Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-12-03
NONE OF'EM STARVE
Salaries Of the County Officers
and Assistants.
THE PERQulsITEs ATTACHED
Several Changes 20 be Msts Both In
Personnel and Emoluments--Som
WIN Be Less Remunssasivs.

fieers and assistants. but IN some OF the
offices there will be changes which will
revoiationlxs the present system OF COL
lection and accounting Of fees. The
law requiring all fees received by the
rsgistsr. treasurer and clerk 10 DO paid
into the county treasury goes into sf-
feet 1T that tune. The result will be
to lessen the burden Of TAXATION TO
some extent. although it 10 claimed
that the cost Of collecting and account
ing for the fees, especially IN the
clerks Office. will fully equal the in-
crease Of revenue to the county. A
sketch Of the present emoiumeuts OF
the various Offices and the pending
changes will doubtless DO Of interest 70
readers Of THE HERALD.
The Judges Pay.
The judges Of the circuit court re-
ceive -. 500 . year apiece from the
state. 1t 10 paid by the county treas
urer on orders from the auditor gen.
erals office. For the past year the
judges have received 81, 200 each ad-
ditional from the county, tina. amount
having been allowed by the board of
supervisors.
The salary of the Judge of probate 10
s., 900 per year. In addition to this he
gets from 81, 900 to $1,000 additional IN
fees.
Many have the erroneous impression
that the probate Judge derives q reve-
nue. from the interest on moneys and
collaterals supposed to be left in his
custody by heirs of deceased persons.
The facts are that this court very rarely
handles the belongings Of any estate.
His duty Is to refer these to the execu-
tors or administrators, and IN excep-
earnings he derives from other per-
sons means is practically . myth. The
register of probate receives 81 900 a
year. Judge Perkins will continue in
Office the present incumbent, Adolph
b. Mason.
The Fattest once.
Il is an admitted fact that the Office
Of register of deeds 10 the latest in tho
gift of the people of Kent county. In
the days of Henry F. Mccormick and
Nathaniel Rice it's net earn,ngs were
commonly reported at about SIC, 900
per year. 1t has not decreased mate
rally since, and Register Skinner ad
mts that the past two years have netted
him from $4,000 to $4,000 in eli.
John T. Gould, the new incumbent,
has not announced his appointments,
but some OF the young women employ
ed as copyists, etc., will be retained.
Rumor has it that MISS Anna Cox, Mr..
SINNERS efficient deputy, and for sew
eral years an attache of the Office, will
be married next year. The register
will receive . $1,000 salary under the
new law and the county will pay his
deputy and abstract maker $1,000 to
1900, and the copyists S. to $40 per
week.
Clerk-elect Eddy is pondering upon
the manner of arranging for the col
lection and accounting of clerks fees
under the new law. The lawyers will
be heard to "kick' unreservedly over
its requirements ere long, for they will
have to put down the cash for every
service performed. For instance. q
cents will he demanded on tho filing of .
paper, 6 cents for swearing . witness in
court, and like requirements all
through the business of litigation,
whereas at present they pay certain
fees in advance and the balance month
ly, or at tho termination of the suit,
the clerk being responsible only to
himself. twill keep first-class book
keeper busy keeping accounts with the
many departments and cases, and if
some bright lawyer finds loophole in
the new law sufficient to invalidate it
there will be rejoicing among the bar.
The salary is $500; the two clerks
of courts will get 81 200 each; three
Office deputies will receive 5000 piece,
and there will be . clerk at s. per
week. Deputies Carpenter and Cotton
will be retained for . time, and the re-
mainder have not been announced.
Clerk Harvey now receives 81 800 per
year salary. and upwards Of So 800 ad-
ditlonal In fees.
Treasurer Stebbins now gets 81, 800
salary, and from 81 900 to 81 500 be-
sides in fees, mostly from making of
tax histories. etc. Hrs new salary will
be $500. His son, Horatio c.. the
present deputy, will be retained, and
his salary will be 500 per month in
stead of $50, as at present. The law
also provides for . clerk ct Sl2 per
week.
Don't Like to Tell.
John Mcqueen yesterday declined to
mako public the emoluments of his
Office, 1T least not through the medium
of The HERALD, for which paper he
cherishes . dislike dating back TO his
late unsuccessful campaign. He said
it might be three, four, five or six
thousand dollars, according TO the man
and the circumstances, and that some
men would have made more out OF it
than he had. Boarding prisoners ~
20 cents per day At the county jail has
been held to be a very profitable I'M
dertakIng, considering that the salary
of q turnkey is about the only expense
aside from furnishing the supplies. the
turnkey charging up his fees in add
ton to the board bill. When II Is re-
membered that Mr.. Mcqueen and his
Predecessors have levIeu 10 per cent on
the earnings of their deputies, besides
their Own numerous fees, il IL readily
seen that being sherif is not at all bad
financially.
The prosecuting attorney draws
s.. 400 annually. but out OF this he must
pay two deputies to care for the petty
bus aess. The assistant prosecutor
gets 81 ,01o year. Mr.. Wolcost will
appoint G. T.. Ward - assistant.
The county physician is employed by
the supervisors, the lowest bidder usu.
ally getting the Office. At present Or.
Penwsrden receives $500 year. As
coroner he gets numerous fees in the
city. az does Also nr. nrsdssh. The
circuit court commissioners make
aSous = geo annually each from thesr
fees. Surveyor Fred Stevens says his