The record-union., 1892-08-15
Weather Forecast.
TO-DAY's ACTION BY THE TRUs-
TEES.

TEES.
A super-sensitive critic, referring to
the visit and appeal of citizens to the
Trustees this morning, takes exception
to the levee improvement petition to be
presented, because it asks the Trustees
to submit the question to vote of the
people " at once"
OF course that means that the Trustees
are asked to begin sat once" to take the
necessary steps required by law to be
taken.
Everybody knows that certain formal
tiles have to be observed. The first of
these is to adopt proposition to improve,
next to make ten days publication of the
specifications: That is to say, the board
should adopt what it proposes at once in
general terms and then order specifi-
cations and notice. When the city voted
the $40,500 improvement on the levee
beyond Brighton and the Ninth-street
levee and the north and east levees, the
formula then used made good precedent.
The proposed improvement in detail
will be laid before the Trustees this morn
ing on paper. 1t will take three or four
days to estimate the cubic yards of earth
necessary, and to ascertain if the Ievee
base now fully occupies all the levee
property, and if not how much more will
be needed. When this is done the speci-
hcations and estimated cost must be pub
ished for ten days. But it is obvious
that the whole estimate may be made
generally for the whole work. There is
nothing in the law about dividing it into
sections and parts, and specifying just
how much shall be expended on each
section, unless the Trustees wish to do
so. This making it for the whole work
will be the proper thing, however, be-
cause it is one scheme, one plan and for
one purpose and to establish one COM
plete system. In this ten days notice
must appear also the date upon which the
people are to vote upon the proposition
to issue certificates of indebtedness to
meet the estimated cost The voting
must take place within fifteen days after
the publication of the notice, but it may
be i've days as well as fifteen after.
1t is proposed that the matter be de-
layed to get the opinion of the City Attor-
ney whether the bonds would be valid
unless the specifications have been pub
hshed ten days. No such delay is neces-
sary; no opinion is necessary; the law is
so plain that primary common school
pupil can understand it; no one has asked
or will ask that the improvement election
be held without publication of the speci-
fcations as required. Any mind capable
of grasping the fact that two and two
make four can go straight in this matter
without one hours delay.
What the Trustees can do this morning
is to resolve as provided by Section 20
that it deems sit to be necessary for the
interest and protection of the city at large
TO contract and create debt of SlO0, 900 tor
materials and labor to be furnished to
raise, fortify and improve the levee sys-
tenn of the city" Next il can instruct the
proper party to make the specifications
and estimates of cost for the work eontem-
plated, setting it forth generally. If it
has specifications and estimates furnished
to it this morning it has full authority to
adopt them. When adopted it can begin
TO publish the notice referred to at once.
AT the outside, therefore, the notice
could be ready in few days and the ten
days notice expire by August 9th and the
election be held say one week later. or
September Sd. thus giving two full weeks
andtwo days over for the voters to consider
the matter. In this way the city can get
TO work, on the levees by October Ist. and
between that and the last of November ac-
complish great deal, but not of course.
the whole work, since unfortunately the
entire months of June and July and half
OF August have been lost by delay.
In 1890 similar question as to street
improvement was June 2Sd ordered SUBJ
mitted, ten days notice given and the
election held July 9th, though it would
have been lawful to have held it ON the
eleventh or twelfth day from the first
publication. In 1884, February 24th. bv
resolution, the board adopted plan for
levee Improvement 1t first published
the notice for the election March LIST. and
the election was held March 18th. In that
case the voting was had the day after the
expiration of the notice, the full fifteen
days not being taken because there was
need for haste.
BY reference tothat levee-improvement
action it will be found that the specifica-
tions were general, and not in engineer
ing detail. Thus, the clauses read like
this: ''To properly prepare the outer
face of the levee from Burns Slough to
the American River railroad bridge, for
The growth Of Bermuda grass and plant