The record-union., 1893-02-06
IMPORTANT MEASURES.
Senator Hart's Drainage and Re-
clamatiOn Bills.
A State Board of Public Works With
Engineers, Surveyors, Etc.-Organ-
izine Drainage Districts by the
Board-Duties of the Supervisors.


duced in the Senate.
They are of interest to the entire State,
and more especially to the Sacramento
Valley. One of the bills, No. 564, pro-
vides for the creation of State Board of
Public Works, defines their duties and
powers, prescribes their compensation,
and makes an appropriation therefor; the
other bill, 565. provides for the organiza-
ton and government of drainage districts,
for the levy, equalization and collection
of assessments therein, for the construc-
ton and maintenance of canals and other
drainage works to secure the lands of
such districts from overflow, and confer
ring powers and imposing duties upon the
State Board of Public Works in relation
to such drainage districts.
The State Board of Public Works shall
consist of three members, to be appointed
by the Governor, who shall hold their
Offices for the respective terms of one,
two and three years from the 1st day of
March, 1898, and until their successors
shall be appointed and qualified; and
thereafter there shall be appointed one of
said board at the expiration of the terms,
respectively, of the members first ap-
pointed, whose term of Office shall con-
tinue for three years, and until his sue
cessor is appointed and qualified, and all
subsequent appointments shall be for the
term of three years.
SAID officers, before entering upon the
discharge of their duties, shall execute an
official bond in the sum of $1,000. The
members of said board shall each receive
salary of $1,000 per annum, payable in
monthly installments, and shall be al
lowed their actual travelling and other ex-
penses incurred while in the perform
ance of official duties.
The Office of said board shall be at the
State Capitol. The board shall elect its
President, and a Secretary at a salary of
Sl50 month while actually employed.
but said Secretary shall not be member
of the board.
The board shall have the power to en-
ploy such engineers, surveyors, assist
ants, attorneys, agents and persons as
they deem necessary, or to perform any
duties imposed by any law upon said
board, and to fix their compensation
The board shall perform such duties in
the examination, supervision and man
agement of such public works con-
structed or carried on by the State or
under State authority, or under any law
of the State, as they may be directed to
perform from time to time by law, and
shall have such other powers as may be
conferred upon them, and perform such
other duties as may be hereafter imposed
upon them by law.
The SI1T1 Of SSO OaO iS
pay the salaries and expenses of the
board and their employees, and for such
other purposes as may be necessary in
discharging their duties.
Drainage districts may be formed and
organized for draining and protecting
land from overflow under the provisions
of bill 565. Such districts may embrace
all lands which will be benefited by one
general system of drainage works, and
may be formed without regard to any ex-
istlng reclamation, swamp land, levee or
protection districts or political subdiyis-
ion.
The officers of such drainage districts
shall be five Directors and Treasurer.
In order to inaugurate proceedings for.
the organization of drainage district in
any territory subject to overflow or in
undation and susceptible of one general
system of drainage, the State Board of
Public Works. on its. own motion, or on
application of five land owners resident
within such territory, may prepare de-
scription of such territory, embracing all
lands to be affected, and shall certify said
description OF said territory to the Board
OF Supervisors of the county embraced,
and shall petition said Board of Super-
visors to take the necessary steps to form
said territory into a drainage district.
under the provisions of this Act. To said
petition shall be attached the certificate
of the Controller Of the State, showing
the assessed value of property in the sew
eral counties embraced in said described
territory. The petition shall be presented
at regular meeting of said Board of Su-
pervisors, and shall be published for at
least three weeks before the hearing
thereof in one newspaper published in
the district affected. The Board of Super-
visors are granted the power to change
the boundaries of districts under certain
restrictions. Said Board of Supervisors
shall designate name for said district
and shall also make an order dividing
said district into five divisions. bounded
as nearly as practicable by natural bound
aries, which shall be numbered first. sec
ond, third, fourth, and fifth; and one Di-
rector, who shall be a freeholder in the
division and an elector and a resident of
the district, shall be elected by each di
vision. The order must also divide each
of the divisions of the district into con-
venient voting precincts, defining the
boundaries thereof. And thereupon the
Board OF Supervisors must order an cleo
ton in said drainage district, which shall
be not less than thirty nor more than
sixty days from the date of such order.
The election shall be conducted in ac-
cordance with the general election laws of
the State. The Board of Supervisors
shall meet on the second Monday next
succeeding the election to publicly can
vass the votes cast thereat and declare the
result, which the clerk shall enter on the
records of such board.
Ii said district is declared organized the
clerk must make out certificate of cleo
ton, and certified copy of the election
must be filed in the County Recorders
Office, and from and after the date of said
filing the organization of such district
shall be complete. Within fifteen days
after election the officers shall file their
certificates of election, take the prescribed
oath and tile their respective bonds.
The Treasurer of the board shall file a
bond in the sum of $4,000. The board
shall proceed to organize within five
days after all have qualified The Board of
Directors shall hold regular monthly