The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-02-02
FRESNO'S GRAND
JURY REPORTS,
Scathing Arrangement of
Supervisors and Other
Officials.
NEGLECT THEIR DUTY.
They Fail to Comply With Ger
tain Sections of the County
Government Act.
ALLOW ExoRBITANT CHARGES
A Demand That Many Useless Depu-
ties Be Taken From the
Public Crib.
ALLOW ExoRBITANT CHARGES

FRESNO. CAL. Feb. 1.-The Grand
Jury made its final report to Judge Risley
to-day. Taken in conjunction with the
partial report made December last its
arraignment of derellct officials especially
the Board of Supervisors, is very severe.
Several small sums have been covered into
the county treasury during the sitting of
the jury by persons who had made over
charges or had neglected to account for
moneys.
Summary of the arraignments and
structures is as follows: The jury finds that
the chairman of the Board of Supervisors
+, has failed utterly to comply with section
10 of the county government act, requir-
| ing his signature to the minutes OF its
proceedings.
This, they declare. jeopardizes the valid
ity of the proceedings of said board. Sec
ton "a, same act, requiring published
statements as to the financial condition of
the county, and the proceedings of the
board, has not been complied with. The
burden of both presentations, however,
is an arraignment of the Board of Super
visors over the bill of Armstrong & De-
Guerre, San Francisco, for repairs to books
at courthouse Relating to this matter,
|
the report says:
"In our partial report we set forth facts
| that certain bill for repairs of county
| books, presented to the county by Arm
| stron 81 DeGuerre of San Francisco for
| $1S99, was a fraudulent bill, by reason of
| certain items of work which were not
done, and by excessive and exorbitant
charges for work which was DONE"
| n,rinp racpSo the irlrv ernnI0vad an eY.
pert, who made report that the firm OF
Armstrong & DeGuerre had made an
| ove-charge of 1903 %. Payment on the
warrant in favor of them was estopped by
advice of the District Attorney, based on
mends the payment of $1042 25 for this
work.
Attention is called to the illegal en-
ployment of "road deputies" who directed
work in many parts of the county and
piled up bills to the amount of $1760 for 1895.
This should have been done by the Super
visors themselves, for which extra pay Of
$500 had been provided.
On the question of deputy assessors the
report says:
I'm our partial report we called the at
| tention of the court to the fact that, con-
| trary to law, nineteen deputy assessors
/ were paid from the county treasury for
services performed in assessing during the
year 1895. We deem this matter of suffi-
cient Importance to again call the atten-
ton of the proper officers thereto, and
recommend that steps be taken to recover
the money so illegally paid out"
The report recommends the abolition of
! the Horticultural Commissioners, and
says:
"We find that Fresno County has been
| subdivided into three districts and Com
missioner appointed for each district. We
believe the general provision of the law
! creating such commission wise one, yet
with such investigation as has been pos
sibIe during our session we can but ex-
press our dissatisfaction at the results OBJ
tanned from the service of said commission
and the money expended"
| Referring 30 the office Of Game Warden
| the jury says:
ave do not find in this county suffi-
! Gent amount or variety of game IN need of
| protection to warrant theloutlay of $50 per
month or any other sum; hence we advise
| that the salary and allowance for expense
now paid to the Game Warden be discon-
/ tinued."
/ One sentence in the report referring to
|! the city police on the question OF unlaw-
| full games at a few cigar-stores is as
| CLOVIS:
j ssThe evil complained of is SO generally
| known that we are amazed that he City
1 Marshal and the police under his control
have never taken any effective steps to
correct it. The far-reaching consequences
of this terrible state OF affairs compel us
to be most outspoken in its condemnation,
and its abatement should receive at once
the attention of both the county and city
authorities"
The report winds up by touching on
favoritism, and says, in part:
.sThere is too much favoritism shown for
| political friends and services, without re-
| gard to the necessity of great deal of the
work done or to the efficiency of those en-