The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-01-04

them have To&eS to devfxe ways &1a means
Tor carrying on Improvements. and lei
them be independent OF the city council.
am heartily in favor 81 an independent
hoard OF pubiic works.
MArrER or srsaSrSs-
Nr. s f. Crawford said: I don't see any
ether WAY Of having an economical and
efficient administration 81 matters relating
/ TO pubic Improvements OF such great mag
TituEe than BY q beard oil pablo works
The men elected 10 the CITY council are
| business men. and as they receive no conf
/ pensatson il would be aSking TOO muca for
them 10 handle millions OF dollars without
compensation. 4 bank or railroad would
I not employ men IN confidential capacisy
/ or entruss them with millions OF dollars
/ without paying them good salaries The
/ beard should be paid and could then be
placed under adequate bonds 20 secure the
faithful and honest performances OF the
duties entrusted to them. which Is some
thing we cannot ask OF an unsslaried coan-
| Gil
1854 OPINION.
Justice OF the Peace Miller said. While
such g plan is 70 he heartily commended
there Is nothing in the present city charter
50 far as | have been able 10 learn To per-
mi. such a change. A new city chnrtes
should be framed, but there is no way Of
foreielling when that important measure
will be brought about Ii can only be ny
legislative enactment. The council cannot
handle properly the constantly Increasing
business Of The city. II is growing beyond
them. or in fact. any like body acting With
out compensation. Another trouble in the
present system Is that the council may act
/ in an underhand manner. and no one
would be the wiser for il They have too
much power. and there is nc check upon
them. Dishonest acts could be perretrated
with minimum chances for discovery.
sPLKNpTn SCHEME.
Mr. w. T. Bailey said: I have given
this proposition for board of public works
considerable thought and have no hesi-
fancy in pronouneing it 5 splendid scheme.
sFiEst OF all there should not be over I've
members. and they Should he men OF good
business ability, who should be paid iiher
ally for their Seavices. Five members IT
50 COO each per year would do their work
mere thoroughly than ten members at
81 Go each. Let them devote their entire
attention TO this particular work. / sim
cereiy hope that q board OF public works
viii be established ut once.
THE WORK HAS RgES sHfgKEp.
Mr.. ". II. Humphrey said; Although
have just returned from San Francisco.
and have given the matter no thought,
am heartily in sympathy with il and hope
Il viii succeed. There is no question about
the work having been shirked in the past,
simply because the council has had mofe
than its hands full. 4 board of public
works is needed in every city. and es-
neciaily 50 in the rebuilding of Seattle.
Only QUESTION or TIME.
A. NJ. Brookes 1t will be an absolute
necessity. Ii board of public works is
not created now. it will only be a short
time until the city will have 10 have one.
In s city of this size the waterworks. the
sewerage system. etc. are things that
must be looked after. and they can't be
left to the council Care should be exer-
cised 10 secure competent men on the
board.
PAID BOARD OR COMMITTEE.
DIR. T. c. kilbourne. The matter of
waterwoFks. sewerage. ETC., should be in
the hands of s board or committee who
are paid for their services and who could
afford to spend their time, or the council
should be paid for their time. so that they
could afford to devote their time to the
city's business without loss 10 their own
business.
BOARD SHOULD BE APPOINTED.
Captain Burns said: am in full accord
with the idea. III is just what we need as
the councilrnen cannot give proper atten-
ton to public affairs aid still attend to
their private business. board of public
works should be appointed. and that as
soon as possible.
THE SOONER THE BETTER.
b. f.. Shaubut said NY experience and
observation have been that public works Of
any magnitude are properly managed only
when IN the hands OF board OF competent
men, w.lo make it their sole business.
Seattle viii have TO come 10 it, and the
sooner the better.
FAveKs ONE coMsIssIoSER.
H. NJ Holmes said: IL is sensible
project. but don't believe in having too
many men 10 act II seems 10 me that the
best pan would be to have a commissioner
OF public works elected by the people and
have him work under the direction of the
council.
WOULD SUPPORT THg PLAN.
Captain J. A. Hatfield said: | decidedly
favor the plan, and consider it the only
proper way 20 manage public works.
not only favor 1t. bat stand ready to sup
port it.
SOMETHING THE ciTY MIST HAvg.
Josiah Collins, jr., said: ! think IL the
very thing 10 have board OF public works.
and it is something the city must have. If
public improvements are properly car
rietI on.
FtrHEs 4 COMMITTEE or HoAKp.
Harold Preston said. think that water
works and sewerage should be placed in
the hands OF committee Of citizens or
beard of public works.
MAKE IT rARaE AEp RKrEssxsrArTvg.
l. H. Griffith said. I ana in favor Of the
scheme provided ;hs board can be made
large enough ard representative enough.
FAvof.s A Hc4Eb.
C. r. Conover said; am in favor of