Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1858-02-13
Hrpo,t Of tho Grand Jury.
To the Hon. the Court Of Sessions of FL DOrr


To tho Hon. the Court Of Sessions Of FL Dorado
County:
The undersigned members Of the Grand Jury
for your February Term, A. d. 1865, having dis
posed Of all business before them, would respect
fully submit the following report Of their proceed
ings and ask to be discharged:
During our deliberations, we have found four
true bills: One for murder in the second degree
ono for grand larceny one for permitting banking
game, and one for exhibiting deadly weapons.
After having disposed Of the criminal business
which 1t became our duty to investigate, our at
tcntion has been given to the examination Of the
several departments Of the County Government
The short time which we could give (with proper
confederation for economy to the last mentioned
branch Of our duty, prohibited us from entering
into detailed investigation of the separate trans
actions Of each Office, and necessarily confined
attention to general results and the present appa-
rent condition Of the County affairs.
by visiting the County Jail, ten or twelve miles
from the County Seat, We would have incurred
much Inconvenience and considerable expense to
the County, therefore, We deemed II advisable to
receive evidence concerning its present condition
and the inmates thercOf-thercby ObYiating the nc
ccssity Of visiting the same i'll person. From such
information had before US, we prepared
" say that the said Jail is in good condition and
repair tie prisoners are properly cared for, pro-
vidcd with wholesome diet, and receive as many
comforts Of life their situation should expect.
The several County offices having been visited By
us, and the manner Of transacting the business Of
said offices examined, to limited extent, confirm
in the belief that each incumbent has faithfully
endc avored to discharge the duties devolvcd upon
him. Hence we have no cause to complain, but
reason TO express full confidence in their abili
ty, capacity and fidelity to conduct the business
affairs Of the County.
Although our confidence rcpOscd in our County
Officers may be great, and they may discharge
punctually every branch Of their official duty, yet
We regret to say that the present financial cOndi-
ton OF our County indicates consequences that we
apprehend, neither the faithful performance of our
officers nor the punctual discharge of their duties
can prevent. That cistern must ultimately drain
empty whose discharges far excel the source or
fountain head, notwithstanding the Watchful eyes
Ofthe keeper. That individual whose income falls
far short Of his expenditures, must of necessity
become irretrieVably bankrupt, though he may be
ever so willing to pay his debts If the principle
NIL apply to our County Government, serious ap-
prehensions may be entertained that We are OH the
downward road to bankruptcy instead Of the more
independent thoroughfare Of "pay as you gH,''-in
evidence Of which We give the following statement
Of facts:
1t appears on the Trcasurcr's book that warrants
drawn, presented and registered prior to the 9Th
of october, 1891 and now remaining unpaid amount
10 $',oo@ %, those drawn since and up to the LIST
Of February, 1858, amount to $24, 1858 vi, making
in the aggregate S322l6 rs, registered and unpaid
the Isl of the present month say nothing of those
warrants issued from the Auditors Office and new
or presented to the Treasurer at all, those which
have been appropriated and are now in the Audi
tors office, ready to be delivered to the proper
party applying for the same.
sand dollars per month have been appropriated to
dcfray thc'ordinary expenses Of the County. TAX
ing into consideration the period referred to, and
from which We obtained the proportion mentioned.
that amount would not be fair estimate per month,
for many heavy expenses will be incurred during
the neat eight months to come. which never occur
in the period of the year which we have part!cu-
larry examined. Therefore, We estimate that it
will require nearly or quite the SUN of 1900 per
month 10 meet the expenses of the County, which
would in eight months amount to $50, 900, or add
the present outstanding debt Of So, 2l6 It, and We
have $92,2l6 rs. TOP this amount, calculating
from the receipts Of the last past four months
(Which, by the way, will not exceed $4,000 per
month, property tax cxcludetl, we will have $780,,
OOO. 1t will not be safe to estimate the property
tax as levied BY the Board Of Supervisors for the
present year, to yield to the general fund over
$4,000, which must leave deficit oi at least $780,,
QUO on the LIST of next October.
We find the Hospital Fund, cash on hand, g.,
Big %. School Fund, cash on hand, $2,6l6 "a -
warrants registered against said fund, $40.
Road Fund, cash on hand, $50 81; registered war
rants, $500.
The small of ninety dollars is all that appears
to have been received into the County Treasury
from the numerous suits instituted against parties
throughout the County for delinquent licenses,
while the costs attending such suits have been
quite large, from which we are constrained to be-
lievc that wrong exists somewhere. Either the
Justices Of the Peace before whom these
have been tried have failed to pay the
collected by them, or the District Attorney has
been very unfortunate in his prosecutions. We
would, therefore, recommend the Board Of Super
Visors to make inquiry into the matter, and hold
those guilty OF carClcsSncSs or negligence to strict
accountability.
We visited the County Hospital and would say
that the same is in good condition. The inmates
appear to have proper attention. and the house and
fixtures are clcany and well adapted to the pur-
pose for which they are used.
For the purpose Of preventing unnecessary Ni-
CATION at the expense Of the County, We would re-
commend that persons having stock running at
large comply with the statute concerning marks
and brands, and that township officers give proper
attention to this subject.
We would recommend that the Board of Super
visors order the County Surveyor to mark out, de-
fine and locate the various County and State Roads
in the County. Our reason for this recommended
tion is, that none Of roads have any permanent
cy,-ihstances frequently occurring Of injurious
changes being made whenever the same suits the
convenience OF individual parties, and there are
very few If any instances in which the statute
could be enforced, from the very fact of the inabl
ity to establish the real locality Of the road.
We would recommend that the Board of Super
vis0rs ascertain and cause to be published, the
amount of salaries and fees received by each Of
the County Officers during the last twelve months.
We have examined the accounts audited and al
lowed by the present Board Of Supervisors and find
that they have, with few exceptions, closely
scrutnized the bills presented and have properly
cut them down. Many Of the bills exhibit an at
tempt to obtain constructive fees for services which
We do not think were intended to be allowed under
the statute this more especially applies to the
charges for mileage. from the indefinite and
vague manner in which bills arc made out, it is al
most impossible for the Supervisors to know
whcn-they do make-the- proper allowance. We
would suggest that when mileage is charged, not
only the distance travelled should be mentioned but
sufficient explanation should accompany il to ena-
bic the Board TO determine whether the proper
amount is charged not. The items should be
definite and their date given We cannot over
look the disregard Of the statute in charging mile
age for the service of each and every paper by an
officer who may have various ones to pertain
tuuN 70 h, h,,,s waat
ding in the same direction. We would, in this
connection, refer particularly to a bill that came
under our notice, presented to the Board of Su-
pcrvisors the 9Th Of October 1857 in favor Of T..
b. Carson late Sheriff, and by the Board allowed.
by examining the said account, we are of the Opn-
ion that constructive mileage, AZ charged therein,
is contrary to the law made and provided in such
cases, and should not have been allowed by the Su
pcrVisors. The amount charged by said bill being
30 much larger than just compensation for the
services rendered, We deem it duty to call the
they may be more careful in similar allowances in
the future.
This subject came under our observation at quite
late hour and could rot have as full IN cxanina-
tion as We should have given it under other cir
cumstances, therefore, We would suggest that the
next Grand Jury enquire fully into the matter.
A. ST. e. DENVER, Foreman.
J. c. HUNTINGTON, J. L. PBRKINs,
WM. JONES, +. N. STROUT,
W. +. CUNNINGMAM, L. D. DuNNING,
J. A. PoAGUR, J. A. WILLIAMS,
X. +. DRAPER, J. c. POTTER,
W. II. GRINRLL, A. d. ScoTT,
II. FALK, II. W. MERRITT,
7. J. ORGAN, p. II. CAMPBELL,
Z. DAVID. II, T. PLANT.