Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-02-12
CITY TRUSTEES.

WORKS, reported thst curing tue WEEK 1he
machinery was in operation 135 hours, and
that 10, 227, 600 gallons of water had been
pumped.
J. n. Porter, City Treasurer, reported that
the balance on hand January 1st was Sl91,-
175 II; received during the month, ST.
725 "a /; paid GU. during the same time, ST.
3S9 80. Ga hand February 1st, Sl97, 81 rs.
Bids were considered from various con-
tractors for the construction of new hose
house OF Nineteenth and l. streets. The bids
ranged from 81 $50 to 81 800, and the con-
tract was awarded to w. h. Sutherland Tor
he fiTss-nsmed amount
! L. II. Rott wss awarded the contract for
paving the alley between l and j. Front and
| Second streets. The estimates and diagrams
were confirmed and approved.
| The resolution of intention of Improvement
Of Twelfth street, from Fl to j, was Fecoss!d-
ered and amended.
| A petition from citizens for the improve
ment of Twenty first street, from to w,
! was referred to the Street Commissioner.
a remonstrance was filed by citizens who
oppose the grading OF o street, from Tenth
20 Thirteenth. II was placed on file, and for
| the present ection in the matter was post
puned. Those askiog for the street improve
ment were represented by Judge S. q. Den
son. From his description of q street one
would imagine that i5 at times is simply q
mud hole
A proposition was received from Fisk &
| Campbell to operate two edorless excavators
for one year. They estimate that it will cost
S940 per moath, It being necessary to employ
six and sometimes seven men.
LEvEEs AND BONDS.
The organization known as the Tax.pay.
! ers' Union, represented by Christopher Green
end j. II. Sullivan, appeared before the
| Board and presented the following document,
which was receivsd and filed:
! To the Board of Trustees of the city of Sacra-
mento At a meeting of the BOsrd of Directors of
the Taxpayers Union, held this day at Pioneer
Hail, it was unanimously resolved to memorabilia
your honorable body on the subject OF a tax levy
for the city for the current year.
The holders OF part Of the bonded debt OF our
city are prosecuting their claims against it to COM
pei the corporation YOU represent to pay the face Of
their bonds and the coupons attached, with inter
est the overdue coupons at the rate OF per cent.
per annum from the time they fell due. These ac-
tons may be conveniently divided into three classes
First - To secure judgments against the city for
overdue coupons barred by the statute of limita-
| tons ana the interest on them.
SecOnd-TO compel the Treasurer to pay in full,
| out of the interest and sinking fund, to certain
holders the full face Of these coupons leaving others
not suing unpa d.
Third-To compel your Board to levy for last year
| so cents on 500 greater than was levied.
We take the liberty to suggest to You that while
our city Is afflicted with many actions against it
and its officers, you have made mistake in COM
pelling US to pay money, which must 20 into a sink
ing and interest fund.- which i'll any event must be
inadequate to pay any considerable part OF the de-
maids on it. such action on your part has the eff
feet to induce large number Of SUITS and does not
in any degree relieve us from our burdens while
hos uh O have in inns hes IN
get money from that fund their coupons, con.
sultation with tie Fund Commission or Treasurer,
the bulk Of our creditors have had cause to conf
plain
In our view il is bad policy to draw money from
our pockets to put into that fund until we have
forced settlement with the ond and coupon hold
ers or until we compelled to levy increased
tax after all remedies for relief exhausted.
We therefore pray that you limit the tax this year
to one per cent the value of property in the city,
and place the money raised by it in the necessary
funds, other than the sinking and interest fund.
We note that self-censtituted body Of men, call
ing itself the Citizens Committee" has assumed
powers which the people have contded to yCu-eX-
aiming our pubic works, suggesting improve E.
meuts, employing engineers, and generally, by the
aid of a city newspaper, placing themselves a
power behind you to direct your action.
The Taxpayers Union have full confidence in the
intelligence, integrity and executive ability of your
body, and we have noted that under your direction
the City Engineer has from time to time reported
upon the condition OF our levees, the state of our
sewerage and other public matters. These reports
have been more extensive and able than the pu5ica-
tons of this sef-constituted governing body
That body says nothing about bonded debt.
The original movers lit is UNDERSTOOD have been
and friends OF Daniel Meyer, and are now, in
common with him, ii opinion that the citizens Of
this city should take high moral grounds and refuse
to buy any bonds at less than their face
Is that Citizens Committee organized with a view
to its action at the proper time in favor Of
eonceding what the bondhOGer5 ask?
FtaN,
Of the morality and Intelligence OF the city is found
among its members, when il has started some new
project shown that it is governing body that
has greater executive ability than our Board Of
Trustees, 1t will be time enough TO follow its
cOunsels.
We suggest ia that connection that if, after you
have examined the report of your engineer on the
subject OF leyees and have obtained what additional
light on the subject is possible, II i'll be time
enough TO levy on US an arbitrary sum OF $4,000 to
eNnend on our leyees.
our understanding is that you have ample
power to levy any necessary tax to 20 into the
levee fund. And when you ascertain the amount
actually required there is necessity to submit that
question TO vote Of the people, but the exact i'm
prOyement should in any event be asctrtained in
advance, or else no intelligent action can be token.
Why not use the money now in the interest and
sinking fund for such necessary purposes as the
eXgencies Of the city may require;
We see by the public press that It is proposed
that the price to be paid for bonds Of the city on
compromise mg ht be fixed by taking the opinion Of
100 men and dividing the aggregate by 100 This IS
childish. The bondhoders the men interested,
and must be consulted. We must take such action
as shall make it to their interest to settle, and then
compromise.
The citizens OF this city could form better iudg-
ment on the question Of finance Of the city if we
could induce the Funded Debt Commission to re-
! port TO your body:
| First-The number of each bond purchased by it,
! with its cost.
! Secont-The name of the original holder.
] t1fn oh, H,r,A
| Fourth The amount OF coupons purchased, stat
| coupon was cut.
| And we ask that by resolution Of your Board
such report be called for. And we ask that the
! above suggestions be taken BY your Board a pc
tition requesting official action your part in &C
/ cOrdAnce with these suggestions.
C. GREEN, President.
| j. H. SULLIVAN, Secretary.
/ Sacramento, February g. 1854.