The record-union., 1896-11-13
COYOTE SCALP CLAIMS, ETC.
Considered Yesterday by the State Board
Of Examiners.
No Definite Action Taken - Depot
Bonds Purchase Also
Laid Over.

A meeting of the State Board OF Ex-
aminers was held yesterday, al which
the question of examining into the
matter of salaries paid to officials or
State institutions was brought forward,
and the Governor advanced the idea
that as the board is obliged 20 pass
upon such claims it should also De
empowered to regulate the same. If
the board had no power to cut down
salary there was no use for it to ex-
anime into the same. He asked the
AttOrney-General for an opinion, but
the latter evaded the question by
stating that it would be hard to say
what powers should or should not be
placed in the hands Of the board.
Secretary of State Brown called at
tention to the fact that in several East
ern States several boards fixed the
salaries of employees, and no Board OF
Examiners was necessary. All reports
sent in by them of accounts We're item
lied down to the most minute detail,
and by this method it was easy to de-
termine what became of every cent
expended.
The Governor requested the Secre-
tary of State to draw up his idea and
draft the same in the report to the
Legislature and the latter promised to
do SO. In relation to purchasing sup
plies, the Governor stated that he
should recommend to the Legislature
that a bill be passed providing for the
appointment of one single purchasing
board for all State institutions. The
idea was favorably received by Attor-
ney-General Fitzgerald
The coyote scalp bounty was next
taken up and the Governor produced
a tabulated statement of all certified
scalps from the several counties from
1891 up to the end of 1894, when the
bill fixing bounty was repealed. He
had given the matter, he said, a
cu1sory examination, and had doubts
about the correctness of the number
of scalps certified to from Fresno, Kern
and Kings Counties. During the first
nine months of 1894 773 scalps We're
certified to as having been taken in
Fresno, while during the last three
months of the year 1064 were put in.
in Kern County 1856 were certified
as having been killed during the first
nine, and 3,271 during the last three
months. The figures from Tulare
Iounty were also inflated for the short
period, and the Governor favored rec
oInmending that money be appropri-
ated for paying the bounty for scalps
taken in other counties, and making a
searching inquiry into those taken in
the three counties cited. He thought
H-Zo,oOO would pay all just claims. as
those from the three doubtful counties
amounted to $4,000 of the S275, 0OO
which the total claims footed UP.
Secretary of State Brown did not ap-
prove of eliminating any particular
counties from the list. He thought an
appropriation for the entire amount
should be passed and allowed, subject
TO the approval of the Board of Ex-
a'nlners. Then the board might inves-
tigate the claims, and if illegal ones
We're found the money would remain
in the general fund, and be available
for other purposes.
It was finally agreed that the Secre-
tary draw up a report embracing the
counties in which the claims appeared
correct upon the face, and present the
same to the board at it's meeting next
Monday, when definite action would be
taken.
The matter of purchasing San Fran
cisco railroad depot bonds with the
school funds now on hand was taken
up, and it was shown that there is
now available for the purpose S14S.-
300 Rawlins & Son had offered 70
sell any amount of bonds between
100000 and S1J0000 The Governor
sad the money on hand. instead of be-
H'S put into bonds drawing .0335 in
1erest, should be put into city bonds
which would double the interest and be
Just as safe an investment When
his attention was called to the facts
that the laws of the State did not allow
investment Of the State moneys into
county or city bonds. he suggested
that the law be changed. He, however
thought that 31a per cent. would be
Dig interest three or four years from
now, but his remark failed to draw
Secretary Of State Brown into a dis
cuSsion of political issues.
To bring the matter before the boa rd
Brown moved that the bonds be pur.
chased, but the motion did not receive
a second.
Attorney-General Fitzgerald moved
the matter be referred to the Con
troller and the Secretary of State. with
Net~ 49,