The San Francisco call., 1898-06-18
4 "J0KER' IN STREET ORDERS Over a Million Dollars
 Uncollectible. EIGHT EXTENSIONS VOID NO SALARY OR EXPENSES FOR
 COMMISSIONERS. They Will Be Responsible Them selves for Any Bills Contracted. Their Own Lawyers Drew
 the Orders.
NO SALARY OR EXPENSES FOR
 COMMISSIONERS.

There are no less than eight street eX- tensions, with their accompanying assess ment districts and their commissions, which will be affected by the paragraph in the orders of the Supervisors which has just been the cause of the annulling of the Potrero-street extension, according to the opinion of the City and County Attorney
 The street extensions were all commend ed under an act of the Legislature of 1889. This was in booming times in real estate, and the holders of large blocks of outside lands were responsible for the passage of the act. Times did not continue to boom, however, and so, in 1893, there was an- other act passed which annulled the former act and discharged all the com missioners appointed under it. In the meantime work on Mission street, Seven teenth street and the Laguna Survey had been completed. Work on eight other ex- tensions was stopped, and the money that had been paid in on some of the assess ments was refunded. Then the act of March, 1893, was brought into court, and, by a decision of Judge Slack, 1t was de- clared unconstitutional. This decision was never appealed from, and so 1t became unchangeable, and the street extensions were restored to the standing they had before the passage of the act of 1893. It
 
 parent legality, which resulted in the finding of the joker in the orders
 As the assessments had been restored, they became a lien on the property on which they were levied, and the. property owners of the Mission League of Improve ment Clubs petitioned the Supervisors to collect what assessments were due and so clear their titles. In examining into the matter, to see what proceeding could be taken, City and County Attorney Cres- well found that the order had the objec- tionable words which had once been de- clared improper by the Supreme Court, and for which the order before the court at that time had been declared void. MT. Creswell also found that the other street extensions were being done under similar orders, and 1t is only a question of time when they will all follow each other to- ward annullment
 The street extensions were already tied up under all kinds of litigation, and there were some property-owners who had en- joined the commissions from collecting their assessments, but the defective or ders not only free the property owners, but effectually prevent the payment of any claims for services or salaries based on them. The assessments affected are for work on Sixteenth street. $344 ,614 90; How ard street. SS3. .550; Post street, $101 ,750 b; street, $402, 900; Twenty-fifth avenue, Twenty-Seventh avenue and New street, $34 OPP q; Potrero avenue, $241 POP 69 Po- trero avenue to Army street, $1100O 69; total, s1. .33S 5S4 93.
 All these assessments are now void, and if there has been any money paid in on them 1t can be demanded by the property owners who paid it., and the city will assisted the commissions will get no pay the Commisioners will get no pay; and they will be responsible for any bills for labor, stationery or anything else, for the city is practically released from all lia- bility. And it was the lawyers for the | various commissions who drew up the orders that have been their undoing.