New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-27
"EyTRA CONVERSATIONS

=. l. h,cb time that some effective measures
,.oro taken TO put n limit on the cXtrhvagah'
zoos maid by the city 10 commissioners IN con-
donnotion nroccedings The practice that mas
hoon followed for years by lawyers ana 'oler-
,tod nv courts and officials is nothing less imam
ecordo,ous Men are permitted to take from
tho taxpayers amounts of money for services
I.roelv in excess Of the sums that any private
business man would dream of allowing for SIM
llar work
Whom n street is to be opened commissioners
are oppointed for appraisals. They hold meet
,rr after meeting. and the city pays them for a
davis work every time they meet, no matter
whether they are in session five hours or I'VE
n,nutes. Under such inducements 1t Is easy 10
multjply fye-minute sessions. and anybody VINO
follows the proceedings Of such commissioners
Knows how common II is for them to meet, ma
g. announcement TO do anything and adiourn-not
rorccttinp TO put in n claim for n days pay.
Tho now charter made an Intellectual attempt to
emf down excessive compensation by fixing 50
dov rs the pay Of commissioners, whereas they
bod formerly received So but little was prac-
ticaIIv accomplished. The commissioners would
hold thcir meetings and secure their right to 50
apiece for answering present and moving to al
before the Court and ask for extra compensa-
ton" because of the great responsibility OF their
task and the hard work they had to do on the
DAYS when they really did hold long sessions
and perhaps earned more than their So each
They never take into account the times wheh
they do not do sc worth of work, but whenever
they do more they are ready to apprase 'he'
service on the basis of its supposed value.
.1,f citt hoX
the Elmst. improvement. Why should they!
Tho work Is not vet completed. Nor have the
toypayers had any reason to suppose tha' ap-
nroisals were made with any such WONDERFUL
skill os 70 bring the cost below what it would
hovc hccn If they had paid for n little less apll-
ttv. merting extra compensation on the part
or tho commissioners The three commissions
ore xrero so much impressed with their ability.
however. that they asked an extra allowance OF
son ooO' Accustomed as the courts are 10 large
allowances to lawyers for reference and com
r,isc,on services hv the consent Of the lawyers
in the cases who do not have to pay the billS.
this claim was not confirmed, though Dy no
means beggarly sum was granted. The CON
course Commissioners did not Scruple to ask Tor
almost six times what the law allowed. and me
Court give them more than three times the legal
rate though many Of their meetings were OF
short duration.
A bill has been introduced TO do away entrely
with extra compensation and there Is ON!
too much reason TO fear that this Is me only
solution of the problem. In some eases MUS
ticc may he done by so rigorous a rule for extra
allowances are sometimes earned. but the ihdiS-
criminate advantage taken of the rule provided
to meet exceptions warrants closing the door en-
tirelv. When lawyers of character and emil
ncnce are ready TO share in these grabs there -
little hope that the mass of commissioners VIII
correct the abuse by the exercise OF sell
restraint