The record-union., 1898-06-07

dmenO1n8 section 3 or Cndpter Ill OF
Ordinance No. II, entitled An ordi-
nance consolidating, revising and codi-
flying the ordinances Of the city of Sac
ramento. passed June u, 1872, and fix
ing the duties of and the fees to be col
lected by the Superintendent Of City
Cemeteries" without my approval.
My reasons for disapproving the ordi-
nance as passed by your board are as
follows:
On March 81, 1898, transmitted to
your honorable board an ordinance, en-
titled as above, regulating the fees to
be collected by the superintendent of
Cemeteries, and the manner in which
certain work was to be performed. You
gentlemen are familiar with the rea-
sons which actuated me in suggesting
to you the passage Of such an ordi-
nance, and / do not deem it necessary
at this time to refer to them. Suffice
it to say that the ordinance passed by
your board and now under considera-
ton very carefully eliminates all fees
for placing ''concealers," and ingen-
iously evades the very purpose and in
tent of the amendments as originally
transmitted to your board. The Ordi-
nance should be passed as originally
drafted and presented to the board.
Very respectfully,
VIM. LAND, Mayor
Trustee Devine thought the subject
spoken of in the Mayors report should
be very carefully considered. Fees had
disappeared in the past, and it is a
matter of Importance to the city. He
moved that the ordinance be referred
back to the Mayor and corporation
counsel, to have it remodeled to suit
his views.
Trustee Kent said he had moved to
strike out the clause relating to con-
cealers because he did not believe in
taxing the undertakers, who had shown
some progressiveness in making funer-
ais less repulsive. Besides, the people
who had to pay for the funerals would
have to pay the extra tax.
Trustee Devine said that if work were
done by the city's employees for an un-
dertaker he ought to pay for it.
Trustee Paine said that the city's en-
ployes have nothing to do with digging
the graves or fixing the concealers.
Devine insisted that the city pays the
gravediggers, and should be compen-
Sated
Mayor Land said that his reason for
introducing the ordinance was that for
years there had been shady work, and
when he took office he had the records
investigated, with the result that some
money was paid in which the city
would not otherwise have received. II
people can pay for costly funerals the
city should get some return for the ex-
ira work done by it's employees in dig
ging the graves. This ordinance would
bring the city $500 more year, and
there would not be such a fight over
the Superintendency. That was his OBJ
ject in introducing the ordinance.
The matter was laid over for a week.
A contract offered by G. F. Jones and
A. J. and Elwood Bruner in accordance
with the resolution, was approved by
the board, Devine and Kent voting no.
WANTED NO INSPECTOR.
Mr. Murray resumed his remarks,
taking up the subject of the Seven
teenth-str improvement. He said
that when the Mayor advocated the ap-
pointment of an assistant to the Super
intendent of Streets it was on the
ground that the latter could give his
time to inspecting the proper perform
ance of street contracts. He had
thought that would be the case, but he
now found the same old barnacle on
Seventeenth street in the shape Of an
inspector, as on other streets. An in
spector is not necessary, and the con-
tractors pay no attention to him, and
tell him to go to H. when he criti-
cises He thought that expense would
be saved, but it seemed the Mayor had
fallen down., and the inspector is ut
terly incompetent, and knows nothing
of streets.
The Mayor said he had not fallen
down, and IL an incompetent man was
acting as inspector he would not stay
there.
Superintendent Touhey said the law
allowed him to put on an inspector, and
it had always been done. He could
not always be on hand to inspect the
work, as he had other duties.
Trustee Devine said Mr.. Murray had
never had one during his term.
Mr. Murray asked what the City Sur
veyor was doing, as his bill amounts
to about $50 a block. Furthermore,
the contractors bid for curbing was
10 cents foot, but he had in his pocket
a bill showing he was charged over ID
cents a foot. He thought the city Off
cials should protect the taxpayers. He
had another grievance. He had never
understood that when a Trustee was
elected. his whole family was elected,
but the brother Of one Of the Trustees
is an Inspector
Trustee Tebbets objected to Mr.. Muir
rays bringing personalities into the
matter A Trustees brother had as
much right as any one else to make a
living. He agreed that there was no need
of Inspectors, but the law needs amend
ing, and the Superintendent Of Streets
is allowed to employ one.
Mr. Murray said that all the tax
payers asked was to have justice and
that the improvement of streets should
be made as light as possible on them.
MISCELLANEOUS
Trustee Tebbets said that the bill Of
Trustee Douglas for salary the last
month had So deducted from it on ac-
count of his absence through sickness.
Mr.. Douglas had attended five meetings
contracts. etc, and he did not think he
should be docked. He moved that the
other So be allowed. and the motion
was carried unanimously
Trustee Devine moved that, before
any more calls are made on the i'm
migration fund, the remainder of it be
donated to the Fourth of July Commit
tee, but the motion met with no Sec
ond.
Dolan moved that a committee Of
three be appointed to see if not to ex-
ceed thirty more electric lights cannot