The record-union., 1893-01-26
ton Of the committee-the farmers or

ton of the committee-the farmers or
miners.
Senator Ford's bill for the establish
ment of a Debris Commission was next
taken up. Mr.. Ford had a substitute for
the bill which took the place of the latter.
The substitute simply changed the
phraseology somewhat The substitute
provides as follows:
THE Governor ofthe State of California
shall, on or before the lst day of January,
1874, appoint commission of three COM
petent civil engineers, to be known as
and called The Debris Commissioners.
said Commissioners shall, during the
time that they shall be actually employed
III the discharge Of their official duties,
receive a compensation of $50 per diem,
and their necessary travelling expenses to
be allowed by the State Board of Exam
liners.
Whenever any Board of Engineers of
The United States Government shall have
been appointed with power to adopt plans
ana specifications for the construction of
works for the impoundiug Of mining de-
prs, 1t shall be the duty Of said The De-
DTS commissioners to consult and adj
wise with such Board of Engineers OF the
United states Government, and to exam
! lue ana pass upon the merits OF such
works, and said The Debris Commission
ers shall determine by vote whether or
not such works are calculated to and sut-
hcient to protect navigable waters of the
State and to keep a record OF such de-
termnations. There is hereby appropri-
ated out of the general fund OF the
| Treasury of this State, not otherwise
appropriated, the sum of $3.50, 600,
no warrant against said sum to be drawn
or paid until the United States Govern
ment shall have appropriated at least an
equal amount, to be used in the cOnstruc-
ton of works for the restraining or i'm
,,f y
Said moneys to be paid upon orders duly
drawn by the Controller, upon the writ
ten request of the majority of the mem
bers OF said Debris Commissioners, and
to be drawn only for the payment OF not
more than one-half Of the cost of con-
struction of any such works tor restrain
ing and impoundlng mining debris as
shall have been approved by them and
duly adopted and recommended by en-
gineers Of the United States Government
appointed for that purpose.
1.-The term of office Of said Debris Com
missioners shall be four years from the
date Of their appointment. They shall
take the same oath Of Office as is pro-
vided by law for other State officers, and
before they enter upon the discharge of
their duties shall each give bond, with
sufficient sureties to be approved by the
Governor of the State, III the sum of 500
coo, for the faithful discharge of their du-
ties as such officers.
The said Debris Commissioners shall
have the power to appoint a Secretary, at
a monthly salary to be fixed by said Com
mlssloners not exceeding Sl25 per month
said Secretary to hold office at the pleas
ure Of the board. And the State Con-
troller is hereby authorized to draw his
warrant monthly in favor of said Secre-
tary upon the order Of said Debris Com
missioners; provided, however, that no
Secretary shall be appointed until the
said Debris Commissioners shall enter
upon the actual discharge OF their duties"
Senator Ostrom declared himself against
! this bill, too. He was against commits
slons Ill general. None Of them were
any good, he said, except the Horticult-
uraI Commission. There had been sew
eral debris commissions appointed by
/ previous Legislatures, and none OF them
ever amounted to anything other than a
burden upon the people and a sinecure
/ for somebody. He didn't like the salary
that was proposed in the bill. Twenty
dollars day was more money than the
miners in their red flannel shirts and
| Missouri jeans could earn in the palmy
| days Of 40
! Senator Goucher said he wanted further
time to look into the bill.
motion was adopted to report the bill
I favorably so it could 90 to the Finance
Committee. The understanding was that
/ the bill could be fought on the floor of the
/ Senate.
] Senator Ostrom wanted to register his
vote against the action of the committee,
and charged the Chairman with trying
/ to shut him out.
This riled Mr.. Ford, and rising be read
the riot act' to the gentleman from
/ 7 uba. There had never been any desire
on his part TO take snap iudgmentupon
anybody. He knew that the minds OF
the committeeman We're made up thor
oughly, and there was 10 use wasting
/ time. Those who sympathized with the
miners would vote for the mining bills,
and the farmers would vote against It,
| He had had considerable trouble getting
| the committee together, and did not pro-
/ pose 10 permit unnecessary delays.
! The committee then adjourned to the
call Of the Chair.