Home Rula Repubalika, Volume I, Number 3, 9 November 1901 — THE COURT OF FIRE CLAIMS. Runs Short of Funds—Generous Citizensare Asked to Help. [ARTICLE]

THE COURT OF FIRE CLAIMS.

Runs Short of Funds —Generous Citizensare Asked to Help.

At a meeting of the Executive Council the other day the Attorney General rendered an opinion, at the request of Auditor Austin, in which he held that money for defraying the expenses of the commission could not be diverted from any other souice, and that the $2,000 appropriated for the government witnesses could be used for no other purpose than that for which it was intended. After repeating in detail the causes and circumstances which brought about the request for his opinion, he concludes with the following : "It would be a great pity if the work of the Commission should be left unfinished merely for want of two or three thousand dollars ; but there seems to be no alternative unless some public spirited citizen advances the money and trusts to the next Legislature for reimbursement." Here is a chance for our reputed multimillionaires and well known wealthy citizens to step in and help the cause of justice along, for with the known obstinate and stubborn qualities of our venerable but imbecile Governor, the possibility of a call for an early session of the Legislature to appropriate the necessary money to carry out the objects of the Commission is far removed Every day that passes by lessens the chance of the poor unfortunates who were burnt out of house and home getting a fair measure of justice, as some of the witnesses are dying out, while others have left for other shores; and further, memory fails with the lapse of time. We should not allow the efforts of- the Commission to adjudicate the just claims of all concerncd in the unwarrantable destruction of property by the Board of Health to be stopped before they are fairly through, just merely because of the lack of a few thousand dollars. Who will be the first one to come forward to the rescue ?