The record-union., 1896-12-29
Contractors and Highway Com
miSSiOnerS Complain.
Expense Items TnjuStly Charged to
the Crushing Plant,
Such as Switching, Salaries Of Guards, Super
ntendent Etc.
Belief That an Effort VIII be Made TO Have The Price OF
Crushed Rock Placed Far Above the Sum Tor
Which II Can be Produced.

Mutterings have been heard in and
about the State Bureau of Highways for
sCme months past, but they have been
smothered and indefinite, and While 1T
was known that discomfort was rife, no
one except the members Of the board
cared to place a finger upon the lacer-
ated part.
In fact the members of the Bureau OF
Highways considered themselves part
of a family, and knew full well that
family discord should be evaded at al
most any cost The inevitable has hap
pened, however. and the ball has been
started rolling-started rolling by a
third party, it is true, but rolling never
theless.
Angus McKinnon a Stockton con-
tractor, was the man who sprung the
question, and he did so because he
thought he had been mulcted by the
Board of Prison Directors to the amount
of four cents over and above the con-
tract price on each ton of crushed rock.
The basis of the proposition made by
the Bureau of Highways and the Prison
Directors was to the effect that crushed
cars at the rate of - cents a ton, and
under this proposition McKinnon made
his contract for street work in the
Slough City.
CAUSE OF THE COMPLAINT.
On the 10th of the present month the
State Board of Examiners received from
Budd & Thompson a letter inclosing a
petition from Angus McKinnon for the
return to him of $113 which he had been
compelled to pay as an additional charge
to the regular rate of freight on crushed
rock from Folsom to Stockton, where he
had taken a contract for street improve
ment.
Mr. NcKinnon claimed that he had
made his contract on the basis of the
proposition made by the Bureau Of
Highways and the State Prison Direc-
ors-that the crushed rock would be
furnished delivered free on board the
cars for - cents per ton. and the freight
rate from Folsom to Stockton was fixed
and arranged to be 45 cents per ton.
The additional charge afterward placed
on the rock by the Prison Directors OF
81 per car for switching from the prison
TO EOiSOfl, dLIef ms contract Ddu betil
entered into and his bond given, had.
he claimed, swallowed up every dollar
of his profit on it and caused him a
loss. and he asked, as matter of fair
dealing, that the money be refunded to
him rom the fund under control of the
Prison Directors received from the sale
of rock.
The matter was referred by the board
to the Bureau of Highways and by that
body to Commits ioner Maude to report
on and answer. and his report has been
presented to the Board of Examiners.
1t is as follows:
THE REPORT.
Gentlemen: We are in receipt of a
communication from your honorable
body inclosing a letter from Budd &
Thompson of Stockton, under date of
December 16. 1896, with three receipts
anG a petition from Angus McKinnon,
all in regard to rock sold to McKinnon
and shipped from the Folsom State
Prison.
In reply we would state that on or
about the last day of June Of this year.
Charles Aull. Warden Of Folsom state
Prison. notified us in person at our Of
flee that the State Board of Prison Di-
rectors had directed him to say that in
future a charge of 81 per car would be