New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-10-12
THE CORPORATION COUNSEL.


THE CORPORATION COUNSEL.
When, upon the presentation Of the Report
Of the Commissioners of Estimate and Assess
ment for the Extension Of the Central Park
report which covered q job vsriOusIy est-
mated at from three quarters of q million to a
million and a quarter-the Hon. Greene c..
Bronson, ex.Judge of the Supreme Court, aud
present Corporation Counsel, whose duty it
was to move its confirmation by the Court,
said, after making the motion, that he had
" no wish about it," honest men were
startled With the suspicion that perhaps the in
terests of the city were not entirely safe in
his hands. The recent contest in the Courts
over the costs Of this Commission has not only
done nothing to allay that suspicion, but much
to give reason for it. 1t has shown that
snugly slowed away in this pile of costs was
bill for S5,375 in favor of Mr.. Henry G.. Bron-
son, the son Of the Corporation Counsel, for
services as Counsel to the Commission bill
utterly in defiance Of law. For by special en-
actment in 1884, $1,000 year was added
to the Corporation, for the performance of
those very services. And if the afiidayts OF a
majority of the members of the Commission
are to be believed, no such services were rem
dered by either father or son.
The Investigations of the Committee of the
Assembly on Street Openings also reveal very
singular state OF things IN the Office of the Cor
poration Counsel. The reports of the Controller
and the Street Commissioner, which have been
made 10 that Committee as well as the test.
mony of the Witnesses examined before it, show
that IN q very large proportion of the street
openings which have been commenced since
Mr.. Bronson became Corporation Counsel, his
son, Henry G.. Bronson, has been both clerk
and landlord TO the Commissioners, and that,
in addition to his bills in that duplex capacity,
he has sent in yet others for drawing their re-
ports. Nor is he satisfied with these large
smoluments, amounting to some $40 or sig
per day for each Commission, but he figures in
the Corporation Manual as the Chief Clerk of
the Law Department, TO whom falls the lions
share Of the 81, 900 year allowed the Cor
poration Counsel for clerk hire.
Mr.. Patrick G.. Lee, subordinate clerk in
this Department, was examined by the Assem-.
bly, Committee yesterday, and his examination
throws some light on the way in which this
placer of Street Openings is worked by the
Bronson family. Mr. Lee said that his salary
was q mere nominal one Of $3.50, but that he
acted as clerk to few Street. Opening Com
missions, and for the last year had done the
bill.posting for all the Commissions. From
each street opening no received S2O5 for bill
posting, and for this sum be had to post three
bills and see that they were up for eighty-iour
days-that is, he had 10 see them, he said
sufficiently often to be justified in swearing
that they were up all the time; he saw them
as often as once u week. Mr.. Lee swore
promptly enough that he received all the money
for this service HIMSELF but when asked II he
had no understanding that anybody else had
an interest in il, he bluntly refused to an
swer. His refusal is more indicative than
any testimony could be of the manner in
which this business is carried on. If the clerks
in the Law Department, whose head is paid
So, 900 a year for cerk-hire, have their sala-
ries made up in this way, what are we to e1-
pect in regard to the management of the De-
partment generally But whatever we might
be led to expect in regard to its management
pecuniarily, certainly We should not expect
that when Commission, appointed by the
Legislature to the most important trust which
can be confded to citizens-that of reforming
the fundamental law of the city-calls upon the
Corporation Counsel for such information as
will facilitate its action, he, the mere head of
q Department, would treat the request with
anything but respect. And yet, in response to
a resolution asking for such information, passed
by tho Charter Commission on the 9th of Sep
TENDER Mr.. Bronson, after significant silence
of more than u month, yesterday sent in the
curt reply that he had not been able to pre-.
pare communication, nor could he hope to
do 50.
1t is evident that Mr.. Greene c. Bronson
to say nothing of Henry c., his SONS sat,
isfed with the Charter as il is.
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