The record-union., 1896-02-01
HARBOR COMMISSIONERS.
A Test Case Agreed on to Ascertain
Their Powers.
The Building of the New Union Depot
Cannot Proceed Until the Mat
ter is Settled.

| The State Board of Examiners held a
meeting yesterday, Governor Budd,
Secretary of State Brown and Attorney
General Fitzgerald being present.
The bill of Bateman Bros, for work
on the new union depot in San Fran
cisco, by authority of the Harbor Com
missioners, was presented to the board
for payment.
There being some question as to
whether the Harbor Commissioners had
properly authorized the work, Attorney
General Fitzgerald advised that for the
purpose of testing the matter, and for
that purpose only, the Governor and
Secretary of State allow the bill and
! that he should refuse to do so and no
tify the Controller not to draw his
warrant for it. In this way it could be
brought before the Supreme Court
| through mandamus proceedings.
After some discussion the board acted
in compliance with the Attorney-Gen-
erals advice.
The Supervisors of Napa County wish
to refund their county bonds, and AS
semblyman Wilkins came up yesterday
to see about it. The Attorney General
said that if the Indebtedness was con-
trcacted previous to the adoption of the
new Constitution, the Supervisors had
a right to refund the bonds. He was of
the opinion that it was the duty of the
State to give preference to the bonds
| of it's own counties when offered to it
for investment.
The board agreed with him, where
| proper inducements were offered.
A letter was read from the Secretary
of the State Normal School at Los An
geles, saying that an offer had been
made for some parallel bars and cheap
drawing tools, and asking permission
to sell them.
The Governor suggested that they be
sent to Glen Ellen, saying that they
| could probably be of use there. 1t was
astonishing to see the work done by
some of the feeble-minded children
| there, in carving with pocket-knives,
making frames, etc. He looked
forward to seeing them learning trades
and making many articles a few years
from now.
The Governor next spoke of brick
made by patients at the Napa Insane
Asylum, which was sent to San Fran
| cisco to use in building the new build
| ings for the State University there.
The Attorney General thought that it
was doubtful if it could be done legally
with an article that would come into
! competition with free labor. His re-
mark brought on a spirited discussion
among the members of the board which
covered the proposition of Labor Com
missioner with regard to the employ
ment of convict labor in manufactur-
/ ing The Governor could not see why
one of the State institutions should not
be able to buy its supplies in certain
lines from another State institution.
Secretary of State Brown said the State
rad great quantities of stone at Fol
| som, and the free labor was perfectly
| willing to use it. There was S260,UUO
| worth of stone to be used and the State
was going outside and buying the stone
in another State.
AS no disposition could be made of the
subject under discussion, until the plans
for the affiliated colleges were adopted,
the matter was dropped.
The Burr claim came up for expenses
Of the requisition proceedings for the
arrest of an ex-County treasurer
named Hammond, the case being the
one in which Governor Waite Of Colo
RADIO refused to honor the request Of
Governor Markham.
Governor Budd stated that the Con-
stitution of the United States provided
that the Governor of a State shall sur
render a prisoner who fees to another
State. and that Governor Waite's state
nent that the papers were not in ac-
| cordance with the law was not correct,
as Colorado had no law on the sub
iect and the requisition was according
| TT,,i+a6 States st a af11tP
AS it was not the fault of Burr that
he did not bring his prisoner back, the
[ bill was allowed with the exception of
his expenses from Los Angeles to this
city.
The board did not consider that there
was any fund from which the bill of
S492 for the funeral expenses of the
late Lieutenant Governor Millard
could be paid by them, but decided to
recommend to the Legislature, at the
September meeting, that it be paid.
The bill of r. J. Whitaker, who
went to New York to bring back
prisoner was taken up and Secretary
Markley said that he told Whitaker
before he went East to get vouchers
for everything. and Whitaker refused
to do So The bill was allowed after
being considerably cut down.
Secretary Markley presented his re-
port on the evidence of the Jordan
claim and the Governor said that it
would also have to be considered at
the September meeting.
Il do not see why" said the Attorney
] General TT has been passed on by a
former Board of Examiners, and / do
not see that we have anything to do
with it.
Well" said Secretary of State
Brown, "I think we had better refer
the matter to the Attorney General to
find out whether it will be necessary at
the September meeting to recommend
it to the legislature
'tAll right" said the Governor.
'Hlow many more things are you
going to refer to me?' asked the At
torney- General
"Oh, we all know you have not much
to do just now" said the Governor.
yes, we know that, and we have
something else to refer to YOU" said
Mr. Brown. I'VE want your opinion on
the matter of voting. There are a large
number of people in this building who
| have TO reside in Sacramento to fulfill
their duties, but who wish to vote in
their real homes. I am, for instance,
living in Sacramento at present. but
my home is in San Francisco and
want to vote there"
Well" said the Attorney General.
then you viii have to get the Legisla-
ture to make good appropriation for
an Office for you there, like they do for
me. and have you attend the Supreme