Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-03-19
STATE ENGINEER.
How that Office Has Been Run for Sew
eral Years.

How that Office Has Been Run for Sew
eral Years.
The Legislature in 1878 created the Office
of State Engineer. and fixed the salary at
Sc 600 per annum. William Ham. Hall,
a young engineer of Stockton, was appoint
ed to the position. and has held it for ten
years, Notwithstanding the fact that the
Office was originally created for only two
years. The Legislature that created the
office appropriated 100000 for the work,
which was considered ample. AT each
succeeding Legislature showing was made
of incomplete work, and each time large
appropriations were made to clean up the
work, until this department has cost the
State something like 100000, and for
which the State has received very little
value in return. In fact, it is asserted that
for $500 all that has been accomplished
in the ten years could be obtained, yet in
that time Mr.. Hall himself has drawn $751;
900 in salary.
1t being technical work, no one outside
of the employees of the work knew any
thing of its condition, and Mr.. Hail had no
trouble In representing the matter to legis-
lators in such shape as to secure large ap.
preparations. At last the mantle has fallen,
and again the public is treated to dish Of
official crookedness.
1t appears that in June last there was q
$4,000 appropriation to clean up, but the
work had not been performed, and if the
money remained in the treasury till July,
it would be unavailable. To obviate this
difficulty, it appears that Hall tried to get
the balance carried over so as to apply it 10
the present fiscal year but failed. Con-
to oh
funny business Hall, however, seems to
have outwitted Controller Dunn. He was
determined to secure that money, and he did
SO, the Controller to the contrary nowith-
standing. 1t appears that he went to Brit
ton 4 Rey, photographers, of San Francisco
who had been doing work and were then
engaged on work for the State, and had
them send in bills for maps, diagrams,
photographic plates, paper. and other mate
rial in advance of their being supplied In
other words, bills were filled out and signed
for goods never furnished.
Where is the State Engineer ?" was
asked by every reporter that called al the
Capitol last week, it having been rumored
some ten days ago that all was not straight
in his official acts.
G. E. Grunsky, an employee in the State
Engineers Office, says he knows nothing
of the bills referred to. They were not
transactions Of the Sacramento office and
he was as ignorant of Mr.. Halls actions
in the matter as were the news gatherers
He said Mr.. Hall left Sacramento a month
ago and ordered that his mail be sent, fol-
one week, TO Los Angeles. At the end OF
that time, a letter was forwarded to him
stating that no more mail would be for
warded until they heard from him. No
letter has been received from him since
and his whereabouts is unknown.
The Controller has laid the matter before
the Attorney General, and steps will be
taken to prevent the cashing of the war.
rants issued to Britton d Ray, which SC
far have not been presented at the office Of
the State Treasurer.