The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1893-04-11
THE Art GALLERY.
The Mayor Does Not Appreciate Its
Value to the City.
BE Admits That He Was Not Familiar
With the Conditions of the
Munificent Gift.

When the bills for the salaries of the
custodian, Waterman and gardener at the
Art Gallery were taken up by the Trus
tees yesterday Mayor Steinman objected
to their payment. He did not think the
city had any right to pay them. An ad-
mission fee was charged, but none of
the money came into the City Treas
ury. The city had already paid out Sl3, 40
in seven years for salaries and repairs,
and it would still go on. The roof of the
building leaks, and he said the best part
OF the gallery was gone. He did not see
why the custodian should be paid $50; he
was running private art school and get
ting paid for it. The building and gallery
were white elephant on the hands of the
city and he did not see the use OF keeping
it up at such expense. The gardener gets
SO per month and the Waterman So, half
of which is paid by Mrs. Crocker. If he
wanted to take friend in he must pay an
admission fee. He decidedly objected to
paying the bills.
Trustee Conklin said the city had &C
cepted the gallery as gift from Mrs.
CroclIer. She had given the city deed
for it. and it must keep it up. Tie ques-
ton was not as to its advisability, but as
TO the maintenance of the property which
the city had accepted with that under
standing.
The Mayor said he would vote with the
others to pay the bills, as they had been
incurred by authority of the former
board, but added that he would vote for
no more of them.
THE ART GALLERY CHAMPIoNED.
At its afternoon session j. A. Woodson,
President of the California Museum AS
ISOLATION, appeared before the board and
called attention to the obligation which
the city is under to assist and care for the
Art Gallery property given to the city by
Mrs. +. b. Croker.
The California Museum Association,
said Mr.. Woodson, was formed long be-
lore any idea OF the Art Gallery becom-
ing public institution was entertained.
At meeting of citizens Mrs. Crocker was
asked to make her gift to the city, and that
was done, with the full approval of the
people and the Trustees, who on the 4th
of May, 1885, passed this order:
WHEREAS, Mrs. Margaret +. Crocker has
by deed dated May 2, 1885, given, donated
and conveyed TO the city of Sacramento the
property known the L. b. CrocIer Art Gal
lery, situated in the block in said city bound
ed by and and Second and Third streets,
mentioned; therefore
Resotced, That the city hereby accepts said
deed and the gifts thereby made upon the
The deed of May ,, 1885, by which the
property was transferred reads as follows:
Know all men by these presents that l. Mrs
Margaret +. Croker of the city and county OF
Sacramento, State of California in coDsidera-
ton oil 81, TO me III hand paid, the recent
whereof Is hereby acknowledged, and of other
good considerations me thereunto moving
ana Tor the purpose OF aiding in the estao-
hshment in said city of an institution to
promote art, science, mechanics literature
and education to the end that the material
ana social interests OF said city and State may
De adNanCeu, nave given, gran ed, ETC., unto
the city of Sacramento and its succt S sors for
ever, all that lot of land (here follows descrip-
ton of the land, building and contentsl 10
have and TO hold, etc, upon the trusts never
theless, and to and for the USES interests and
purposes hereinafter limited, described and
declaredi that IS TO say:
First-lo hold and keep said property, both
real and personal, forever; 10 care for and
maintain the same in good repair, order and
condition.
Second-To give TO the California Museum
Association, corporation, incorporated and
organized under tine laws of the State of Cali
fornia, the use and occupation of all said
property, subject to the Joint and equal con-
trol aud management thereof with said city;
sad Joint management and control on the
part OF SAID city 10 be exercised by the Mayor,
FIRST Trustee or chief executive officer of said
city.
Third-To use all said property and the
rents, issues and profits thereof jointly with
said association for the purpose of advancing
education and learning in the city of Sacra-
and literature in the State OF California and
10 ana IN carrying out the general purpose of
the aforesaid California Museum Association.
tourth-Io main tain the aforesaid property.
real and personal, under the name of the l.,
Is. Crocker Art Gallery,
The next record is that of May 4, 1885.
on the books of the trustees, and reads:
Resolved, That the California Museum As
ISOLATION hereby agrees with the city of Sac
ramentO, IN consideration of said city accent
Ing the deed OF the property known as the +.
D. Croker ;t Art Gallery, executed by Mrs: Z.
4. Crocker, under date OF I'd day of Nav
1855, TO maintain, support and care for said
properly at It's own expense until the list day
OF April, 1856.
Passed at a meeting ofthe Board of Directors
OF the Museum Association held May l.
1850, at the once of Christopher Green, Post
master, ana slgnel by j. IL. Kay, Secretary,
and ID. Lubin, President.
STATE CABINET SECURED.
In 1887, said Mr.. Woodson, the Trus-
tees petitioned the Legislature not to re-
move the mineral cabinet from Sacra-
mento and offered to house it in the Art
Gallery. The Legislature acceded and
passed an Act March 9, 1887, providing
for removal of the State mineral cabinet
to the +. b. Crocker Art Gallery, to be
kept open Tor inspection by the public
but no expense to the State shall be IN
CURED, either for room rent or care of the
same.
The cabinet was accordingly removed
by It's lIusIeeS appointed Governor
Bartlett, and continued in office ever
since, and has been maintained ever
since without cost to the city and been
enlarged and greatly improved and
beauufed, the Legislature paying from
year to year the cost therefor.
1t will be thus seen that the Art Gallery
is administered for the purposes of the
city and by the California Museum Asso-
citation, which purposes are wholly public
The Association Directors and the
Mayor constitute a Board of Joint Con-
troll, which makes all the regulations.
For convenience all bills payable by the
city are first passed upon by the Museum
Directors, to put all checks possib BILE upon
the claims. The Board of Joint Control
elects custodian and he is paid $50
month, and pays out of it the janitor who
keeps the building clean and acts as day
watchman and doorkeeper and assistant
bookkeeper. Mr.. Jackson is not paid a
dollar by the city for any other purpose
or thing. He really gets about $50 as
custodian of property worth half a
million. The other employees are a
gardener at S65-who is also fireman
and helper-and q night watchman at
$40. OF these salaries the city pays S67
and Mrs. Croker the balance, and the
employees serve both Mrs. Crocker and
the city. If Mrs. Croker should cease
her payments the city would have to paw
the full bills alone, and, though her
grounds are larger, still her half is the
gain of the city. The other expenses are
for repairs and supplies usual to such a
public building.
OF VALUE To THE CITY.
The Museum Association has added
property to the institution probably
worth $4,000 or SIP, 900; it has expended
a great deal of money raised by itself for
,tsfo ri rha l.