, 1874-07-31

Wo havo already pointed out tha&, tho City
Charter haB lodged all authority to superintend
tho construction Of public buildings In the Board
ofPublio Works. who alone can eatimato Therefor,
and contract for all materials and work that
there Is no powcr to employ architects, oxcopt aB
persons hired by tho Board Of Public Works,
5uat as tho engnoors, aud suryeyorB, md othor
city officers ire employed by tint Board. In
TINT way, mud in that way alono, cau they BE- en-
p!oycd on tic building But oven then they can-
nor In any wiso exercise tho authority plaood by
law exclusively IN the hands Of tho Board Of
Public Works, toho alone cdn certify to the correct
ness Of hte contractors bills.
Nor can tho Common Council, nor tho Board
Of County Commissioners voto to these archi-
tocts compensation contingent npon tho
amount expended Those mon aro eleoted bY
tho County Board as architects to superintena
thorefore become county of1icots during their
torn, Of employment. In like Manner whom !
elected by the Common Council by ordinance
or otherwise, thoy booomo oity officers. The City
Charter, Chap. 2, soo l, pnge 385. sayH:
Thu Municipal Government Of tho city alall consist
Of q Common Council composed Of the Mayor and
two Aldermen from oaoh ward. Tho other o}corB Of
tho Corporation alatl be az follows: Clerk Comp
troller, Board Of Public Works, City Engineer,
board Of Poico (horo follows long ist1, mud uauy
b'idgetcnders, rcmen, constabcs, policemen, aealers
Of Weights ami nlcasures, inspcctors, moasurers,
woghers, ga1tgers, keepers and assistants Of work.
houses, hospitals and DrideHcl, or Houso Of Corrco
tion benen a4d such other o6ct1s and aaens may
b. prouided for oy lAis ac or tie Common cothcI
t,uty frons time 10 ttnle direct,
1t will bo seen, therefore, that tho Common
Council may by ordinance authorize the ON
p1oyment Of tllreo or moro architects, but cam
not give to them any power or authority COLI
ferrcd by tue charter On the Doard OF Public
Works. They can exercise no power OF super
intoudcnoy Of public buildings, nor make any
contracts for tho city, nor sign any estimates
upon which money cnn bo drawn from tho City
Treasurer, in all that pertains to the erection
Of public building they must bo subordinate
to aud under tho control of tho Board Of Public
Works. Nevertheless, By the charter, they be-
como "olloers Of the city"
The Common Council Is prohibited by law
from making any compensation to any o0ieor,
save by stated salary; 1t cannot pay him by
fees mud commissions, The Law Is imperative.
Chap. 8, Soc 80, Page 399, roads:
The salaries Of Ill city olcorH who receive fixed
compensation for their services, and woes Baaries
definitely prescribed by the City Charter, including
all officers and employees in tho Police md Fire Depart
,nens Of oatl city, shall b. established By the Common
Co,,nc1l in tho annual Appropriation bill. or by some
ordinance passed prior tn tho pasaago Of auch annual
Appropriation bill, aud tho salaries compensation
thus established shall neither ha Increased dinin
ishcd by tho sud Common Council after tho passage
Of euch annual Appropriation bill during tho then
current municipal year, and no extra compensation
shl eyor bo allowed 10 my ouch officer or unployo in
any department Of tho City Government over and
above TINT provided in mannorafotesaid.
Horo, then, is double obstacle. ALL officers
shall have fzed aalary, aud that aalary ahall be
prescribed in tho annual appropriation ordt-
nance. Now thoso aIchiteotB may 10 authorized
by law as subordinatea Of tie Board Of Public
Works, but thoir compensation must DO by d
fixed aalary, and not BY fees or commissions.
In respect to tho county officers, tho ssipula-
ton ia no less important. They must bo paid by
0xod salaries and not by conamlaslons or fees.
There may not be any limit IN this case aa to tho
amount Of salary, but shateyor it is it must be
fixed sum poe a1,nuu,, and In no oaBa by foes OF
commissions. The law Of 1879 carrying into
efroct tho provision Of tho Constitution in this
respect compos all officers who receive "com~
naisaious" On disbursements, and shorifts who
are entitled to commissions" " oil Ba1es, to pay
all aaid commissions" into tue County Trcas-
ury, and prohibits thonl from retaining dollar
thereof. Thoy can only receive the Halary fixed
ty tho Board Of County Commissioners.
It is proposed to make thogo architects Off
Gers Of the county and also oiicora Of tho city
and to paY them out OF each Treasury commits
sion which will not be less thnn 100000, and
nay roach aud exceed $500. 900. Tho Constitu-
tion aud tho act Of the Legislature Of 1879, antl
tho City Charter a1iko. prohibit any compensation
Of either city or county officers In that manner,
and imperativoly require that thoy shall be paid
by aala1y fixed by Law. There Ia no uso whip.
ping tho devil around the stump in this matter.
Tho contemplated robbery is illegal In evory
form. Tho law is too plain to DO oyadod, and, no
| matter hoH high price may hayo been paid for
votes, tho appointment Of those architects on tho
| part Of tho city, except as subordiuatea to tho
| Board Of Public Works, Is illegal; and when ap.
poilltol as uulerlings OF the Board OF Public
Works, thoy cau oniy receive sucl annual Ba1ary
as the Common Council shall voLo and The
Mayor shall approve. The proposition in the
Board Of County Commissioners to give them
$4,000 waB Indignantly rejected. porhapB aH
| they cannot got the commissions they will now
bo glad 10 accept that auu1.
!
| CORNERS,
The last Legislature Of Illinois passed Law
| to prevent corncra" Ia tho grain aud provision
markets, which law went into effect Oh tho 1al
| duy Of July. 80 efrcctual has this law proven
| tlat wo now have no leas than thrce "oornorB y
., 4ho p,,rj ~ frrn3n MI NJ fin tn ma tfr,n,