The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-05-14

his duties during 1898, and the moneys
received by him as fees have all been
properly and promptly paid into the
county. treasury.
| COUNTY AUDITOR.
! In the extension of the special school
taxes levied in the Elk Grove Union
High School, Androus Island, Arcade,
Mokelumne and Orangevale School Dis
| tricts, and included in the assessment
roll of 1885, a large number of errors
We're made by this official. 1t was dis
covered about October, 1898, that these
errors existed, yet no effort was made TO
correct them. and the TAX Collector
/ paid into the county treasury SlOI.Z3
which could not be apportioned. by the
Auditor and which caused considerable
vexation to the Treasurer and the
lCounty Superintendent of Schools, and
necessitated a large amount of work on
1.-THE part of the expert accountant OF the
jury to locate said errors and apportlon
| the money collected to the districts to
(which it belonged.
There We're also several small errors
made in drawing warrants, and in the
balance between this office and the
county treasury discovered by the ex-
pert, and which have all been corrected
to his satisfaction Errors such ais these
must arise from a lack of. care, and we
Earnestly recommend to this official that
he exercise a more personal and careful
supervision over the important work
of this Office.
COUNTY TREASURER.
This officer has faithfully performed
=,
the monthly count of the money in the
treasury has shown a careful guardian
ship over the funds of the county.
This jury would recommend that this
official prepare in January and July OF
each year a statement, showing in de-
tail the expenditures authorized during
the preceding six months, as provided
by law, by the Board of Supervisors
from each fund.- and submit the same to
the Board of Supervisors.
This jury wouId recommend that a
steel lined vault be constructed and a
modern safe be purchased for the coun-
ty treasury.
COUNTY SCHOOL SUPERINTEN-
DENT.
This officials duties compel him to
exercise supervisory control over the
seventy three school districts in the
county, outside of the city and also 10
audit the accounts of these districts.
His books are well kept and his official
acts marked by degree of care and a
thorough attention to details that is
particularly worthy of note and COM
mendation. In the performance of his
duty he is obliged to be absent from
his office the greater part of each week,
and some arrangement should be made
that would permit him to keep his office
open for the transaction of public bust
ness every working day in the year.
DISTRICT ATTORNEY.
This official, so far as the evidence
at hand shows, performed his duties
during 1898 to the satisfaction of the
courts and people.
He was charged by the old city char
ter with the collection of the delinquent
taxes of the city. During 1898 he col
lected S2G0.01, which was properly paid
into the City Treasury.
COURT REPORTERS.
The County Government Act provides
for two court reporters and a reporter
pro tempore when the third court is in
session and has need of a reporter. The
fees paid to these reporters of the Su-
perior Court during the year 1898 were
S3,945.3o, all properly verified by the
court
In the Justices Courts, in all prelimin-
airy examinations, the testimony is
taken. This testimony is seldom used,
| but it is impossible to regulate this
matter, as it cannot be foretold what
case may develop into an important one,
where the testimony taken at the pre-
Iiminaly examina ion will be invaluable;
nor can it be known when some witness
is about to commit perjury, the convic-
ton of whom would depend entirely
upon the notes of the reporters at the
preliminary examination so all cases
must be reported. But for this service
during the year 1898 the county Of Sac
ramento paid the large sum of s., 122 -
nearly three-fourths as much as was
paid the reporters of the three depart
ments Of the Superior Court.
Several years ago the Supervisors en-
ployed the official court reporter to take
all the testimony at all preliminary ex-
aminations and transcribe his notes for
$40 per month, or 5000 per annum. On
this basis a clear saving to the county
of 81 SEQ per year, or $50 per month,
could be made, and even more might be
saved by having the official reporter for
an agreed remuneration take all the tes-
timony at all preliminary examinations
and only transcribe his notes from time
to time as the District Attorney may
have use for them.
This jury recommends that the Super
! Visors enter into a contract with the
present court reporters of the Superior
Court to take all the testimony in the
remuneration
COUNTY CORONER.
The statute of California known as
the Fee BILL which establishes and
regulates the fees of county, township
and other officers, provides that the
| Coroner may collect for his own use
for each mile necessarily travelled in
going to the place of the inquest, %
cents and no provision is made by
law for the mourning or payment of any
expenses of the Coroner.
The Fee bill was framed on the theory
or supposition that the Coroner proceed
ed to the place where the crime or deaf
occurred, and then and there impaneled
the jury and held the inquest Such
has ceased to be the custom in Sacra-
mento County, where the body is
brought to the Morgue, or Coroner's
office, and the inquest held there. The
county of Sacramento has been paying
the expense of bringing bodies to the
Morgue and while this jury believes