The record-union., 1897-12-21
.RESTSWITH THE EXAMINERS.
THEY CONTROL THE FATE OF
THE FOLSOM ROAD.
Belief That the Board Can Con-
sistently Grant the Request
for a Deficiency.

Secretary Markley of the State Board
of Examiners yesterday received from
the Clerk of the State Prison Directors
a copy of the resolution adopted at Sat
urday nights meeting, petitioning the
examiners TO grant deficiencies in the
rock crushing and the prison funds suf-
ficient 10 pay for the expense of crush
ing rock and getting out granite to be
used in building the Folsom macadam
road.
The Board of Prison Directors, as
published in yesterdays "Record-Un-
ion," agreed that no provision had been
made for funds to crush the rock and
quarry the granite necessary in the
construction OF the road, and unani
mously adopted a resolution praying
the Board of State Examiners to grant
deficiencies in the rock-crushing and
the prison funds in order that work on
the road may be prosecuted.
Secretary Markley finds that the fund
for rock crushing is a revolving one,
and as the statutes governing the case
admit of no deficiency where there is
no fund provided by a general appro-
priation. he has informed the Prison
Directors, through their clerk, that the
entire deficiency ought to be applied to
the prison fund. in which case there
will be no difficulty in getting an ap-
plicarion before the board
The Prison Directors will no doubt
make the petition conform to the stat
ute, and there is strong hope that it
will be granted. There seems to be no
ground for refusing to allow a def
cheney in this instance except the fact
that last May the Board of Examiners
adopted a resolution declaring that for
the forty-ninth and fiftieth fiscal years
all institutions or departments would
be required to get along on their re-
spectve appropriations, as no deficien-
cies would be approved by the board.
The purpose of this resolution was.
of course, to cause the heads of all
departments to avoid going beyond the
means allowed them by the Legisla-
ture but the board evidently did not
contemplate any such emergency as
that now existing in regard to the Fol-
som road The exact wording of the
resolution is as follows:
Resolved, That for the forty ninth
and fftieth fiscal years the various
State institutions, commissions, depart
ments and officers must be supported
by the appropriations made by the
Legislature for that purpose, as the
State Board of Examiners will not
grant Deficiencies in the appropriations
made for their support, or for any other
purpose They are hereby requested
to govern themselves accordingly, and
the Secretary of this board is hereby
directed to have this resolution printed,
and copy sent to each person affect
ed"
In this case it is not a question of
whether or not a deficiency shall be al
lowed for the conduct of the State
Prison, for none is asked for that pur-
pose The point at issue is, shall an
exception be made in the case of the
Folsom road, for which the Legisla-
ture made no direct appropriation. but
which that body contemplated should
be aided by the State to the extent of
receiving all the material from the
prison quarrieS free of cost
Evidently the fact was overlooked
that some money is required to operate
the rock-crushing plant, and the only
way the mistake can now be remedied
is to allow the State Prison to create
deficiency debt to the extent of about
S2o,0 900, which the State Board of Fx-
aminers can do despite their resolution
of last May, for as a matter of fact
it would not be in conflict with the
real spirit and intent of the resolution.