The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-01-06
WORKING ON THE CHARTER.
Last Nights Work Of the Legislative
and Finance Committees.
The Proposition Favored of Having a
Legal Adviser Of the City and
Police Court Prosecutor.

The Freeholders' Legislative Commit
tee met last evening and resumed the
work Of revising that portion of the re-
port which had been arranged at the
meeting held last Thursday evening.
There were present fIessrs. C. L. White,
LaRue, Green and Armstrong.
1t was decided to specify the different
matters or business dealings of the board
Tor which contracts must be let. Main
tenance Of prisoners, fuel, street sprink-
ling, supplies, printing, advertising, sta
tionery, street lighting and public build
ings were included under this head.
Section is of the article in relation to
the powers Of the Board Of Trustees was
made to read as follows:
''No contract calling for the payment Of
more than 800 shall be effective unless
authorized by vote of the board. When
any contract shall be so authorized it
shaIl, before it becomes effective, etc,
etc. continued on plan of veto clause by
Mayor as shown IN the Oakland char
teri"
A provision was added refusing the
power TO the board Of mortgaging or by
pothecating any property Of the city for
any purpose.
Mr.. White favored the insertion OF a
provision requiring that comprehensive
sewerage system be provided for the city.
a clause to this effect was placed in the
section defining the duties Of the board.
Naturally the members Of the com
mittee were unanimous III favor of the
usual provision for the regulation Of all
telegraph, electric, telephone and fire
alarm wires. Also, to establish fire
limits.
Section II of Article I. OF the old charter,
giving the board the power TO control the
water front fix rates Of wharfage and
levee dues and the speed atwhich steam
ers and railroad cars shall run, was APP
proved.
The next section, relating to the power
OF the board to examine the books, re-
ports and papers OF the city officers, was
also approved.
Another section was then added max
ing 1t the duty of all city officers TO make
weekly report, under oath, Of all mon
eyS received or ulSDurSed by them: The
report to be handed to the board at the
regular meetings.
a subdivision giving the board the
power to provide for the punishment OF
Migrants was deemed proper.
The clause in the old charter prohibit
ing the board from creating a liability or
drawing 3 warrant from any fund beyond
e&lSllib2
such fund, was approved, bat MIR. Green
wanted TO 90 further. tie did not want
the board to go beyond its means, and he
wanted to make the members personally
liable for mourning liability beyond the
amount in any fund. This was the reason
why the city was now III debt to the extent
OF 0,000.
Judge Armstrong agreed with MI
Green.
The matter Of preparing a provision in
accordance with the views Of Mr.. Green
and Mr.. Armstrong was left to Mir. White.
The wording OF subdivisions Is, rs, y,
Is and % Of the old charter was changed
slightly.
IN relation to the power Of the board to
employ an attorney at-law at any time,
Mr.. Green said he was III favor of giving
the board the privilege Of hiring q com
petent attorney by the year at say
salary of s., $50. EeshOuld act as the legal
adviser OF the board, and represent it in
ali suits brought by and against the city.
lie thought there should also be City
Attorney, but that official should do moth
ing but attend TO the Police Court bust
ness. 4 salary of so or 500 was enough
for him.
Mr.. White did not think this bad
IDEA. In the last few years the city had
expended a large amount Of money to
different lawyers for their services, and
II would have been economy to have en-
gagged one by the year.
Mr.. LaRue also thought the board
ought to have special counsel at all times.
Mr.. Green was Of the opinion that a
good Police Court lawyer could be en-
gagged for not more than 81 900 year.
Judge Armstrong thought it would not
be wrong TO hire a special counsel for The
board. 1T won't make any difference
said he, the members are liable to get
some one, anyway, who will divide with
them"
Mr.. Green believed the board should
have the power to hire counsel by the
year, at an expense not to exceed s., 1000.
Judge Armstrong said $1,000 was too
much TO pay a lawyer for a years sery-
ices. The sum of 81 800 was enough.
Mr.. Green said that if Mr.. Armstrong
thought Sl,500 was enough, he guessed
that figure would be about the right limit.
Mr.. White thought $1,000 was not too
much, but the other members were
against him, and he had to submit
A section to this effect was then pre-
pared, while Judge Armstrong solilo-
QulZed that 81 900 was enough for q man
who knew the law, and $500 additional to
educate a lawyer who didn't know the
law.
Sections 20, %, 80, "a. SO, 4S. 40 and so of
Article III. of the Oakland Charter. and
Section 36 of Article III. Of the San Diego
Charter, We're approved and ordered
placed in the report.
Mr.. Green wanted a section added pro-
hibiting any society from participating in
parade, unless it carried the National
flag.
Judge Armstrong was opposed to this.
municipalities ought not to Try to regu-
late this. Foreigners had their whims
and they could hardly be prohibited from
practicing them.
Mr.. Green's suggestion on this subject
was finally dropped.
The committee adjourned until to-mor-
row evening, when its report will be sub
Of l,or