The record-union., 1897-12-22
SECRETARY BROWN is SHY.
NOT READY TO VOTE FOR THE
PROPOSED DEFICIENCY.
The Governor and Attorney-Gen.
eral Outspokeu in Favor of
the Folsom Road.

Everything at present indicates that
the hitch IN the matter of the Sacra-
mento and Folsom macadamiZed road
is of little or no serious moment; that
the model road will be constructed on
time, and that the funds will be forth
coming for quarrying and crushing the
rock when needed.
Governor Budd. Attorney General
Fitzgerald and Warden Aull met in San
Francisco yesterday and held q. confer
ence on the matter, at which Warden
Aull presented the case from the point
Of view taken by the State Board of
Prison Directors at their conference
with the State Highway Commissioners
and the Folsom Road Commissioners
held at Folsom on Saturday night last
After carefully noting the facts in the
case, AttorneyGeneral Fitzgerald gave
verbal opinion to the effect that the
Act Of the Legislature providing for the
creation of the Folsom Road Commits
sion, and incidentally for the furnish
ing Of crushed rock and granite for the
construction Of the road, amounted to a
contract on the part Of the State, and
that it had, in consequence, become an
obligation on the part of the State and
its officials to see the contract carried
out.
The Governor agreed with the Attor-
ney- General in every particular, and
from the statements of these two otfi-
cials-both members of the Board of
Examiners-there remains no doubt as
to what they will do when the matter
comes before the full board.
While the conference referred to was
being held, there was another act in the
arena going forward in this city. Sec
retary of State Brown and Secretary
Markley of the board We're holding a
meeting of the State Board of Exami-
ners for passing on bills which Will
make the hearts Of State employees glad
throughout the holidays, and the tran
saction of such other business as might
come up.
The resolutions adopted on Saturday
by the State Prison Directors were on
file, and when reached they were shunt-
ed across the table to the Secretary OF
State Secretary Markley briefly but
clearly explained the nature Of the pc
tition, and why it was presented. He
stated also that he had written the
clerk of the Board Of Prison Directors
that no application for a deficiency
could be filed with the board under the
resolutions, or petition, as they were
faulty, and explained that he would
probably receive a formal answer in a
few days.
Secretary Brown, however, was not
ready to commit himself. He said he
was not yet prepared to act, and that
he wanted time to study the question.
He further said that in his opinion the
Act of 1897 respecting the rock crush
ing plant ought to have been vetoed,
because under it's provisions the State
can never be reimbursed for the money
put into the plant
The Act of 1895, Secretary Brown
said, provided for a return Of profits
into the State Treasury to refm burse
the State for the money expended
(S30,O0W, while the Act of 1897 repeals
that of 1S95, and provides that all
profits accruing from the rock-crushing
plant shall be paid into the State Pris-
on fund, and says nothing about re-
turning the original $4,000 to the
State Treasurer.
Secretary Brown did not express him.
self as being opposed to allowing de-
ficiency to make possible the construc-
tion of the road, but merely demanded
| time to examine into the matter.