The herald., 1896-12-23

VI thc uhiFcIcity HioH iouUy tHnt ~ uiu
procure and seek to procure such legis-
lation for its own benefit.
University Of California, College Of
Agriculture. Berkeley, April 26, 1895.
Abbot Kinney. Esq.-Dear Sir: Yours
Of the 22d Of July received. I answer
so soon as serious illness at my house
Will permit me
First of all state, categorically. that
I neither said nor thought that you had
illegally retained state property in your
possession.
What I did say when spoken to about
the forestry bills and the Santa Monica
station was, that we owed you no thanks
In this connection, as had positive in
formation that you helped to lessen our
desired appropriation, thus limiting our
work in conformity with the more or
less covert attitude of hostile criticism
you had manifested towards my de-
partment, to my knowledge, ever since
1889 as shown by letter of yours in our
possession), and that I trusted you
would not compel me to rake up the
records of the defunct forestry board,
which had not turned over to US nearly
all the property known to have been
purchased and not accounted for as sold
or disposed of by any papers We can
find
said this, not as a representative Of
the University of California, but in a
private conversation not expected to be
given out. But so long as it has come to
your ears, I will tell you plainly Just
where I stand in the matter.
was during your chairmanship an
earnest advocate Of the work of the
state board of forestry; thought
highly of its work and your per-
sonal share in it and. although
knew it had fallen somewhat
from its former estate when I left for
Europe in 1892, there learned from the
with sincere regret that it's
existence was in jeopardy. I did not
learn until my return in 1893 that the
work had been turned over to this de-
partment, and that with an appropria-
tion which practically amounted to
placing upon our shoulders all the re-
ing any such progress as, in the certain
presence Of hostile criticism, 1t would
be absolutely necessary to make. When
the time came in which the stations were
to be turned over to US we were met, at
Santa Monica especially, by the most
obstruction. 1t was only by
the threat of taking legal proceedings
that the incumbent under the defunct
board was induced to vacate the prem
ises. That in this he was aided and
abetted by members of the old board.
having close communion with yourself,
was made abundantly evident. About
this time we obtained possession Of what
Ii evidently only a portion Of the papers
of the old board. including, OF course,
your term, together with some furni-
ture from the San Francisco Office. An
examination of these papers reveals
such extraordinary business methods
on the part Of that body and its officers
that we made UP our minds, then and
there. that for the present. at least, we
must avoid close connection with the
This. presume. 10 what you refer to as
Establishing" If 50. I plead guilty to
the charge.
For months thereafter applications
came from time to time for tho pest of
foreman. which. under our limited ap-
propriatton we had found It necessary
to fill with an intelligent laborer from
the grounds here. and which was there
fore not vacant. They were unInis
takably Designed to substitute for the
man who understood our objects and
methods Of business some one who. un-
der local influences, would do the bid
ding OF others than ourselves. Aside
from direct Information pointing to
your connection with these attempts,
your letter addressed to the authori-
ties Of the university suggesting that the
Santa Monica station should be convert
ed into a public park showed clearly
your animus toward what you are
pleased to style "the new forestry po-
lice"
After a brief interval Of quiet there
came from you simultaneously to four
or Ave different officials Of the univer-
sity heated recital of the wrongs done
you and Professor McClatchie when, on
undertaking to break Off branches from
such shrubs and trees at the station as
you pleased, the foreman summoned you
to desist, as you knew perfectly we'll 1t
was his right and duty to do, for no pub
lie plantation or park could be MAIN
tained under any different regulation. As
in the former case, permit me to add
somewhat, as in the present these COM
munications conveyed a plain menace
as to what the Citizens League" would
do If certain things were not done. Are
these gentlemen your special praetori-
ans?
Respecting the 'eeven stations'' you
speak Of. the records show mere options
or conditional deeds for places such as
Hesperia, and difficulties such as that
Of your board with the late Mr.. Hooper
at Merced. No beginnings were made
Monica. The sad condition Of the two
stations in 1889 is also sufficiently shown
by the records. They probably were in
much worse condition in 1893 when
turned over to the university. With the
limited means at our control We have
put these stations in a very satisfactory
condition, but the continued verbal and
printed Misrepresentation circulated in
various quarters regarding this point
have in several instances been traceable
to yourself personally.
When, during the legislative session,
received your letter stating that you
were going to Sacramento and coming