The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-04-05
STATE EXAMINERS MEET,
SACRAMENTO'S CLAIM FOR Or
PLANS SUPPORT ALLOWED.
The Board Sits Down on Other
Claims and Allows Secretary
Browns Deficiency.

Governors office yesterday, business
moved along in a humdrum sort OF
fashion, and there was not a single
explosion of sufficient magnitude to
raise even a ripple.
The board was a unit in doubtlng
whether it had any right to pass upon
the bills presented by the Harbor Com
missioners for creosoting piles in san
Francisco Bay. as all warrants were
drawn directly upon the State Con-
tToller, to be paid from the Harbor
Commission fund. The Attorney-Gen-
eral was instructed to prepare an opin-
ion on the point.
The bill put in by the Warden Of the
San Quentin prison showed that the
tute-mill fund had beeu drawn upon
for maintenance and support, and the
question was raised as to whether or
not the shifting of money from one
fund to another was allowable under
the law. Attorney General Fitzgerald
gave a verbal opinion to the effect that
there is nothing to prevent such SHIFT
ing from one fund to another, if it was
30 desired, but as the Governor wanted
q written opinion on the matter, he
agreed to furnish one at a later date.
The bill, however, was approved.
The question of a shortage at the
Home for the Adult Blind came up for
an instant-long enough for the Attor-
ney-General to emphasize the state
ment that there was positively no
shortage, but that a deficiency had
necessarily been created.
The bin of S429 put in by Alva Uden
as payment for discovering estates
that had escheated to the State, val
ued at 81, 800, was taken up, but after
a brief discussion was disapproved, as
the Controllers report showed that 1t
had been paid in full Udel was ap-
pointed by AttOrney-GeneraI Johnson
as attorney to recover escheated es-
tates. He was paid for recovering the
estate. but the law provided that 10
per cent of the value should also be
paid to a person discovering such es-
tates. provided he had been appointed
for the purpose The board held that
UFdeH had been appointed to recover,
but not to discover such estates, and
that he could draw a percentage only
for recovery, and that he had done
He can recover now only by bringing
suit.
WHITTIER SCHOOL BUILDINGS.
Then the Iong-deferred matter of
passing upon the DIliS 1Ol PlelIlo StiAN
specifications for additional buildings
for the Whittier Reform School and
for the buildings themselves were taken
up The Trustees of the Whittier
School about a year ago resolved to
erect q number of additional buildings,
to cost $4,000, and to be paid for out
of the Whittier Reform School fund.
Subsequently Acknowledgement Fitz-
d nl1ininn that the
fund in question, having been created
for the maintenance and support of the
institution could not be used for MAX
ing permanent improvements. and un-
der that opinion the bills presented
have been put over from time to time
until full meeting Of the board should
be had.
Each of the three members of the
board agreed with the Attorney Gen
eral that the fund might be used for
the support of the institution, but not
for making an improvement, and
motion that the bills be rejected
opened up the matter
Data was produced to show that be
fore advertising for bids the Trustees
of the school had employed one Kill
patrick of the firm of fitzpatrick q
Goddard as architect, and had adopted
a patent taken out by Fitzpatrick which
they proposed to use. 1t was also
shown that their attention had been
called to the fact that plans and speci-
fications for the building must be adj
vertised for and that after the atore-
said architect had been employed such
advertisement had been made, but that
Fitzpatrick was never discharged, and
that as a consequence his bid was
about the only one put in. The bills
aggregated sc, 133 and all were re
jected.
SACRAMENTO ORPHAN CLAIMS
APPROVED.
From July, 1894, to January, 1891!
Sacramento County's claims on the
State for the support of orphans and
half-orphans were allowed to pile up,
owing to the fact that fully onehalf of
them had been turned in to the board
without vouchers to show that the
money had been expended for the pur-
pose intended.
Several months ago Mr.. Lewis, expert
for the Board of Examiners, made a
careful examination into the claims,
and reported that though vouchers for
much of the money alleged to have
been expended could not be found he
was convinced that the sums claimed
had been properly expended for the
support of the county's orphans, and
recommended that the bills be paid.
The sum total of the two and one
half years of expenditure amounted to
SS.656 10, and each member appended
his signature, approving the bill, with
out comment, and Sacramento County
will receive its money.
THE DEFICIENCY QUESTION.
Then the Governor preached the
question of Secretary Browns call for
a deficiency, and while all were agreed
from the start that it was necessary,
a great deal of levity was INDUCED in.
For the past week there has been a
coal famine in the Capitol building,
and the heads of the several depart
ments have been nursing every lump
of coal in anticipation of another frost.
But that was not the worst of it.
There was no longer fund on Which
to draw for fuel, light or supplies. that
appropriated by the Legislature for
the present year having been exhaust
ed.
Ten years ago the Legislature al
lowed $4,000 each session for fuel,
light and supplies for the big building,
but that amount was cut down until
<SEnD PAEAQ 0RA