The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-02-20
NOT SAVING ENOUGH.
4 Tilt Between FreehoIders Over the
Funded Debt Commission.
Mr.. White Says He is Disappointed
Duties of the City Attorney and
Free Library Directors.


l4aRue, Hall. Simmons. johnson. White,
Hubbard and Smith being present.
Before proceeding with the regular bus
1ness MIR. Smith arose and said that in the
published reports of Thursday evenings
proceedings of the board he was credited
with having offered an amendment to the
health report to the effect that the City
physician must be regular practicing
physician. Mr.. Smith said he had re-
ceived a letter from DIR. G. Mealand, in
which the latter wanted to know what
was meant by the word regular" Mr..
Smith said that the word was not used in
the technical sense in the report as
adopted, and he asked that the Secretary
reply to the doctor and inclose to him a
copy of the proposed law with all its legal
Nerblage. An order to that effect was
made.
THE BONDED INDEBTEDNESS.
Freeholder Hall read to the board a
rough draft of a report he had been dele
gated to get up, showing the operations
of the Funded Debt Commission during
the past five years. The report showed
mat IN each year the commission had
effected considerable of saving to the
city, and wound up by showing that in
JS9l that body saved something like
$4,000.
Mr.. White said he was considerably
disappointed with the report. He had eX-
Dected that a larger saving would be
shown. Ten thousand dollars Tor the
year 1891 was not satisfactory saving.
II did not amount to anything.
You try and borrow $4,000 for the
city and you will think it amounts to
something" said DR.. Simmons. "You
can't do it''
I'VE could if this Funded Debt Com
mission was out of the way" retorted
MIR. White.
DIR. Simmons disputed this, too. He
said that neither he nor Mr. White would
be here if it had not been for the COM
mission. There would be no city at all.
Mr.. Hall explained that while $4,000
were the actual figures for 1891, the
amount did not represent the actual saw
ing. The buying up Of the coupons not
yet matured represented future saving
not shown in the figures.
After a warm discussion of the matter,
IN which several of the members became
somewhat tangled, the matter was laid
over until future meeting.
THE CITY ATTORNEY.
The recently formulated section which
it is proposed TO add to the executive de-
partment of the proposed charter was
next taken up.
The section provides that there shall be
Z City Attorney, who shall be an attorney
and cOunselOr-at-law, duly admitted to
practice by the Supreme Court of this
State, and whose term of Office shall be
Two years, and until his successor is
elected and qualified. It shall be his duty
TO prosecute on behalf of the people all
criminal cases before the Police Court
Snd the City Justices of the Peace, and
al violations of this charter and of CITY
ordinances and resolutions. 1t shall be
Lis duty to attend to all suits and other
TO hi l, S.it
which the city may be legally interested
provided, the Board of Trustees shall
Lave control of all litigation of the city,
end may direct an attorney selected by
the Mayor to take charge thereof, or 10
assist the City Attorney therein. The
City Attorney shall give his advice or
opinion to the Mayor, Board of Trustees.
Board of Education or other city officers
whenever required to do so, and do such
ether things appertaining to his office as
by the Board OF Trustees or Mayor may
lie required of him. He shall approve
the form of all bonds given to, and all
contracts made with the city"
DR.. Simmons wanted to know if, under
this section, the City Attorney would
{ raft ordinances for the City Trustees,
when SO required.
Mr.. White thought that the Trustees
could call upon the officer without fur
Their provision in the charter.
1t was finally agreed TO insert a pro-
vision in accordance with the Doctors
suggestion.
FREE LIBRARY.
The report on the City Free Library
was next taken up.
The first. section provides that there
shall be free library, to be under the
control of five directors to be appointed
by the Mayor with the consent of the
City Trustees.
Mr.. White objected to the manner in
which this section was worded. The idea
was not conveyed in it that the library
was trust and had heretofore existed.
1t was no more than proper that some
reference to what the library really was
should be made.
A preamble to the section embodying
the suggestion was adopted.
Section provides that 1.-The terms of
office OF said directors shall be for four
years. The directors first appointed
shall so classify themselves by lot that
one shall go out of office in one year. one
il two years, one in three years and two
IN four years.
THEIR DUTIES.
The next section defines the duties of
the directors as follows:
The board shall have power to main
tain free library and reading-room; to
make and enforce all such bylaws, rules
and regulations as may be necessary for
the administration, government and pro-
lection of such library, reading-room and
property; TO appoint a librarian and as
sistant librarian and such other employees
as may be necessary, and for good cause
10 remove them; TO control and order the
expenditure of all moneys at any time in
the library fund, and order the drawing
and payment of all moneys out of said
fund for such expenditures or liabilities
as are herein authorized. They shall
have power to purchase such books, peri
odIcalS, newspapers, magazines, maps,
charts and engravings as TO them may
seem proper, for the use of the library
and reading-room, and shall have power
10 sell or exchange any duplicate copy of
any book. paper. magazine, map, chart or
engraving that they may have on hand
They may fix the compensation of any
employee of the board other than the IL
brarian and assistant librarian
IL was adopted with some slight amend
lents.
THE MONEY NECESSARY.
Section Of the report provided that the
Board of Directors shall annually de-
teruIine the amount of money required
for the support of the library and read
ing-room and for carrying into effect all
toe provisions of law in reference thereto,
and shall on the first Monday in August
of each year submit, in writing to the
auditor a careful estimate of the whole
amount of money required from the city
for the above purposes, and the Board of
Trustees shall in each year fix sufficient
percentage of taxes to be levied and col
1ected on the taxable property of the city,
a will in their dgment raise sufficient
sum for said purposes. No Indebtedness
exceeding the amount of annual levy for
this purpose shall be incurred in any one
year"