The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-01-17
FOR EXTRA LEGAL SERVICES
4 R7LL FROM INCORPORATION
 COUNSEL ELY FOR $o4s

Held Up by the Board of Finance Last
 Night-Present Corporation Counsel
 to be Asked Whether 1t Is sReasouabIe-
 Mr. Atwood Thought the Mayor Was
 Being InsnIted nnd Protested.
 At the meeting of the board of finance
 last night bill from Attorney William
 H. Ely, who was corporation counsel
 during Mayor Farnsworth's adminis-
 tration, for s943 for legal services ren-
 dered to the city, was presented and
 caused considerable surprise and dis
 cussion The bill was for services all
 legged to have been rendered to the city
 in connection with the suit brought
 against the city by James J. Geary to
 recover for extra work performed by
 him in building the Grand avenue 1 drawbridge.
 MT. Ely was corporation- counsel when 1 this suit was brought, and when he re- tired from office the litigation was not finished, and in fact, is not now. MT. Ely, however, continued in charge of
 the case, although another corporation counsel was appointed, and last year sent in a bill for about $1 000 which was approved by Mayor Driscoll and by the board of finance, and paid, the charter permitting the mayor to authorize legal services for the city in addition to those performed by the corporation counsel and his assistant.
 The bill presented last night had been approved by Mayor Studley who was not present at the meeting last night, being at the Typothetae banquet A long discussion followed the reading of the bill, and it seemed to be the con- sensus of opinion of the members of the board that the corporation counsers of flee should take care of the legal bus- ness of the city, the corporation coun- sel and the assistant corporation coun- sel receiving s4,50O per year to do so. The opinion was expressed that extra legal services should be engaged only in extraordinary cases.
 Mir. Atwood, member of the board thought that all this discussion was in- sulting to the mayor. On motion of MT. Curtis, however it was voted to re- quest from the corporation counsel an opinion as to whether the bill presented by MT. Ely was a reasonable one and a proper one for the city to pay. Mir. At wood thought that it was not within the province of the board of france to request the corporation counsels opin- ion on this matter.
 Controller Rowe reminded him that bill for wagon repairs from the fire de- partment had been held up. and asked [ if he thought for example, that ex-Su- of Charities Spier should . continue to perform the duties of the [ present superintendent. MT Rattlesdor- 1 fer, and be paid for so doing,
 After more discussion it was voted, , on motion of MT Curtis, to request ! from the corporation counsel an opinion as to whether the Geary ease can In flu -ure be taken care of without additional Mr. Atwood. repeating his opinion that this was insulting to the mayor voted against the motion being | he only member to do so. His term as member of the board expires in June next.
 The bill presented by MT. Ely is for services furnished during the period rom January 1. 1901, to December 31,
 
 Mayor Studley although MT Driscoll vas mayor during nearly six months ,f the period for which the bill is rem tered.
 Two small transfers asked for by the police board were granted A transfer if $500 from the police payroll was ,ranted d few weeks ago for building
 stairway from the rear office at police leadquarters to the city court room The contract for the stairway was let or s550 and the police board asked that he $50 balance here and $100 additional rom the payroll be transferred to pay or some painting. The rayroll account or 1901 is now closed and the balance 1 for last year is about ST ,00O The controller was authorized to bor- ow $50C0O to apply on note for s15.- co borrowed some time ago in antici- ation of taxes.
 The communicable from the board of edith in relation to travelling expenses f its members was received and placed n file II