Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-10-04
THE YOSEMITE TURNPIKE AND STAGE
COMPANY AND The BOARD OF Yo-
semitic COMMISSIONERS.

A statement which appeared in the San Francisco
Chronicle OF Saturday, presumably furnished by the
agents oil the Yosemite Stage and Turnpike Com
pany, represents
That Commissioner ]. P. Jackson authorized the
stage company to convey President HAYES and
prty into and out of the valley and that upon such
authorization the stage company furnished trans-
pertston to the Presidential party to the value Of
S5S5.
That the Secretary of the Board, Dr. NJ c.
Briggs, accompanied the President and party.
That subsequently, the Executive Committee Of
the Board approved bill rendered by the stage
company by appending their signatures thereto
That the matter coming before the full Board at
regular meeting, the Dill was refu,ed payment
That the members of the Executive COMMITTEES
voted against paving the bill.
In putting forth these statements the Chronicle
has been grossly imposed upon by what in Justice
must be characterized as wiilfu Misrepresentation
OF the facts The real facts OF the case as deyel.
oped by open inquiry in the presence OF the agents
OF the stage company, at the ate meeting OF the
Board, as follows:
When President Hayes and party were approach
ing this coast the stage company through lis agents
requested meeting OF the Board to consider the
ACCESSIBILITY OF sending the party into the valley
at the cost OF the Board. Srch meeting was held
and the Board declined refused to send the
party into the valley at public expense This action
was well known to the stage company, but was not
known to absent members. The stage cou,pany
thus fully advised that the Board had refused to
become responsible for the transportation of the
Presidential party acted upon its responsibility
and Performed the work at its risk
When the bill was under consideration i'll the late
meeting OF the Board, Commissioner Jack son stated
that he had desired to have the Board send the
President and party TO the valley but the Board in
special session had refused to do So on the ground
that there was no fund at the command OF the Board
whlch could be legally Drawn upon to defray such
expense In this opinion Commissioner jackson did
not concur, and promised the support of his per-
soa vote and Influence on behalf Of any reasonable
bill for the service should the stage company con-
Guide take the he
Mills stated before the Board and in the pres.
ence OF the agents of the stage COMPANY that
That he was not present It the meeting called to
consider the advsability Of extending the proposed
courtesy to the Presidents party that he was not
apprised Of It's action in refusing to pay the pro-
posed expenses that he knew such meeting had
been held that he saw by public reports that the
PRESIDENTIAL party, accompanied by the Secretary of
the Board, had visited the valley; that when the
bill was presented to him for his signature it had
already been signed by the Chairman of the
Executive Committee; that he was Informed that
the Board had incurred the liability, and that
shortly thereafter having been informed Of the real
facts OF the case he had withdrawn his signature
from the bill fully explaining to al! parties the mis-
apprehension under which it was originally
signed. He stated that had be Known
the action of the Board in refusing to
incur any liability in the premises and the
circumstances under which the services were per.
formed he would not have signed the bill, and that
he would now vote against its payment.
j. W. Raymond the third member Of the Execu-
tive Committee, explained the circumstances at
tending his signature OF the bill to the satisfaction
of the Board The agents Of the stage company an
peared before the Board and heard fully on be-
half OF the bill They did not claim TO have performed
the service by agreement with or upon the author
ization of the Board, nor by the authority OF the
Executive Committee q committee nor BY any
other agreement or authority than a conversation
with Commissioner Jackson, the definite purpOrt
OF which was TO some extent q subject of
dispute between the parties to said conversation
Upon this showing OF facts the Board very properly
rejected the bill The inquiry before the Board de-
yelOped the fact that the railroad company had
passed the Presidential panty to MADEIRA and return
free. The entire excursion was directed and con
troe1 by the agents Of the stage company Con
sdered together, these two facts suggested several
very significant questions, which were not satisfac
toTilY answered, to wit Upon what representations
of facts were the free passes for the party OBJ
| tanned from the railroad company? Were such
passes obtained in fact, or is there
bill tor railroad transportation unpaid? Did the
stage company inform the railroad company that
stage fare to the amount of S5S5 would be charged
and at the same time solicit free travel for the
party, from San Francisco to MADEIRA? In short it
is plain that the stage company has no legal or
equitable claim against the Board Of Commissioners
and that the action OF the Commission is fully sus
tanned by every valid and reasonable consideration