The record-union., 1899-06-06
REMOvlNG CHINESE BODIES.
TRUSTEES DISCUSS MAYOR
as LANDS PROPOSITION.
Church Members Oppose Appropri-
ating Taxpayer Money for
Sunday Night Concerts.

Sunday Night Concerts.
At the meeting of the City Board OF
Trustees last night Trustees Mckay,
Tebbets, Douglas, Paine, Dolan, Brown,
Kent and Devine were present.
w. A. Anderson addressed the board on
: the subject of the intention of removing
the bodies Of a number Of Chinese. He
said that, according to his recollection
OF the report of the Superintendent OF
Cemeteries, the land in which the Chi
nese are buried is worth $1,000, and II
IS proposed to use it now for other and
more remunerative purposes. The law
providing for the $40 fee was simply a
police and sanitary regulation, intended
TO prevent the spread of disease and not
Tor revenue. Even the Board OF Irus-
tees has no power to remove single
body without the permit of a relative,
although they can make regulations for
lees, etc. The Mayor or Trustees, how
ever, have no power to remove the
bodies, as proposed, and inter them IN
some other portion of the cemetery.
The total cost of removing the bodies
would be about $4,000, and the Chinese
are unable to pay it.
In the proposition he had to make
there was no Doodle, except to himself,
the attorney in the case, who would
make little money for his services. 1t
was for the Chinese themselves to re-
move the bodies, under the supervision
of the Superintendent Of Cemeteries and
Health Officer, and pay all the expenses
and give up the land to the city If the
city removes them it cannot get the
SlU fee, and will have to pay consider
able money for the work. By his prop
osition, therefore, the city will make
money.
/. Trustee Devine said he proposed, if
the Chinese bodies are removed, to see
that it was under the process of law In
the past some of Sacramento's citizens
have speculated in Gods acre" and
made much money out of it, He was as
tonished that the executive should lend
himself to such a plan. If a white
mans body is to be moved SO must be
paid under the State law and he did not
propose to see the white man discrimi-
mated against, and hoped that the board
would sit down on the proposition.
Trustee Douglas moved that the mat
ter be referred to the Street Committee
and the Corporation Counsel.
Mayor Land said there was no specu-
lation in the matter His proposed ac-
ton was for the benefit of the city.
From the fees for moving the bodies,
the necessary Improvements to the City
Cemetery new fence, etc, can be
paid for. At present the bedrock in
the unoccupied portion of the cemetery
is SO close to the surface that it is more
expensive to dig the grave. When
white men are moved the fees have to
be paid. and he did not believe in giving
the Chinese special privileges. The
lawyer sent up from San Francisco had
offered to pay Sc of the SO for moving
the body and later offered IS. He had
told them that the State law prevented
that. Then they offered to take up all
who had been there for three years and
pay for them.
Trustee Devine violently opposed the
proposition of Mr.. Anderson as a specu-
lation. If the city has been offered SO
why should it allow them to be moved
and get nothing? The Chinese should
pay the same price as white men do.
Mr.. Anderson said that neither the
Mayor nor Trustees had the right to
violate the right of sepulture. 1t could
only be done when public policy de-
mands the removal of a whole cemetery.
There were decisions in other States to
that effect, and there is no law to per-
init it,
Mayo Land said he had no connec-
ton with any scheme, but was working
for the interest of the city He had
of ~,
order to force the Cinnamon to take
them up. as he knew they would rather
pay than have it done.
Trustee 1ebbets said he favored let
ting the bodies remain where they were
until their friends wished to remove
them Then the 10 apiece will be paid
by them and the city will get it,
The motion to refer the matter was
carried
Corporation, Counsel Devine said that
temporary restraining order had been
issued in the Superior Court, and the
matter will be heard on the 10th, and
the rights of the Chinese will be defined
Louis H. Plate appeared before the
board and stated that there was sa-
loon at Nineteenth and S streets, and
the proprietor dumps his DRINKS right
in front of the compliments door. He
did not think that young girls should be
subjected to sights of that kind.
Trustee Dolan said that if the saloon
keeper makes his saloon nuisance, his
license should be revoked He moved
that the matter be referred to the Chief
of Police, which was done
SUNDAY NIGHT CONCERT.
E. NJ. Leitch said that the Christian
people of the city are not opposed to
open-air concerts, nor to the board s
propriating money for them out of the
city treasury, but they do object to the
money being appropriated for Sunday
night concerts 1t is against the
consciences of the members of the
churches, as they do not believe
it right and it takes the young
people away from the churches on tina,
night They were perfectly willing thai
the money should be appropriated, pro-
vided that the board prohibited it's be-
ing used for Sunday nights, and they
asked the board to make that condition
to it's appropriation.
Trustee Brown said that the concerts
were to be on Wednesday and Sunday
nights. and $50 would not go far to.
wards all the concerts
Trustee Dolan said the board could
have appropriated the money for Wed
nesday nights alone, and the committee
has other resources.
Trustee Paine said that for the moral
effect he would move that the $3.50 ap-