The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-06-21
THE ADVISORY BOARD
Judge Jacobs Thinks the City
Has Too Many Lawyers.
THE GRADE TAX COLLECTOR
Meeting of the Heads of Municipal De-
partmenss Action Taken as to
the County Buildings.

denartments. subject to call whenever adj
ministrative counsel is requested. The
officials present were Corporation Counsel
Jacobs. Judge Rivers, Comptroller Ferris,
Treasurer Ames, City Clerk Miller, Com
missioners Cochran and Rinehart. OF the
board OF public works; President Hall, Of
the beard of aldermen; President Jones, of
the house of delegates; Park Commission
ers y. Jones and Abram Barker.
The subject Of changing the city offices
70 the county buildings was discussed, and
Ii was agreed not 10 remove in at present
until the exact condition of the agreement
with Guy c. Phinney can be ascertained.
There is no lease or contract with him as
TO the number of rooms in the Butler
block to be occupied, but there is verbal
agreement that the principal rooms were
TO be taken for year. which will not ex-
pire until October IL. Judge Rivers de-
sired, IL the old county jail is to be used
for city prisoners, that the police court be
removed to the county buildings, but this
was objected to as very undesirable, so
many ladies having TO transact business
with city officials.
The propriety of changing the dividing
partitions Of the county buildings was dis
cussed,
Judge Jacobs ut length moved that it be
the sense of the board that no changes
whatever be made in the county buildings.
The city has bought lot of old frame
buildings. and any money spent on them
will be entirely thrown away. Better suf-
fer little inconvenience than throw away
good money like that. The rooms can be
utilized without any changes. They are
only temporary quarters anyway. The
only object of the purchase is to have
site for building when the city can Of
ford to build it. The arrangement of Of
fees is patchwork affair from beginning
20 end. and he would be opposed to the ex-
pendiinre Of single dollar.
The motion was not seconded, aud the
subject dropped.
Comptroller Ferris bro ught to the atten-
ton of the board the impending maturity
of warrants payable in six months from
date. to the amount of several thousand
collars. Altogether the judgments out
standing amount to 1880 of which
ssi, g97. IL have been obtained this month.
There is only $4,000 in the general fund of
the treasury. and when that is gone there
will be no means of paying. II is now of
no use to obtain judgments against the
city.
Judge Jacobs said there would probably
be more judgments, to the amount of
$4,000 or $4,000 and if Yesler intends to
press his claim for the corner that will
pass into a judgment, and then into
warrant.
Comptroller Ferris, in reply to question,
said $4,000 would be needed within the
next sixty days for warrants given to meet
judgments. There were several others
about to mature, and he thought deci-
sion of the supreme court should be had
upon the liability of the city for street i'm
proyements.
Judge Jacobs said il would be no use
contesting the judgments on old grade
cases. The records show degree of negli-
gence that was eulpable.
Mr.. Hall asked if il would not be a good
plan to carry some of these cases to the
supreme court. Ii would, at least, give
time 10 get some money
Judge Jacobs asked what was the use of
mourning costs of 800 or 500. when the
city was certain to Loser If il was the
sense of that advisory board that con-
test should be ma de, these cases shall be
fought to bitter end. Every case would
cost $3.50 to $500 for expenses, but no hon
est attorney could be found who would
Jay tina: in face of the negligence, in many
cases. a suit co uld be successfully main
tanned.
Treasurer Ames could see no object in
issuing warrants six months ahead. In
thirty days there will be not a cent in the
general fund. He would like TO know the
outcome of refusing to pay the first war
rant after the money gave out.
Mr.. Barker instance q case where ne
held scrip for several years, but had at
tanned judgment and the city issued him
general fund warrant. He said the scrip
was apparently useless but the warrant
had been sent East and disposed of His
conclusion was that if the city had re-
scented he would not have pressed the
suit
Mr.. Hall declared that the city did not
have any backbone
Mr.. Ames said the payment of old grade
taxes had almost ceased because of the
judgments obtained. and matters had been
allowed to drift. Tie strongly recommcn-
ded stringent measures.
Judge Jacobs said the suits had been
brought 10 a stand still by certiorari and
injunction. The business of the city has
been so loosely conducted in past years
that IN some streets there was great diff
Guilty in collecting. Ii the council want 10
pile up the expenses of extreme litigation
why don't they order it2 No official will
take the risk and odium of such an ex-
rense without an order from the council.
"fou have lawyers enough here without
me, added Judge Jacobs, taking up his
hat and leaving the room.
sir. Anles said the principal trouble was
there had been too much law. There was
enough proof TO convince any honest man.
but wnen the case was taken INTO court the
city might be defeated ON techncality.
Those men who honestly complied with
the ordinance were compelled 10 pay on
these Judgments. There were men abun-
dainty able 10 pay and they should be
dragged forward into the light. He recon-
nended shat one of the cases be taken To
the United States supreme court, but he
did not think that Judge Jacobs, holding
the views that he did. would be the best
counsel for the city. lie moved that spe-
cial counsel be employed to carry case
20 the supreme court.
Mr.. Hall said every time Judge Jacobs
coniessesszudgment it was an inducement
for others TO sue. He agreed With Mr..
Arnes that special counsel should be en-
Moved to.contest these cases.
Major Rinehart said there was a mis-
understanding. The collection OF grade
taxes had been always in the hands of
special counsel. They had never been in
the hands of Judge Jacobs. Ii the city
employed counsel who did not enforce the
citys claim the city became responsible;
but If they insisted upon collection then
these judgments could not be OBJ