Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-09-17
zHE CITY TRUSTEES.
THEY DECIDE TO APPEAL THE POLICE
SALARY CASE.
Mayor Gregory Votes Against It-Pro.
posed Charter Election-A Very
Offensive Sewer.

Engineer OF the water WORKS. during the
week ending on the Sth As, S5S 900 gallons
of water were pumped, and in the following
week AZ, s34, $50 gallons.
A petition asking that K street, between
Twenty-eighth and Twenty-ninth, be
graded, was received. A majority of prop
erty owners on either side of the street
signed the petition, which was referred to
Trustee Mclaughlin.
A number of citizens residing in the Vi
ciniiy of Seventeenth and r streets ap-
peared before the Board and complained of
the foul and offensive condition of the Sew.
enteenth-street sewer, which is uncovered
after it leaves r street. Matt f. johnson.
resident of the vicinity, addressed the
Board, and informed them that at times
the stencil from the canal was unbearable
a number of residents were already ill
with malaria, and their doctors had told
them that all the sickness was caused by
the condition of the canal. That part of
the city had, up to couple of years ago,
been regarded as most healthful location,
but now houses in that locality could be
rented with difficulty.
Felix Tracy and others spoke in the same
strain. and urged the Board to do some
thing Immediately to remedy the evil.
The Mayor said that specifications and
plans had already been drawn up by the
City Engineer for the covering of the sewer,
and the matter would receive attention i'm
mediately.
Property owners in the block bounded by
Twenty-fifth and Twenty-sixth, o and P
streets, presented petition to the Board
demonstrating against the filling of the
alley in said block, as the lots would be in
iured on account of water being backed up
on them. The petition was referred to the
Street Commissioner.
Property owners in the blocks bounded
by Eleventh and Thirteenth, r and w
streets, also petitioned the Board to have
the streets adjoining the excaVated blocks
filled to the proper width and protected by
fences for the safety of the travelling pub
lie. This matter was also given to Trustee
Mclaughlin for his attention.
a petition asking that s street, from
Front to Second be graded, was also re-
ceived, and the same action was taken.
Hobart F. Pierson, the new City En-
gineer, filed his official bond in the sum of
$1,000, with II. f. Pierson and John NJ
Avery as sureties.
A petition signed by one thousand tax
payers and voters was presented to the
Board, protesting against the submitting OF
the high license question to a vote of the
people. Some time ago petition with two
hundred signatures was brought before the
Board urgently asking it to bring the
license question before the people The
signers argued that the imposition of a
higher license would have the effect OF
closing the dives, and thus accomplish
what the police could not.
Trustee Mclaughlin moved to lay the
aatf I, d.
charter, claiming that at present, even il
high license was voted, it could not be en-
forced.
The Mayor thought the question ought
to be brought before the people, but Trus-
tee Wolf wanted time TO look over the op-
posing petition, and at his request the
matter was laid over for one week.
Upon motion of Trustee Mclaughlin, it
was ordered that some time in December
next an election be held for fifteen free
holders, to start the ball rolling in the
making of a new charter.
Mclaughlin at first suggested that the
question be submitted at the school cleo
ton in December, but the Mayor thought
that such an important matter ought to be
submitted alone, and the other members OF
the Board agreeing, it was SO ordered.
S. G. benson addressed the Board, urging
it to pay the salaries of the policemen and
to dismiss the appeal to the Supreme
Court. He was simply talking as private
citizen, and as a lawyer he said he hon.
estly believed that the higher Court would
sustain Judge Armstrong; decision. He
believed that the present number of police
men was necessary to guard the criminal
element in this city.
District Attorney Bruner, in an eio-
quent and convincing address, put the
matter before the Board in clear light
The legislature simply amended tbs
charter bysstriking out TIE word fifteen
and inserting thirty" as regards the mum
Der of policemen which the Police Com
missioners would be empowered to employ
if they SO chose. Judge Armstrong decided
that the Act was constitutional, and now il
was proposed TO appeal the case. 1t wa
not certain as to what way the Suprem,
Court would decide, but the speaker sal:
he firmly believed that if the higher
Court decided that the Act was unconstitu
tional there would be no police force in thi
city at all. They would simply say tina
the insertion of the word thirty was no
constitutional, and striking this out would
result in disbanding the whole force.
Mr.. Burners remarks were quite ex
tended, and he assured the Board that i
they did appeal the case they would no
obtain decision until the first OF mex
May, unless extraordinary measures wer,
taken to press the matter through.
Elijah Comstock, one of the Grand Jury
men, was present and took lively part il
the discussion. He wanted to pay IN,
men for the work they had DONE but b,
did not want them any longer. He KEEP
ups continual talk, and attacked the bigpe
tjtion which the Trustees had received il
favor of paying and maintaining the pres
ent force.
E. G Hart also argued the matter befor
the Board, and after more discussion, il
which several of the policemen took part
the question was taken up for action.
Trustee Mclaughlin moved that the &C
ton of counsel for the Board in appealing
the case be sustained.
Wolf seconded the motion, and roll
call being demanded, resulted as follows
Ayes-McLaughlin and Wolf. Noes
Gregory.
r, III. Clarken again appeared before tn
Board in behalf of Jesse Slaughter, tn
City Scayenger, and complained that per
mits were being issued by veterinary sur
geons authorizing persons other thar
Slaughter TO haul dead animals from III,
city. The Board promised to remedy th
matter.
Recess till 2P.M
At the afternoon session the Board au
L
TO take such action in regard to the settle
ment of vault dues as he might deem
proper.
w. F. Cutler, City Veterinary Surgeon
appeared and explained that he had allowed
A. Grubbs to remove arcasses of dead an
imals, although Jesse Slaughter was CITY
Scavenger, because he had truck that wa
used for ne other purpose, and it was de
sirable TO prevent the spread OF elanderi
and other diseases. The Board finally de
cided that Slaughter should do such sery
ice. provided he complied with the ordin
ance.
The Board declined to allow jane
Tuohey $500 for extra work done in pawn.
the alley between Sixth and Seventh, anC
X streets. on the ground that he was re
sponsible for the defects in the work q
originally done.
Street Commissioner Mclaughlin wa
authorized 10 see that certain street-sprink
ling contractors confine their hours o
sprinkling to those designated by tn
Board
Water-works Commissioner Wolf re
ported that his fund was ST. 436 behind
and the Board ordered that amount trans
ferred from the general fund.
After some further minor business anC
the allowing of claims, the Board ad
journed.
Abusing a Privilege.