The herald., 1898-12-15
THE DECIDED DOOM
Is CAUSING GLOOM AMONG COURT
HOUSE OFFICIALS
SOME SUBSTANTIAL CUTS
OF Ancient Ruts Are Promised N low in
Bushcls--The Sad Last Plea
for the Old Fee


elect continued their Investigations OF the
salaries of county officials and their deputies,
in an adjourned meeting, held yesterday IN
Judge Shaw's court room. Ali the assem-
blvmen were present, A. IL. Valentine, W.
S. Melick, N. p. Conrey, o. II. Huber, Miller,
Senators Bulla and Currier. Senator Simp-
son of Pasadena was the only absentee. The
meeting opened at l0:3tA a. m, and the
county board of supervisors were taken un-
der consideration.
Supervisor Field was put on the rack and
answered numerous questions on salaries,
mileage, roads, surveys, surveyors ana maps.
Mr.. Field thought that the board OF super
visors had very good system of keeping
the county roads in order, but the funds al
lowed are very inadequate. He suggested
in answer to an inquiry that the road dis
tricts be bonded at low rate of interest and
that the incorporated towns could be taxed
slightly. The trustees of the district could
then supervise the work. MIR. Field an
swered variety of questions concerning
the present system of working out the road
tax and the mileage system, but there did
not seem to be room anywhere for retrench-
ment. The actual expense plan would be
fully as expensive to the county in the long
were anxious to travel any more than is
necessary.
MIR. Lowe, the chief deputy in the coun-
ty assessors office, was called, and stated
that the office requires all the deputies now
employed. Business is increasing to such an
extent that where twenty-eight were sut-
ficient a year ago, thirty-two are necessary
now. Mr. Lowe would advise the passage OF
;,k a. al in
NAV be corrected. He was advised to draw
up bill to be presented at the session.
District Attorney-elect Rives wants a new
deputy and presented the following sta
tistics showing the cases tried in the last term
of office: Nine hundred and seventy-seven
criminal cases in the superior court S5 civil
cases; 1864 cases in police court which re-
quired deputy in 40 per cent OF them; 1000
felony examinations in city justice courts;
1905 cases in Young's court and 1850 in out
side Justice courts, making an average OF 10
cases per day.
Mr.. Rives thought 500 per month much
too small salary for the police court deputy,
now paid by the city. He thought an extra
deputy should be employed to look over out
side complaints, as much time was wasted in
going out to try country cases, which have
to be dismissed on errors of county JUS
tices.
Judge Mckinley urged against any reduc-
tions in the sheriff's allowances, as there
are expenses which that officer now pays out
of his own pocket He admitted, however,
that there is considerable profit in prisoners
meals.
AFTERNOON SESSION
After the noon adjournment County
Clerk elect Bell was summoned to the judg-
meht seat Mr.. Bell was put through
catachism concerning the deputy clerks and
their special duties. Mr.. Valentine in
quired whether the deputies did not have
surplus time to enter up their own Judg-
ments and thus dispose OF the entry clerk.
Mr. Bell demurred at answering, and sug-
gested that Mr.. keyes be called, he having
filled various positions in question.
Senator Bulla here became triiie restless
ard broke in testify: "You can't possibly
conduct Los Angeles county on the plan OF
a county with one deputy. As Tom Reed
says: You cant run billion dollar govern
ment on million dollar appropriation. "
Some one was rising to point OF order,
as that was not an executive session, when
Mr. Melck interposed that he thought dep
uties are getting too much pay.
'You see, Mr.. Bell" said Senator Cur
rier, apoiogetically, "the position we are in.
We go before the people on platform OF
economy. They see the cost of running
these Offices and the voters do not under
stand it, If we make no reduction they will
think it very peculiar. The economy plank
was put in to catch flies; we caught 'em,
and now we must make the reductions"
Mr. Bell did not look happy at the pros
pect of taking his dose and once more sug
gested Mr.. Keyes as authority on deputies
duties, and Mr. Keyes was summoned.
(Which should have the largest salary,
Mr.. Keyes," inquired Mr.. Melick, "the
court clerk or the miscellaneous clerk"'
"The court clerk replied Mr.. Reyes,
'has the most responsibility; he gives
bond of $2500"
Mr.. Melick then inquired the specific du-
ties of the various deputies, the chief, post
ing. finance, file, index, registration and
miscellaneous.
Mr.. Keyes answered in detail as to the
amount of labor each performed, and the
continuous effort it required in every mo.
ment of the working hours.
A motion was then made to 60 into execu-
tive session, as some of the members were
obliged to leave on the evening trains. Mr..
Melick announced that the salaries there
decided upon were the ones which the men,
bers would stay by in the coming session
of the legislature. In the following SEIZED.
ule agreed upon in the session, each official.
elect may read his doom, should the bill be
come law:
COUNTY CLERK
Drocept Dropnco,1