The morning call., 1893-11-28
THE $4,000 DEMAND PAID.
What the commissioners Figures
Reveal.
SHOULD HAVE BEEN A SURPLUS.
Other Unpaid Bills to Be Met Besides
the One Just Liqui-
dated.

The Board OF Supervisors passed reso-
luton yesterday which allowed over
$4,000 of the peoples money to slip out of
the public treasury. 1t was in the matter
of the S10,856 80 warrant issued for the
Laguna survey claimant. E. w. Burr.
Over a week ago THE CALL drew atten-
ton TO this case. Supervisor James. chair-
man of the Finance Committee. looked
into the matter. and as a result the Board
of Supervisors instructed the Treasurer to
withhold payment of the S10,S56 80 which
had already been issued and audited by
the Auditor. Yesterday the Finance
Committee, through Supervisors Denman
and Kennedy - Supervisor James, the
chairman. not signing the report on ac-
count of absence from The city-presented
the following:
In the matter OF resolution 9541 (.hird
seres) passed by your honorable board, re-
ouesting the Ciiy and County Treasurer TO
Withhold payment of 4 demand In favor of l..
w. Burr for S1O,S5 80 until further inyestl'
CATION.
This amount is for Judgment allowed by
by the Superior Court in a suit OF the city and
county VS.. Z. w Burr for certain lands neceS-
sary for the Ming of Filbert street and Van
Ness avenue through the Laguna'suryey.
We find that these lands cannot be obtained
nor the streets opened until the judgment Is
satisfied: also that the matter is wholly indie
pendent of any clam Of Tho city and county on
Mr.. Burr for amounts due from hun.
Your committee therefore recommend that
the resolution above mentioned. No. 9541
Qhird series), be repealed.
The report gave rise TO the following
resolution, which was adopted. allowing
those who have the S10.656 80 warrant To
cash it:
WHEREAS. This board. by resolution 9541
third series). requested the City and County
IN.
CATION payment OF that certain demand In
favor OF Z. w. Burr allowed by this board Oc-
tober 3, 1898, for S10,S56 90,
ResOEred, hat the City and County Treas
nrer be directed TO pay said demand as allowed
and said resolution 954l (third series) is hereby
repealed.
An examination of the figures of the
transactions OF the Laguna Survey Com
mission, as found in the offices of the
Street Superintendent and Treasurer.
shows that this S10,656 90 ought not 10
have been appropriated, much less paid.
The capture of the coin was clever piece
of work all around.
1t was estimated that the cost for OPEN
inc the survey would be S16l,2T5 Is, for
which amount an assessment district was
levied. The expenses of the commission
were as follows:
Amount estimated for lands TO be
taken to open the street,. sl32.75l 90
Expenses OF commission............... 2O.933 so
Contingent expenses, legal fees. etc.. 1881 rs
Total....................... rs
For this amount an assessment was
levied. According to the Treasurer's books
the sum collected from those assessed was
S156 S33 03. He acknowledged receipt for
this money. This leaves SAP ~ not yet
collected. Among the assessments not
paid are those for S2072 ca, owed by L.
W. Burr and which he has refused to pay.
Thus, it will be seen that if Burr'S assess
ment had been collected the commission
would at best have been only $1,000 or SO
short.
Z. w. Burr was dissatisfied with the
value which had been placed on his land
on Filbert street when condemned by the
commission. He was allowed $500 for il. and
this amount was included in the Sl61. 275 70
to De raised by assessments. So Burr went
to court, and instead of $500 the court al
lowed him S10,S56 90. This was only S24O0
additional expense. which the mission
would have had to meet, Add this S2400
additional cost placed on the commission
by the court. and about the same amount
due from uncollected assessments. the
whole deficit would not have amounted to
more than S5000
Yet the Commissioners went before the
Supervisors and represented that $4,000
was needed to close up the work of the
commission so that the street could be
opened. On this showing The money was
appropriated. The statement of the
Finance Committee yesterday that "the
matter is wholly independent of any claim
of the city and county on Mr.. Burr for
amounts due from him" is incorrect, for
according TO the Treasurer's books Mr.
Burr owes the city S2074 OF for assess
ments, which he refuses to pay. The
S10,S56 appropriated by the Supervisors is
gone where the woodbine twinetb, but this
is not all.
The commission has not paid all Of its
bills, and there is still money to be raised
to meet Indebtedness amounting to $3.50
for advertising and other expenses of the
commission.
Auditor Broderck. speaking of the war
rant which was grabbed in such neat
way. said yesterday:
Had l known that Burr owed the city
$1,000 of unpaid assessments | would never
have audited the demand, because under
the law 1 can always refuse to audit
claim against the city when the owner
owes the city. When the warrant came to
my hands one OF the Commissioners,
Horace g. Plat, came to nue. and said that
all the assessments had been paid up;
that nothing was owing, and that the
Sl0,S56 30 was simply to pay Burr his
Judgment after which the street could be
opened without any obstruction or inter-
ference. Now it turns OFT that Burr has
not paid his assessment, and They have the
$4,000"
The Laguna Survey Commissioners and
Burr have the best OF the transaction.