The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1891-12-31
POINTS FOR A CHARTER.
A General Discussion Thereof by the
Freeholders.
Clinton L. White Submits an Outline
for Charter-An Interesting
Debate on the Subject.


OF the Seventh-street NJ. E. Church. All
the members of the board, except n.
Greene Curtis, were present. President
X. I. Devlin did not arrive until the
meeting had been called to order, and
Chris Green occupied the chair during
the meeting.
The order of business was taken up,
and report called for from the special
committee appointed to examine the
law and give an opinion as to whether or
not the adoption of new charter would
dissolve the Funded Debt Commission.
Ex-Judge J. W. Armstrong said the
committee had not been called together
by the Chairman, Mr.. Curtis, and was
not ready to report. He said he under
stood that there was a difference of opin-
ION among the members of the special
committee as to what power the city had
TO make new charter under the amended
constitution. He asked for further time,
and 1t was granted.
The Secretary read the appointment by
the President of the various standing
committees, which have already been
published.
Clinton l.. White observed that Mr..
Deylin's name was not in any of the lists
of committees, and he moved that he be
y, L
and Fire Department, Revenue and Taxa
ton, and Miscellaneous Matters Com
Lnittees. The motion was carried.
BOND COMMISSIONER BEATTY'S LETTER.
Secretary Lincoln White read the fol-
lowing letter he had received from Judge
Beatty of the Funded Debt Commission:
DEAR SIR In reply to your note received
this morning, will say that the proper re-
u onse 10 the first interrogation contained in
your letter would require the services OF an
expert bookkeeper Tor a period of not less
than thirty or forty days. The number of
bonds and coupons purchased by the Commits
sion during its existence has BEEN should
IhlnK, between 10000 and 10000 pieces OF
raper-alI separate obligations. Our books
SHOW the number and amount OF all these
different obligations, and also the amount we
leld for each one of them, and the date when
PAID. But to make the statement which you
require would simply be a transcript of our
books from 1872 10 the present date.
Now, while it would be impossible for us 10
furnish that transcript, we will say to the
freeholders that our books are open to their
inspection or to the inspection Of any eXl ert
by whom they would have them examined.
And l will say further, that a statement of the
prices we Paid for the bonds of the different
series-leaving out the statement Of the prices
of the cOupons-Woud be q comparativeiy
very much shorter statement; and If the
board wishes that statement if they will EN-
llOy a competent scribe TO come to my room
with the books, l could have the statement
prepared for them probably in four or five
days.
The later interrogation about the present
state of the funds could be easily furnished f
they could find William Hopper, who has
been our bookkeeper. If Mr. Hopper is not
la the city, then can make out q statement
with the assistance OF an amenuensiS; but l
a:n myself unable TO write at this time any
thing that would be legible. DR.. Simmons,
who is a member of the Board OF Freehold
ers, can inform the board of my physical ina
blity at this time TO write anything. Yours,
etc, II. o. BEATTY.
FREEHoLDERs AIR THEIR VIEWS
G.. L. White did not think it was neces-
sary to employ an expert in order TO as
certain what the Ereeholders wanted to
know. In his Judgment it was not neces-
than ten years in order to find out the
value of the Commission The Freehold
ers needed only to know what the Com
mission has been saving the city in the
Iast few years, and then they could easily
figure when it could be of no further use.
The Commission should cease to exist
when the time shall come that it has to
pay 81 for one dollars worth of bonds.
II the Freeholders could examine the
boOl<s themselves, they could gain all the
information they desired in a very short
time.
II. NJ. LaRue thought the matter ought
to he left with a committee, with power
TO employ q clerk or expert, if necessary.
II. Weinstock said he remembered
Judge Beatty to have remarked at a
meeting some time ago that the Funded
Debt Commission was saving the CITY
per cent Mr.. Beatty, he believed, could
tell very easily about what percentage
was saved per annum.
7. B. Hall suggested that the matter
had better be left in the hands of the
committee appointed at the last meeting.
They could get all the information de-
sired.
r. T. Devlin had an idea that if the en-
tire Board of FTeeholders requested the
committee to obtain the desired Informal
ton with all possible dispatch the work
would be accomplished more rapidly
than otherwise.
Mr.. Hall believed that it should not
take long for the committee to find out
what was desired 1t did not need to
learn what was saved in years gone by,
but ought to figure on what good the
Commission would be in the future. II
it was of no use, it might be just as well
to abolish it.
a motion to the effect that the commit
tee appointed week ago look the matter
up was carried.
A SANITARY SUGGESTION.
DR.. O.. L. Simmons remarked that he
saw his name on the Committee on
Health and Sanitary Matters, and it
might not be out of place for him to re-
mark right away that he did not approve
OF the meeting place of the board. EY-
eryone in the room was liable to contract
Ia grippe or some other ailment If the
board continued to use the basement as a
meeting place. He recommended an up-
per room.
S. b. Smith, a member of the commit
tee appointed to procure a hall for meet
ing purposes, stated that the fire had not
been started long, and he believed that
the place would be warmer in the even
ings when the gas was lighted and the
tire started at a seasonable time.
MEETINGS OF THE BOARD.
Matt. L. Johnson changed the subject
by stating that the board ought to decide
right away when and how often to hold
stated meetings. In his judgment the
members ought to meet at least twice n
week, and he made a motion to the effect
that meetings be held on Tuesday and
Thursday of each week.
MIR Devlin did not think it advisable to
meet so often at present. The differ ent
committees had to commence work now
with q vim, so as to get their reports
ready. Better progress could be made if
the board would meet less often The
next month should be devoted to fire.
oaent meetings of the various committees
in the preparation of their reports. He
thought once week was often enough
Tor the board to hold meetings.
Fred. Cox did not see the use of meet
inp until the committee appointed to in
Cuire in relation to the Funded Debt Com
mission had reported.
NTr. Devlin said he thought it was his
fDevlin's) duty to help make charter,
even though the Commission should be
abolished.
MIR I.aRue was of the opinion that the
board should receive reports from the
committees just as soon as they were
ready TO make them. Once week was
often enough to meet.
Mr. Armstrong thought it was wrong