The evening world., 1894-04-14
.''pIE" FOR
Half q Million In Patronage
That the Public Knows
Little OF.
COMMISSIONS FOR FAVOR|TEs
Big Money for the Tiger and the
Tigers Own in Appraisals of
Condemned Lands.
MULQuEEN GETS THE MOST.
Office Holders Who Get Large SaIa-
ries and Fat Fees Besides by
the Grace Of Croker.
MULQUEEN GETS THE MOST.

The people of the city Of New York
are probably not aware that they are
called upon to pay about $4,000 for
supplying a secret means of patronage
to Tam many Hall from one source
a,one.
This patronage consists of Commits
sionerships In land condemnation and
street-openirg proceedings, and Is
secret because the pubic generally is
not Informed about It. All the public
lesrns Is that Messrs. So and So have
been named by some Supreme Court
Justice as Commissioners of Appraisal
and Estimate In such and such a mat
ter, but 1t is not advised that this
patronage Is one Of the means of sub
sidizing citizens whose influence and
support is necessary to the political
bosses OF this city.
Many Of them are ashamed to acknowl-
/ edge 1t, but they are Tammany men at
heart, the same as Speedway Contractor
James D. Leary or Contractor Matthew
Baird, whose names are not enrolled,
but the organization has no more loyal
and steadfast friends.
These Commissionerships are sinecures.
and In many instances yield enormous
fees for very little work
In the matter OF street openings the
land owners benefited must pay the
costs, which amount to from 800 to
81, SO In each case, the fees of the Com
missloners being usually two-thirds OF
the total. In scnool site and other land
condemnations for the city, the taN-pay-
proceedings for appraising site for a
school, fire-engine mouse or other minor
public buildings being about $500, Of
which the Commissioners and their
got n hni
The figures and the fees grow to alb
normal proportions as compared with
N tae foregoing In more important pro
ceedings like the College place widening
and fixing the awards Tor land taken for
Corlears Hook and Mulberry Bend
Perks It always nr costs the city 5000 IN
clerks and incidentals
Up to II year ago these land condemns
tion proceedings were comparatively
light burden on the taxpayers. The Law
provided that the fees OF Commissioner,
OF Appraisal should not exceed 500 fo
each man IN any case.
more pss ssan sSsS S for hs year
leaders soon discovered the glltterini
possibilities OF providing more JOBS fol
place hunters by amenuing the iaw 81
as to make the compensation Of Com
missioners Of Appraisal $40 day eacn
A plant machine Legislature passed tn'
amendment.
The restriction in the amount of com
pensation acted as an incentive to hav'
the work speedily disposed Of Com
lmsSioners ul1 not fritter aMLy time b,
holding short and frequent sessions IL
order to make as many SO bills as pos
sible, because they knew they wuul
not get more than the amount allowe'
" la%.
things changed The brakes were le
loose, and double steam was put OF
with the result that proceedings wer
advanced during the last year at u wor
dertul rate. Altogether, when the bill
OF cost for appraisals during 1875 an
the nrst part OF this year are approve
by the courts, II WAL take about }JuJ,u
To pay them.
Some OF the most important lmprov,
ments whicn have gained sudden In
Eetls under the SO d day session al
iangement, with the names OF the Con
missioners who were so as5iduous
promot ing them, are here gwen;
uCo Elm the f.r rycet land for Of
siOncrs. clerks. SC, S5o,ii4. Comml'
sioners David Mcclure, Henry Cam
bell and Meyer Thamessinger. jude
Giidersleeve and Lttleton J. GarretsC
also acted as Commissioners at one tim
Appraisng the Damage to property /
reason OF widening. Coliege Place, Con
hi.siUners Eusene l.. Busne, VINO is al!
q Rapid Transit Commissioner; jam
u. Jaheway and Thomas r. Hayes. III
bill OF these Commissioners and the
predecessors for services, expenses al
clerk hire is more than $4,000.
Condemnation of land Tor Mulber
Bend Park; Commissioners, Patrick
kerwin' Gilbert NJ: speir, Leieest
sioner; John j. Scannell ana Edward
Paris, were formerly members of t
S9mia. ~ .ssIon; losetner tney ask I
$4,000 for themselves, clerks and ctCt
eras.
Condemnation of land for Cornell da,
Commissioners David Mcclure, Moses
been paid about $500. Iammany Lead
james w. Boyle, OF the Ninta Distrl
has been appointed a Commissioner IN
separate proceeding for the same 81
but he hasn't had an opportunity
begin drawing his $40 "a day yet.
Condemnation OF land in the Crot
water supply. Commissioners, Ass
blyman Hamil.oH Fish. OF Putnam, a
Francis Lark!n, IL, of Sing sing T
third place was made vacant by the r
city, and filled by Judge Dykman by
appointment OF David Mcclure.
.Appraising damages to land caused
change OF grade IN Annexed DistrI
Commissioners Daniel Lord, James
was only recently appointed, to succ,
James A Deering, resigned. Mr. II;
was put on the Commissl3n not owing
any pull" but because of his legal
"a perience in matters relating to the 3
ject In question.
Supervising the Park avenue impro
Y X,
2 +. Meyer, Richard Croker's busir
partner and business leader OF the l'w
ty-seventn District J. ii. Hasln, Wa
tEf Katie and Almerin II. Lighthal T.
II master Dayton and CHIEF Engineer
so the Croton Aqueduct Blrdsall v
members of this Commission. So
the services Of the Commissioners h
~ cost the city and the New York {
tral Railroad Company, which pays
the expenses. about $4,000.
t The city paid. during 1893, S33, ,S33 s.
4Ss fees and expenses for street-openi
7l and SIS, ,6GlT as fees and expenses
AZ appraising school sites But there
4 ~ bills of costs pending to bring the
up 10 100000 for the period since the
3 q day provision was tackled on to
~ q law.
The duties OF Commissions OF I
mate and Appraisal consist OF Gi,
Nag hearingJ 10 interested property -own
and 20 determine the awards they are
\, titled 20. The Commissioners are
Only $40 q day for eacn day they
~ fit,lngs. but slttings are ted ain
day. rs the sessioas ndyer last lon