
She could not and did not let the for
lorn and distressed stranger die neglected
in her streets, but gave alike to them,
and her own citizens in distress to the
last dollar, and then pledged her credit
for immense sums to bestow in aims and
under the heavy debt thus created, with
its accommodating interest she is groaning
to this day. 1t was one of those rare
cases in the history of State, that re-
quired prompt and efficient action, and
it seems that Sacramento put forth her
best and noblest efforts to meet the ends
the crisis demanded To have delayed,
or hesitated would have largely swollen
the lists of victims.
The justness Of the claim in the opin-
ion of the committee, is enhanced by the