Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-02-07

place Relieve The Commission incapable OF
such yiolati, o. their duties
~ No artificial dsigur1meli or DETACHMENT
mas occurred SiHee my connection with the
Commis- son.
T. g, since have been oommi sioner.
cause it has been deemed pradent TO da so by
ths commissioners ard detotum and honesty
nave oeen promoted thereby ana much diSSen-
So;t and poSsible bsckmail avoided
~ Mt Robinson. who seems tc be the author
| et these charges was unanimously permitted in
June last. 10 have his aLnual renf reduced from
~ 20 =. NesseTs. Coifman y Vieucy also had
thelE rent redneed from SEQ yesr 10 sos. for
! - and 1852 i've Commissioners voting in ths
reductions made for ISIS and ISSg
Il, Since | have been Commissioner TO sueh
thing has taken place. The wages OF laborerS
have not heea Withheld, sn6 they are paid mn
IN tuli 70 January, except that there are a nun
ber of old bsck-pay accounts that grew IN, ~
the elght-hOur-a cay law and adjustment
Is. DO not know of any sue6 thing, bui be
lieve the charge to be untrue.
Is. The StOHemsn House was accented before
became d member OF the Board.
IL. No trees are cut down in the valley for
purposes OF fuel. But there are more or less
leaning, decaying. etc, or fastgrowing young
trees that are cut dow n and corded and sold at q
good price and the money psid over to the Sec
retary by the Guardian. There are also trees
cut TO make or preserve vistas and the wood Is
cut into fuel and sold.
Is. This is untrue No human being has 10
pay cent toll over sny road or trail within the
grant. and The tolls, If there are any outside Of
the grant, arc. created by county SUPERVISOR
The lea eS made ont To the two stage companies
IN June last hy the Secretary, forbiu tolls within
the grant, make the same revert to the State az
the expiration o. the lease in 1895, and are the
most iron-clad leases ever made by the Yosemite
commissioners. have the leases With me for
inspection.
ls. Do not believe sny such charge can be
proven; distinctly remember that there was
A "a No7 Ia hat kA .la ksss..
dangerous, and l accompanied a psrty OF resi-
dents of the valley and let them select d more
beautiful and less dangerous site, ard the Ex-
ecutive Committee ratified the action
20. This is absolutely false, and eau be proven
to be simply and unequivocally untrue. The
ROADS and trails were in excellent condition dur
Jog. the past year, and new roads and new
bridges were built, so that there are beautiful
drives all over and around the valley, and 4
majority OF visitors now 20 10 Mirror Lake on
foot, and a great many 10 and fr5m Nefnal
Falls
2i. Have never heard of such a thing, ana he
lieve the change to be fippant, mendeeious and
false.
-. This charge is SO absolutely untrue. harsh.
u1just and contempt bic. that ! disdain TO an
Swer il. but will leave il 10 the wisdom OF the
committee, after the taking OF all the testimony
and their weighing well and fairly the charac
ter, intelligence and good intentions OF the gem
tlemen who compose the Board and the general
animus of their accusers. There is one thing
absolutely certain; You will find the Commits
the square; and il, on The other hand, you prove
us to be incapable, incompetent or ieS ble-mnde =
you can report US as a set of damned fools
Speaking for myself alone, this is NY first az
raignment upon the charge OF imbecility and
dishonesty; but as the record of my public life
has been hitherto free from censure. and as
have occupied some very prominent positions
in the gift of the General Government, ] will
respectfully throw myself upon the unbiased
Judgment of the investigating committee, and
graciously take my chances with my aecusers.
In answer to other questions by Mr.. Tuliy and
members of the committee, Mr.. Truman ex-
planned lully the details of the management OF
the valley. He said that during the past year
he visited Niagara Falls and the Yellowstone
Park, and remained at the latter place for some
time, and found that the prices charged for
everything were higher than at the Yosemite
There had been but one complaint to the Com
missioners this year out of 5000 visitors.
The examination of the witness was tedious
IN the extreme, not point being brought out
showing any acknowledgement by the CommiS-
sloners. Z. ID Robinson was permitted to cross
ez anime the witness and asked his opinion as
to the wisdom of building certain trails He
replied that he was too fair minded to pass
Judgment OF the actions OF eight honorable
men.
Mr.. Tulloch wanted to know why they gave
leases to the men who built roads into the val
ley and refused them TO artists Witness re
pied the artists were q pretty tough set of Gus
toners the world over. and the Commissioners
tound II necessary to keep them IN check. They
were hard crowd to get along with.
AT the close of Mr.. TrHmen's testimony the
committee adjourned, to meet al the call Of the
Chair