The morning call., 1893-05-27
A WARM SESSION.
The Board of Audit After
Facts.
ELEVEN CLERKS EMPLOYED.
The Sixteenth Street Commission
Asked to Tell How Over $50, 900
Was DiSbursed.

The Board OF Audit met at the usual
hour last night, Mayor Ellert presiding.
The board Immediately proceeded to ex-
anime the accounts of the Sixteenth-street
Commission. The testimony was interest
ing and spicy, and the remarks of the
board as some unusually eXorbitant de-
mand was found caused the members OF
tile commission to vince when discussed
without gloves.
The general report was first read. 1t
asserted tnat the commission had been
appointed in March, $780, and been in
existence since. The men composing it
thought that the sum of 500, 653 Oh would
pay the commissions Indebtedness and
their salaries. The demand is one of the
largest ever made by any commission of
late years.
1t was shown that an unusually large
number of employees had their fingers in
the commissions pie, and that they did other
work. The commission was composed at
times of L.. Mcmahon, Attorney A. j. Clu-
ME. j. c. NealoD, deceased, and Edgar
Painter. l.. Mcmahon was the first me M
Der of the commission asked by the chair
man to explain the cause of the commits
siOn's exOrbitant demands.
McMahon informed the board that he
was in the employ of the rolling mills. He
admitted that he worked at his trade
while on the commission and drew two
salaries. He was appointed March. 1890
Since that time he had visited the district
under discussion nearly six times and
walked over it. He considered his services
to the city worth $1,000 and that the other
members were entitled 10 the same sum,
making a total of S2l. 600.
Witness further didn't believe that the
Board of Supervisors had abolished the
commission, although it was only legally
permitted by them to exist twelve months
In all, and during the balance of the three
years he had attended numerous meetings.
Mayor Ellert wanted to know why two
clerks employed for one month only should
receive salaries of $175 and $50 a month
respectively, and if clerk hire was Eot
slightly high at that time.
Witness simply replied he thought them
worth it.
Mayor Ellert asked: "Why do you ex-
pect owe rhine for twenty-four months if
you only were entitled to work twelve by
the Board OF SuperviSors?"
Witness replied: Because we thought
we might get the money anyway"
The janitor's bill, amounting to $780,
was next taken UP. Witness said janitors
were employed because the commission
could not clean the rooms themselves.
1t transplred that Higgins, the janitor,
had already been appointed by the Board
OF Supervisors to clean several rooms, in
Guiding the one occupied by the commits
sion.
Mayor Ebert then desired to know why
they had employed the unusually large
number OF eleven clerks, what they did.
how they spent their time Witness proved
wofully ignorant about details. but thought
they made assessments and figured some.
w. NJ. FitZmaurice. one of the clerks who
wanted $500, he admitted had MADE only
one report, that was afterward rejected,
but thought his claim should be allowed
He also considered an item of S2S8 for
books for the commission very reasonable
Witness next attempted to explain the
claim of the California Title Insurance
COMPANY for $1,000 and that of Simpson
and Miller for $1,000 more for searching
titles and other work.
Edward Painter was next called. He
had finished the term of J. L. Nealou who
had died.
Painter admitted that his appointme mt
was made after the commission was legal
ly dead. that is after it had existed twelve
months. Nevertheless he put in bill for
seventeen months services. demanding
$500.
j. F. Ford said he was n master-pumber
and worked at his trade while secretary
for the commission. He wanted the modest
sum of S2100 for his services.
L. ID. Sullivan, the attorney. attended
numerous meetings. He had patriutically
preserved the life of the commission when
the Supervisors wanted to abolish it, Had
defended three suits and thought $1,000
reasonable charge for services.
Edgar Noble. assistant secretary. wanted
$500. but could not tell the actual amount
of labor he had done, but had attended all
the meetings. He also considered four
hours a days work for any city official.
and looked abashed when Mayor Ellert
informed him he sometimes worked four
teen.
5. 81. Smith, the surveyor. admitted hav-
ing been City and County Surveyor while
on the commission, and was in his office
from 9 to daily. but supervised the COM
mission work nevertheless, and he wante
$780,
II. B. Sontag. real estate expert, who,
with II. p. Hammond and T. p. Rinrdan
acted as appraisers. wanted 5000 like his
colleagues. He was high priced, and
thought his services were worth 500 day
at least, and really were worth SO min
ute in some cases.
j. P. Hall, chief clerk, desired S472O of
the pile and explained why he thought he
should have ii.
Several minor items of less Importance
were next considered. The board then
adjourned until Wednesday evening
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