Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-02-12

1hS aoout IL slfCe. he SAID Inc stale agent
/ had committed an act of misdemeanor in tear
ing down his iogl-gate, and he had him ar
I rested. This was done by authority Of Guardian
| Huchings and approved of by the Commission
1 ers- The commissioners had firni5 the eoilec-
iscta ef tolls on trails, and he maintained ,el-
| gate, and they tore It down. He afterwards
sold out his claim to them, took their money
ana cut business. He did not know anything
about the acts of the present Comm issionerS
ministralion.
In ansser to questions by Colonel J. p. Jaek-
son, a member of the Board of Commissioners
at the tine Of events related by the witness he
admitted that ne went before the Commission
ers III regard to the sale of his trails He could
not remember that the meeting had declared
all trails free 10 all tourists
White was evidently disguised at the testi-
mony so lar ELECTED and moved that the in
ouiry be limited to the acts OF the present Com
missioners. TO this there was objection. aad
White withdrew the mesion, and asked Robin
son 10 call some witnesses who knew somethiug
Robinson replied that he had made the
charges on his best knowledge and belief, andS
II the witnesses testimony would not support
them il was not his fault
A. harris was called aAd testified that he
went in the valley in 1876 and remained until a
year ago last October He had a lease and
carried on farming, the livery business and.
furnlsnlng tourists. When his lease run out
the Commissioners would not give him a new
lease. He was driven out of the valley because
ne fed some hungry peeole. Judges Hunt
Mcguire, Law Ter and JoachimsOn came there in
bad weather and he fed them and DR. Nav. one
of the commissioners came to him and told him
that for this he must leave the valley, as he was
keeping boarding house. He submitted the
proposition, dated March, 1885, which he made
to the board for a ten-year lease and which was
-veJected. Lldtg kept one of tlse best hotels
in the valley, and the Commissioners ..histeds
him out the same as they had the witness He
detailed cons ersation which he said he over
heard bStween Dr.. May and Cook, the kee,,er OF
the Stoneman House, IN which the former had
advised the latter to '-bulid0zes L q g buy him
out, run the stages by IN or get rid of him in
some way. subsequently, Lidig sold out to Cook
William II. Mills conducted the examination
ON behalf OF the Commissioners. In answer 70
his questions, on cross examination witness said
that ne could not tell the date on which he paye
the Judges their breakfast. Immediately after
that he lost the saddle trains but ne had per.
init for auother year amer that For the prtyi.
lege of that year he bid $3.50. Sprague bid $50
and aa0ther msn bid 60 o. but he got the per-
NIT through the interposition of Mr. Mills The
latter made speech IN the Board, telling them
why witness ought to have it for another year
on the ground that he had spent good deal of
money there. The next year Mr. Mills was on
the other side and opposed giving him the priv
1ege. He asserted that the Commissioners held
meetings with closed doors. Cofman Kinnv
and Nashburn had a monopoly of the whole
valley. He criticised the acts of the Commits
sioners in general.
In answer 10 a qrestion by Roth, he admitted
that he applied TO the Commissioners for an ex-
elusive privilege.
Answering questions by Meany he admitted
that he had been partner with Kenny in the
sadd train business and divided the profits
with him
In reply to further questions by Mr.. Mills he
was sure that exclusive privileges existed, but
ne could not prove it. He admitted that he
never read one OF the leases and did not know
that there was any clause granting an exclusive
privilege The partnerships were silent.
On direct examination he testified that the
Commissioners had built a number of buildings
for Coffman and Kenny, but he now stated that
he did not know who built the buildings
Judge J: g.. Mcguire testified that he was
camping IN the valley with Judges Hunt
Joachimson and Lawler and took breakfast at
Harris house. They had been purchasing pro-
visions of Harris and did not know that they
were violating any rules Harris had only
charged one dollar for the three meals. This
was early in June. 1881 He spoke highly of
Mr.. Dennisop, the Guardian and of the treat
ment he received from Harris. Thought the
former recommended them TO the latter. Harris
then complained to them OF not being treated
right by the Commissioners
Judge Hunt, of San Francisco testified the
same as the former witness except that he said
he thought Judge Mcguire exhibited poor taste
i'll leaving their own cook to go to Harris Den
nison knew o. their dealings with harris and
the latter knew that Dennison was eogilizant of
them.
Judge Joachimson confirmed the statement of
the other Judges.
E. W. Townsend, Business Manager of the
Examiner. testified that he read the charges in
the paper and knew nothing of them except
what had been told him by the Managing
Editor. He had visited the valley but saw
nothing there to criticise in the management.
Answering question by Mr.. Mills, he said
that he could not tell who gave he information
which formed the basis of the charges.
Arthur Hckwen, Managing Editor of the Er-
dMtner, SAID he knew nothing about the man.
agement Of the valley except what had been
told him and published.
Mr.. Mills stated that it had been said in some
quarters that he had furnished some informa-
ton to the Examiner He therefore asked wit
ness II he had ever given him any information.
He replied that he had not. On the contrary
the paper had published statement that Mr.
Nils had not furnished the Fran iner any in
formation, IN contradiction OF statement pub
llshed ~ some other paper.
Fred. L1dlg said that he sold out his hotel be-
cause he could Lot compete with the Stoneman
House and because he could not get a lease.
The Commissioners had given his wife notice
that he must not enter into pool or combina-
ton with another hotel. He had the lease of a
pasture there, which was taken away from him
Because he violated the lease by Sub-letting it.
Ans Sering questions by Meany he said he had
paid rent for Two years, but admitted that he
had paid no rent while Meany was a Commits
sioner. He went back to 1863. when he took a
lease at the annual rental OF Sl25 but it was un-
derstood that he was not to pay any money but
was TO put Improvements on it. He did not
claim that the Commissioners had ever imposed
upon him.
Cross examined by Mr. Mills, he said that he
decided the place to the State Ee paid no rent
for eight years The lease was in the name of
his wife, and that was why the notice was
served on her. This occurred under Governor
Baghts administration He said that Judge
Grant was mistaken when he testified that he
had been compelled 10 pay the stage company
81 for every passenger b ought TO hio,. He was
in comb.pation with Cook, another hotel
keeper, by which the former closed his hotel
and he paid him 81 for each Customer. This was
without the knowledge of the commissioners.
Galen Clark testified that he had made appi-
cation for saddle train privileges, which he
got, but he did not await himself of any saddle
train privilege because he had no place
to keep horses and no horses to keep Commits
sioners Chapman and Griffith had advised him
not to combine with some other saddle train
men. The latter had advised him to apply for
the privilege. He was Postmaster and had
privilege to drive wagon, but was not per
mitted to allow any other person to drive it,
Next year he hsd permit to use as many car
rlages or eadde horses as he wished, but he did
not use them. He had an arrangement with
Coffman and Kenny 70 work for them and did not
use his privilege. This was not because of any
action OF the Commissioners. He thought too
much of the valley was fenced. The main cut
ting of trees in the valley had been matter of
necessity. He thought few trees had been cut
that ought not to have been, but in other direc-
tions he though there ought to be great deal
more cut. The cutting of the trees near the
StoDeman House was a necessary precauton
Hulchings had cut more timber than aryOne
else in the valley.
Mark l.. McCord, the Guardian of the valley
said that he had been in the discharge of the
duties of that Office since September, 1887. He
knew of no misappropria,ion of the funds of
the State in the valley. He was the executive
arm of the valley. He knew of no favoritism
TO anyone IN the valley. Such fayoritism could
not be effected excelt through him. No Com
missioner had ever asked him to favor any
privilege holder. He examined all horses and
removed all unfit horses. The bridges had
been economically built. There was no favor
itism shown in letting contracts.
According 10 Professor Whitney survey, there
were S,,!oU acres in the grant; $3.50 acres in
the valley, S.l09 acres of which could be made
meadow land There was now only about
three or four hundred acres of meadow land.
This was because OF the rapid growth of the
underbrnsh which was continually encroach-
ing upon the meadow lynd. If tais was
not cut down il would soon cover the
whole valley. A gentleman named Fisk
took some pictures in the valley, one
or TWO of which were published in a paper
The buildings constructed there were necessary
for the proper use of the valley; they were or
derei by the Commissioners and were economi-
caily built The old hotels torn down were not
fit for use Tor hotels. There was now plenty of