The record-union., 1893-04-08
GRAND ISLAND AGAIN.
Its Affairs Aired Before the Super
visors Yesterday.
Little Fishes Object to the Big Ones
Having Everything Their Own
Way-New Commissioners.


gard to the expenses of retaining the
island, detailing what had been done and
asking the board to levy an assessment of
$4,000 for the purpose of completing
reclamation, and to appoint three Com
missioners to assess the proper amount
to each property
L. w. Sheehan, a property on
the island, said that all was not harmo-
NOUS down there. The Board of Trus-
tees were not in unison. and the small
property holders wished the present
Board of Trustees to take such action as
would satisfy the landowners. He would
like Mr.. Figg, one of the Trustees, to eX-
plain matters to the board.
Mr.. Figg said that the settlers wished
to appoint an Advisory Board with whom
istration of affairs.
General Sheehan hoped the board would
not be hasty in taking action at this time.
1t was the unanimous wish of the resi-
dents that the Trustees should consult
with the Advisory Board, and if some
attention were not paid to their wishes
there would be trouble, and vexatious
LITIGATION WOULD ENsUE.
A. 7. ]. Reynolds, one of the Trustees,
said that the time for work was short,
and it would be necessary to act immedi-
ately. To get in the dredger and pump
would take six months. They want it at
Ryde as soon as possible. There was no
objection from property-owners to the
assessment. When the meeting was
called only one Trustee was notified in
time to attend, and only 1000 acres out OF
$1,000 was represented. For his part he
had stated distinctly that he would
recognize no Advisory Board. If the
Trustees have done anything wrong,
through the courts. He would listen to
his neighbors, engineers and attorney,
but the Trustees must have control, and
he proposed to do so.
Figg said the unanimous opinion of the
settlers was that the assessment should
go on. The trouble is that the other
Trustees favor putting affairs into the
hands of the engineer, j. w. Ferris, and
allowing him to make money on the con-
tracts. He thought there should be an
Advisory Board to advise the Trustees.
At present the poorer landowners
HAVE NO SHOW
In directing expenditures, and he did not
think it right that the Trustees should
eXpend $4,000 without the property
owners having a voice in the manner in
which it should be used.
Mr.. Figg then read to the board a pro-
test against the signing of certain war
rants, on the ground that the claims were
contrary to law, and stated that some of
the Trustees owned the machine which
was cutting the drainage ditch through
the island, and that it was so heavy that
the soft soil would not bear it up and al
low it to work to advantage. They,
however. persisted in keeping itsat work
in spite OF the objections, and the fact that
the ditch could long ago have been fin
ished if such landowners as wished
could have been allowed the privilege of
working on it with their own shovels and
teams.
He thought it would be best that the
matter should lie over for month, and
let the settlers have a chance to talk it
over and understand it. He was certain
that the majority of the owners, accord
ing to the assessment roll, had been rep
resented at the recent meeting, and
should be listened to.
WANTS THE CANAL.
c. w. Clarke said he was at the recent
meeting of landowners, and thought that
all were harmonious. Nearly all the
resident propety-owners were there. He
happened to be there on account of his
going down to see about the recent trouble
over cutting through the high land to
drain off water. He attended the meet
ing and counseled harmony, urging that
they should bend their energies to finish
ing the damage ditch so as to get the water
off the land. The meeting favored the
Advisory Board. The land on his part of
the island was flooded, while the lower
part of the island was dry, and before the
ditch could be cut through the crops
would be drowned out. They were all
paying to pump the water from the lower
lands, and were getting no relief them
selves, hence they thought it should be
managed for the benefit of all alike. He
thought that it would be much better to
postpone action on this matter.
ELECTION OF COMMISSIONERS.
Supervisor Todd moved to proceed to
the election of Commissioners.
General Sheehan thought the appoint
ment of Commissioners at this time meant
the levying of an assessment, and would
carry everything with it. He thought
Mr.. Reynolds had misrepresented in his
sarcastic speech the representation at the
meeting.
The residents of the island, said Gem
eral Sheehan, have no confidence in the
majority of the Trustees, who only repre-
sent themselves and the large iand-own-
ers who lived in San Francisco, and acted
entirely in their interest. The same op-
position developed against them at the
prevent it. He wished to make no re-
Elections on any one. All are for reclama-
ton, but many object to expanding
money to no purpose. The drainage
canal should have been finished year
ago, and would have been if the residents
had been allowed to do the work them
selves. instead of the machine being
used. All the trouble would thus have
been avoided.
Mr.. Reynolds said if the board would
appoint the Commissioners he would
promise not to let any more contracts, nor
use the money till the thing was ar
ranged.
Mr.. Kercheval said that the contract to
furnish the pumping plant had been
practically let to Ferris.
Mr.. Clarke said that he had conversed
with Ferris, and the latter did not con-
slider the contract binding. He wanted to
get rid of some of his old boilers, and
Clarke said he should oppose their being
purchased by the Trustees.
Messrs. John Miller, L. d. Green and
William Holtum were elected Commits
sioners, and on motion of Supervisor
Todd further action was deferred till the
next meeting.
FIGG'S FINAL KICK.
A large number of warrants on the dis
trict were then audited, and while the
board was IS engaged trustee Flgg called
their attention to his protest, and the fact
that Reynolds and kercheval had with
drawn the obnoxious warrants mentioned
in it for the work done by their machine,
and which, as the law prohibits officers
from having any interest in contracts,
were illegal. In order that they might
not be brought up again on some other
occasion, and without notice, he ask ed
the board to consider his protest as a
permanent one, against not only these
bills, but all similar ones that might be
presented in future.
STEMS WATCHES