San Andreas independent., 1858-03-06
PER WELLS, FARGO co.'s INLAND EXPRESS. I
SACRAMENTO LETTER.
SACRAMENTO, March 2d. 1875

ilVely as-"a lousy stocking q must
think of lice when thinking of Estell. y
Estell, the State Prison lessee, is sacked
he having been found taking all the ben
ehts, but performing none of the duties
attached to his agreement.
The wise heads of the State are now in
a quandary as to how to fix the manage
ment of the State malefactors. It is pro-
posed to build a new branch prison some
where. The general sentiment seems to
point to Folsom, with view to employ
them on stone works, for the benefit of
the State. If rightly conducted, these
ought at least to pay for or earn their own
keeping and the State Prison establish
ment maintenance also. In the mean
time, the Governor, Lieut. Governor and
Secretary of State have gone down to San
Quentin to take possession of the I" lice
coral in the name of the people, and
with view to see what is to be done.
Many of the magnificent public works
of Australia have been, it is well known,
completed by the convicts; amongst them,
several fine roads through heavy cuttings
in the mountains. Why should ours not
be sent to do similarly?
1t will not, in the face of things, be
proper to say anything by way of com
ment upon the discharge of Bates at Au-
burn, from the charge of taking or doing
something with the public money, because
he has been tried by a jury of his peers
and acquitted, and we are glad of it. But
it has been said that the issue was brought
about by the exertions of one of the Jury,
who strenuously endeavored to impress
his fellow jurymen that the whole thing
from beginning to end was political af-
fair, got up by politicians for political
purposes, or something to that effect
Now, in the face of this report, we think
it to be the duty of the proper authori-
ties to examine into it. If it be true,
what is to be the end of it?
More persons than myself, during the
last twenty years, have thought that the
jury system, as founded by the great Saxon
King, has, in the present day, retrograded
in integrity. have seen cases in which
it has proved to be humbug, a mockery,
folly-and so have many others as we'll
as myself. We have taken King Alfreds S
jury, but we have left out his written
agreement.
Briggs, of Amador, got up in the AS
sembly to-day and defined his position"
on the Vigilance question, in reply to his
back-biters in general, and certain news
paper article containing illusions to his
supposed share in the Vigilance transac-
tions and oak tree history, in jackson,
Amador county. He rose to a question
of privilege, and gin EN- fits"
The Sacramento river is still high. The
wood gatherers have had good time of
it, vast quantities of wreck having hoated
down since the commencement of the
great frcshet. The hog's-back" is no
more bore. Opposition shows its well
come face both up and down the river
At Marysville, the steam wagon which
was to have been propelled by an endless
chain, is, | understand, given up. The
Overton is in statu gao, but will perhaps
shortly get along to completion.
The new bridge close by us, is being
pushed forward-framing timbers being
got out. The piers have stood well, albeit
only of carpentering cased with plank
g Logos," of the Express, week or SO
ago suggested that " telelogue" is better
than telegram, for telegraphic dispatch
| hope however, that in future you will
refer to all such messages asa "teleboxe"
The Grass Valley murder and suicide
has filled everybody with horror.
The Sacramento court house, the present
State capitol, which cost few years ago
the sum of S240,000, and which an agi-
tation was gotten up in the Legislature
with view to purchase for the State, for
its capitol, few days since, is, itappears,
standing partially on ground to which no
title can be given, other than that of pos
session. The same building could now be
built for one-third or one-fourth of the
sum. Some very queer stories attach to
the building of said court house. Be they
true or not, suffice it to say that it would
be easy, in the same way, to make Sim
liar building, built now, to cost similar
sum.
There is no mistake about the wagon
road bill (vetoed last week by the Gov
ernor, and likely again to pass the Hous-
es and become law,) offering fine op-
portunity ssto make money" to those par
ties who have found it to their interest to
log-roll it through. Yes indeed
1t would appear that spirited discus
sion, in which more members took an ac-
tive and interested part, than would seem
at all commensurate with the importance
of the subject, took place in the Assem-
bly, chamber on the question as to whether
Coloma should become the location OF the
Ell Dorado county -seat-whlch was decl-
ded in the Affirmative.
j The same subject may, at some early
day, come before the Assembly, and may
attract similar discussion, as to whether
i San Andreas shall become the county-seat