The record-union., 1894-09-25
SOMETHING MUST HAVE DROPPED.
It Sounded Very Like a Genuine
BombsheII.
A Communication Which Majority
of the City Trustees Refused to
Listen to Last Night.

| Mayor Steinman knocked out a ma
jority of the City Papas last night in one
round. Indeed, it was done in much less
than the stipulated three minutes which
constitute a round under the Marquis of
/ Queensberry code.
He sent letter to the Trustees which
they refused to hear read all the way
through. IN this they committed a mis-
take, for they missed great deal, painful
though it might have proved. The letter
/ is given below in full. however, for it is
the richest thing of the season. and the
REcoRD-UNIoN could not think of de-
/ priving its readers of such a literary treat.
1t fully explains itself, and is what may
/ vulgarly be termed
"a sTEN-wINDER"
! To the Board of Trustees: 1t was my
privilege, under Section l34 of the char
ter, TO appoint, in addition to the regular
and extra police force, fifteen special po-
llcemen to. act during the two weeks of
1alr. did so, and, among the number,
was Henry Alter, who has had consider
able experience as a policeman, and
whose faithful services during the time
he was employed as a special policeman
proved him 10 be worthy Of his APP
polntment. When his bill for services
came before your board, the same was
/ rejected because, some months before, |
had named him for the position of regu-
| lar policeman and you had refused him
confirmation.
Although Section 81 of the charter pro-
hlblts any member of your board from
suggesting the appointment OF any per-
son to any place in the city government,
still your board, in the exercise OF your
/ combined wisdom, has deemed it advis-
able to suggest to me that l shall not APP
! point or employ any person who has
been refused confirmation by your board.
/ You have nothing to do with the appoint
! ment of the fifteen special policemen,
ana any interference on your part will
not be tolerated. Because your board
has seen lit, by means of an unamericau
| secret ballot, TO condemn man without
! nearing, 1t Is no reason why he should be
/ condemned for the rest of his life. There
IS no official blacklist in this city, and
the charter under which we are acting
does not authorize your board to create
| one.
Some of the members of your board
are evidently possessed of the idea that
they are running all the departments of
the city government, including this of
! tce, and that all the other officers are
subservlent to their whims and caprices,
but L desire to inform your honorable
! board that the people OF this city elected
me Mayor, and that it is my intention TO
exercise the prerogatives pertaining 10
that office without dictation or inter-
ference from your board or any member
thereof.
When the claim of Mr.. Alter came be-
fore your board the only question you
had right to ask was whether his serv-
ices had been performed. He was legally
appointed by me, and the compensation
for his services was fixed by the charter.
a. l.
bill OF Henry Alter was rejected after he
was legally appointed and his services
faithfully performed.
L beg leave to inform you that last week
MIR. Alter commenced suit against the
city for the collection of his claim, and
that the papers were served on me last
Saturday. AS the city has no defense to
this action, and in order to save the piling
up OF costs, and also to save the city from
| the further disgrace of contestng a lust
claim, L have this day confessed judg-
ment on behalf OF the city for the amount,
and when the claim again comes before
your board, based on this Judgment,
there Will be some costs attached to it,
and l respectfully suggest that those
| members of your board who were instru-
| mental IN having this claim rejected pay
the costs themselves, as the taxes as lev
led do not provide for the pleasant pas
time OF the city's paying court costs in
submitted. b. y. SrEINMAN, Mayor.
IT WASN'T PALATABLE.
While the Mayors clerk was reading
the communication, Trustee Leonard
moved that the further reading of it be
| dispensed with 1t. Kent seconded the
motion, and Davis asked for a roll call.
The result of the roll call was the carry
ing OF the notion by a vote of 5 to 4.
Kent, Wachhorst, Davis, Leonard and
|
Devine and Pennisb voting no.
Pennish said it related to judgment
that the city would have to pay, and it
should be heard.
Leonard said he didn't care; he didn't
propose to sit there and be insulted every
night. So the communication was laid
aside.
IT Is HooDooED.
Among the other communications SUBJ
nlitted by the Mayor last night was one
relating TO the stable ordinance. 1t also
had sting in it. Says the Mayor:
To the Board of Trustees: 1 herewith
return to you, without action thereon.
Ordinance No. =, entitled IAN Ordi-
dance to amend Section I3 of Ordinance
No. IL OF the city of Sacramento, en-
titled An ordinance consolidating, re-
vising and coditying the ordinances of
the city Of Sacramento passed June 27.
1872, relating to license for livery or sale
stables" because The same is not authen-
ticated by your President as required by
the charter, and does not appear to have
been passed by your board.
1t seems to be extremely difficult to
enact this particular ordinance, for if /
remember rightly this is the third time
it has been returned by me to you. /
assure you the fault is not mine. When
the ordinance is in such condition that
l can act upon it, | shall be most pleased
to receive 1t again, and, as inIimated in
former communication, will approve it,
Respectfully submitted,
b. I. STEINMAN, Mayor.