The record-union., 1897-09-12
FAIR OAKS WANTS A BRIDGE.
E. X. ALSIP ASKS THE SUPER
VISORS TO GIVE $1,000.
Then a Little Electric Road VIII
be Built to Connect With
the Valley Road.

When the Board Of Supervisors con-
Vener yesterday morning supervisor
Mclaughlin moved to reconsider
the motion by which the Committee
on Public Buildings was authorized 70
enter into a contract for furnishing
steel cases TO the County Clerks 5 ana
Sheriffs offices, on the ground that Dlds
should have been advertised for AS
the motion met with no second, it was
not put.
L. *. AIsip appeared before the
board and asked il 70 appropriate So
900 toward the building OF a combined
wagon and railroad bridge over the
American River. between the Sacra-
mento Valley Railroad and Fair oaks
He stated that the railroad company
had consented. if a short electric rail-
Nvav line were built from Fair Oaks TO
connect with it. to haul the electric cars
from the junction 10 Sacramento. me
building of the contemplated electric
road from Sacramento to Fair oaks
has been given up, he said, as il would
. cost $400 900, and, money is so ught-
The rcsfdents of Fair Oaks will raise
$1,000 towards building the bridge, but
wish the county to contribute the re-
naming 5000.
Supervisor Curtis did not favor the
proposition He said the board had
contributed to the building of one
bridge on the opinion of the District
Attorney. who had been fighting the
board ever since.
on motion Of Morrison the matter
was referred to the District Attorney
for his written opinion.
George ". Mott appeared before the
board in relation to its contract with
H S. Cr0cker & Co. to furnish the
pamphlet entitled Where California
Fruits Grow"
He read from Judge Hunts decision
in favor of his company, and asked
q that the remaining $1,000 be paid on
the contract. as the company has wait
ed patiently for it for three years.
Morrison thought the District Attor-
ney should pass on the claim first.
Mr.. Mott thought that was unneces-
sary. rs Judge Hunt had decided the
matter, but said he would refer the
matter to the District Attorney.
County Surveyor Boyd made a re-
port on the matter of the proposed
trestles on the Hicksville grade, pre-
senting a draft of the plans and speci-
fications. They are very elaborate, there
being a number of trestles and the
grade Icing one that is subject to the
pressure of a large body of water with
a strong current in high water, and
which washes the wings badly. There
will he seven trestles, 2219 feet in all
Supervisor Mclaughlin asked the
District Attorney how much in the
shape of supplies for the Courthouse
the board can expend without advertis-
ing
Mr.. Ryan said that he did not think
there was any special limit, except that
it could not expend more than the
funds On hand for the fiscal year.
Supervisor Mclaughlin said what he
wished to get at was the matter Of
purchasing steel cases, amounting to
about 81 300, as he held the board
could not purchase them without ad-
vertising.
Mr.. Ryan said it had been decided
that the board has a right to con-
tract TOR supplies for the Courthouse,
the limit being the money in the treas
ury for the fiscal year, no contract to
exceed the revenue for the year being
valid 1t was within the general pow
eTs Of the board to do such things with
out advertising, if it wished.
Supervisor Morrison said that Super
visor Mclaughlin had attended to fur
nishing the Courthouse, and no one had
questioned his expenditures, feeling
sure that a business man would do
the business in a proper manner. In
this case there were no plans and spec
ifcatons adopted, on which the board
could advertise. The matter of steel
cases for the Sheriff's and County
Clerks offices had been before the
board for a long time, and he voted
for them, as he knew they were needed.
District Attorney Ryan then brought
up the matter of H. 5. Crocker's claim
and said that Judge Hunt had decided
the case to the effect that the board
had "A right to enter into the contract.
He did not think that it would profit
the county to appeal to the Supreme
Court, but he would appeal it if wished
to.
Supervisor Morrison said that, being
Chairman of the Printing Committee,
after consultation with the other mem
bers OF the committee, he wished to
make a motion that the board fix the
price of the county printing according
to law. He moved that the price be
set as follows for each square. the first
insertion, 81; the second. ~ cents: the
fhird 30 cents, and the fourth, - cents
He believed that much of the county
advertising should be done in weekly
papers. which would put all papers on
the same basis as the daily papers
have weekly papers also.
The motion was carried.
District Attorney Ryan said. revert
ing to Mr. McLaughlin's question. that
he thought it better for the board.
when possible, to advertise for bids for
supplies.
Supervisor Morrison said there
could be no competition on metallic
cases. He believed that in some cases
the county had done better by contract
than by advertising. A few years ago
under the law the board used to ad-
vertisa for bids on bridges. They
had 70 be on plans and specifications
and the consequence was that, as no
two plans were alike, there was really
only one bidder and his bid had to be
accepted, no matter what the price.
Fortunately the law is now changed.
Mr.. Ryan said that, even if it cost
the county more, it was the safest way.
as no one could say. after open COM
petluon. that he would have done the
work cheaper.
Mr. Ryan said that in the Fair Oaks
matter the board had better proceed
under the law and advertise for bids
4t could let the contract and then let
the Fair Oaks people contribute the
,s,T-s .