Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-05-07
rorRrH AND JAMES STREETS.
TIVE Tnflnished impros emeats and
the Difference E<fween Them.

ment Of tue contract was signed by l. /
" Bigelow, Walter Burritt aud William
Asyden bauer. Some months after
ward i, became evident that the work
would not be completed by the con
tractors, end the bOndsmeu we're given
the alternative Of completing the work
or paving into the city treasury the
amount of the bond. They chose the
former manner of relieving themselves,
and pushed the work on 70 complet OF.
No efforts or attempts were made at
any compromise more favorable to the
bondsmen than this The gentlemen
realized that they were liable, and ex-
treated themselves as we'll a. they bon
orabiy could.
Let Us look at another improvement
uncompleted by the contractors We
find A decided difference, bat fail to see
the distinction. On June l9th, lss3,
John j. Cummings and NJ Strong On
tered into a contract with the city TO
grade James street and construct side
walks on both sides of said street from
the middle of the alley between Third
and Fourth streets TO the east side of
Broadway street, in the city OF Seattle,
IN a good and workmsnlIke manner.
and furnish all material necessary
therefor. Said Improvement to be made
under the direction ana subject TO the
approval of the City Surveyor OF the
said city Of Seattle, and in conformity
| TO the provisions of the several ordin-
ances Of said city Of Seattle applicab bile
| 10 the same, and TO the plans and speei-
| ications for the same on lle IN tine
| Clerks office, and To be completed on or
| before the LIST day of September, 1883
The contract goes on to provide Tor
| the payment for this work as follows ::
And the said party of the first part
shall pay to the said parties of the sec
ond mart etc. At the follow
ing rates, VIZ. Twenty five cents per
cubic ward for earthwork. to be meas
ured in excavation only; $3.50 per
| thousand feet, board measure. for all
| lumber necessary for said sidewalks.
etc, etc. etc.
This contract is signed by ii. q.
Strive. Mayor, on the part OF the city,
and by John j. Cummings and Nj.
| Strong, contractors. TO 1t IS attached
the following bond, similar in every
DarticaIar to the bond on which Messrs.
Bieelow, Burritt and Meydenbauer were
compelled to complete the Fourth street
improvement
Know all men by these presents
| That We, John j. Cummings and Nj.
Strong. rs principals, and L. W. Wust-
hoff and John keenen, as sureties, are
held and firmly bound unto the city OF
Seattle in the sum of ten thousand dol
| lars, for the payment of which, well
and truly to ne made, We Jointly and
seyerally bind ourselves and each OF
our heirs, executors and administrators
| firmly by these presents.
Sealed with our seals and dated this
- day of June, 1893.
The condition of this obligation Is
such that, If the above bounden John j.
Cummings and NJ. Strong shall faith
| fully execute the terms Of the foregoing
contract, these presents shall be void ;
| otherwise the same to be and to remain
in full force and effect.
Signed JOHN j. CUMMINGS,
| NJ. STRONG,
+. w. WUsTHoFF,
john kEENEN.
Signed, sealed aud delivered in pres
ence of X. ID. Me- clay and j. M. Dunn.
Attached are the usual sworn state
ments of the bondsnen declaring them
selves to be worth the sum named ia the
bond and the acceptance of the bond.
On the contract the city paid out from
| time TO time something more than 800,
as the work progressed. Finally, how
ever, il became evident that the con-
tractors were irresponsible and would
not comelete the work. In September,
1888, all pretense of carrying on opera
| tions was thrown aside, and the work
was abandoned but the bondsmen,
both of whom are now members of the
| CITY Council, and one of whom was, at
the time mentioned, a member of that
body. have not completed the contract,
| hAvs not paid To the city the Flo, 600 for
which they are legally bound, and have
not shown the least intention of doing
either. la fact they have not even re-
| paid to the city the amount which was
expended on the work, and which. 81
| far as benefit to anybody Is concerned,
was practically thrown away. So far
as we have been able to ascertain, no
movement was ever made on the part OF
the Council or on that of the City At
torney to enforce the payment of this
bond, and the city has been allowed to
suffeI without any exertion on the part
of the officials who should protect it.
| Ia view of these circumstances. an
explanation from the parties interested
is decidedly in order and the public
should demand it. Why have the
bondsmea of the Fourth street con.
tractors been forced to fulfill theil
bond, while those of the James street
contractors have been allowed to cast
aside their obligation a. thing of nc
conssauepce Whatever 2 The fact that
these men are members of the Council
does not rsli, We them; il only bind.
them the more firmly, ~ adding an OBJ
legation In honor TO the obligation in
law. The City Council owes il to itself
aud TO the people 10 see that the same
law which applies to other citizens shall
apply to its members. Let Messrs
Wusthoff and kesuen be put upon the
same footing as were Messrs. Bigelow
i RnVrsAt at.l