The record-union., 1892-05-03
NOT 4 BONANZA.
Attorney DevIin Willing to Give Up
His Contract.
Some Unimportant Routine Business
Done by the Board of Super
visors Yesterday.


The County Supervisors met yesterday,
all the members being present except
Mr. Black, who is confined to his home
by illness.
The viewers appointed to inspect the
road asked for by Henry Erhardt and
others over the land of B. r. Crocker and
ID. Osborne to the Sacramento River was
read and fled The report was favorable
to the petition.
Mr.. Crocker demanded 500 per acre for
land condemned. The viewers valued
the land at $40 per acre. Thirteen acres
would be required and the total cost of
land and labor would be $40.
The report of the viewers in the road
petitioned for by McKinstry and others
was received and set for the hearing next
month. Road Overseer Daniels was di-
rected to remove all distractions on the
road leading to Bandeen's house till the
termination Of the present road matter.
Notice was given by Matt F. Johnson
that application would be made on Fri
day by the Isleton Ferry Company for q
ferry franchise at Isleton.
Complaint was made by residents north
OF the American River of the condition of
the road leading to Chatterton's Grove.
The Road Oyerseer will be interviewed
on Wednesday, when Supervisor Greer
goes to the farmers picnic
The reynolds fence matter in Sutter
township was brought up again. A road
was ordered opened there recently and
the Supervisors agreed to fence it. Rey-
noldS wants a fOUr-board fence and the
Supervisors wire one
This is the case in which SI1,,arvicOr
Bates remarked last month that he sup
posed mahogany fence would next be
demanded
The board ordered Overseer Hamilton
TO take away all Instructions, which
means that the road will be opened.
An order was also made directing
OVerseer Butler to take away gate OBJ
Structing the county road to Mormon
Island Plaza.
THE DEvLIN CONTRACT.
At the afternoon session Clerk Rhoads
read communication from Robert T.
Devlln relating to the contract entered
INTO with him month ago to collect from
the state certain moneys due the county.
1t is as follows:
SACRAMENTO, May 2, 1892.
TO the Hon. Board Of Supervisors Of SdeTd-
meftto C0unty-GENTLEMEN At your last
meeting you authorized me to collect any
sums that might be receivable by the county
rom the State arising from errors in allowance
by The State for it's share of expense i'm col
lecLlhS the state taxes, and agreed to give me
one-half OF any amount that might he re-
celNed. the expense to be borne by me- and
| the county TO be at no expense whatever
me lax Collector now receives q salary of
$1,000 per annum, and formerly received
81. 600 per annum. The State paws its prO-
| portion OF this salary in collecting the State
| portion OF the taxes. Prior to the time that
| the Collector received q salary he was entitled
! to one per cent. commission on all taxes col
, IecIea except school taxes. This law was re-
! pealed by the law fixing his salary 1t has
been suggested, however, that while this law
allowing commissions has been repealed as
! regards the county, it is still in force as re-
CARDS the State. II it be in force the State
would be indebted to the county in the differ
ence between l per cent. commission on
taxes collected Qess school taxes, which pay
| no commissions and what has been allowed.
Now, IN the first place, 1t is very doubtful il
the State should pay any more than what it
has been allowing. IN the next place even if
there has been a mistake, it is still more
doubtful whether the money paid in previous
years can be obtained from the State without
an Act OF the Legislature, and it is probable
tnat the county could not II ceiVe more than
what might be due for this year in the event
that anything at all is due.
Immediately, however, after this agree
! menu nau Deen made, some busy tigurerS be-
| gan calculating, and their imaginations kept
pace with their pencils. They first got the
amount up to 81 700, then to $4,000, then
| 10 $4,000, and ii they had been given a lit
! tie more time could easily have made it mill
! ion.
AT lildt GlIile Ulu not KNOW the exact fiO-
ures, ana waited until might have an OBJ
! portunity TO look into the matter The other,
| day examined such of the statements at the
! Controllers Office as could be easily reached
those for the early years being in the vaults
and it appears that even if the claim can be
maintained, that the State should refund at
all, the amount that would be due to Sacra-
mento County for the year 1891 would be
/ So Tor the year 1850, S315 ~; for the wear
1859, $3.50 81; for the year 1887, STAG So;
| for the year 1883 Sll3 while for fhe wear
] 1856 the cOlntV the I T
attach the figures so that some of these highly
] sensational mathematcians can verify them
! Here enSued a criticism of Auditor John
/ son, which was wholly persCnaLl
! The contract made at the last meeting was
an extremely fair one to the county, because /
=. took all the chances and you took none If /
| did not recover anything for you not only
would have received no COMPENSATION but
! would have been out of pocket.
In the counties of Nevada. Santa Clara and
! Colusa the statute is different from that gov
! erning Sacramento, and there is a prospect of
/ a considerable sum of money being recovered
! for those counties. COluSa and Nevada al
! low q per cent. to attorneys for collection
! 1t will be seen tnat the amount that Sacra-
mento can recover, even if the law permits ii.
! is not so very large, and the chief benefit to
/ the county will be in future settlements II
! would be preferable to me to ha ye the county
! pay the expenses connected with the ATTEMPT
! to recover the money and leave the compen-
! sation TO be fixed hereafter, when it is known
] just what the county will receive: and if this
is satisfactory to you, am more than willing
! to change the contract in that respect as I am
convinced l would derive all the advantage
under such change Yours, truly,
ROBERT I. DEvLIN
The communication was received and
| placed on file.
Chairman Greer said he thought it
the duty of Auditor Johnson, or any
other person who claims to be familiar
with the circumstances of the case. to ap-
pear before the board and explain the
matter. supervisor Bates expressed sim
liar sentiments.
1t was decided to have the matter set
for hearing at certain time, and have
the Auditor and District Attorney pres
ent.
The remainder of the day was devoted
to examining and auditing bills against
the county.
Recess until 10 o'clock this morning.
GEORGE PARKERS NOTE