The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-07-12
MIR. WHITES RECORD.
The Republican Candidates
Public Services.
HIS FIGHT FOR wATER-woRks.
Review Of the Mayoralty Candidates
Work In Councii-why He
Bought Scrip at Par.

the WORK which ne mas already uones THAT
the voters may judge of his fitness for the
position for which lie is candidate.
Mr.. White was elected to the council
from the First ward in July, 1889, when
the business section of the city was still
series of heaps of smouidering ashes, the
streets were unpaved and blocked with the
ruins Of old or material for new buildings.
All the streets between South Fourth and
South Eleventh, with the exception
of parts of South Sixth and South
Ninth. were ungraded and in an
almost impossible condition. Yesler
avenue and Main street were implanted
and Third street from Yesler aven ne to
Pike street had not been redu ced to grade;
the city was without suffice mt water sup
ply, even for domestic purposes. much
less to protect it against another condagra-
ton such as that which had recently swept
over the city.
The strongest proof which Mr. White
has given of his devotion to the public in
terest is his long and successful fight to Sc
cure for the city a sufficient supply Of wa
ter at as early date as possible. He it
was who first dyocated the purchase of the
Spring Hill plant and when the council had
concluded to buy 1t and brought
Benezette Williams from Chicago to make
an appraisal of its value and prepare plans
fo- an extension of the system, he was the
only councilman who opposed the contract
with Mr.. Villa ms. because he had dis
covered that the contract was so worded
that Mr.. Williams would have received
per cent. not only on the cost of the new
plant, but on the price of the Spring Hill
plant When Mr.. Williams proposed the
Cedar river scheme. involving an expendi-
ture of 900 on this department of
public improvements alone. and delay of
two years and a half in securing an in
creased water supply, Mr.. White at once
opposed il and fought it from Its first ap-
pearance in the council until q compromise
was finally reached on lines suggested by
him. In letter presented to the council on
March g. he entered protest against the
scheme, pointing out that the execution of
it would absorb all the debt which the city
could legally incur, leaving nothing for
such necessary work as a. sewer system,
street improvements, extension OF the po-
lice and fire departments, erection of city
buildings and establishment of corpora
lion yard. He recommended that the
distribution system proposed by Mr.. Will
liams should be Immediately constructed
In connection with an extension of the
pumping capacity at Lake Washing
ton. SO that it could be used when
ever the city should be in
position to carry out the Cedar river
scheme. He suggested an apportionment
of the money to be raised by bonds among
the other improvements which he bad
named. He pointed out that the cost of
fully carrying out Mr.. Williams scheme
would exceed the limit of taxation and the
the limit OF debt nearly one-half, while dur
ing the course Of Its construction the resi-
dance portion of the city would be left
without an adequate supply for domestic
purposes and the business portion would
be practically without protection from fire.
These arguments, backed by the weight
OF public opinion. finally prevailed. and the
council has practicly adopted Mr.. Whites
plan. The new pumping works are under
construction, work is in progress on the
sewer system, the street improvements
have to large extent been carried through.
and site has been set apart for corpor-
alton yard.
After the replat of the city had been de-
cded upon, involving the raising of the
grade OF the lower part of the city, it was on
Mr.. Whites motion that the work of carry
ing it through was actually begun. Ac-
cordingly Commercial, South Second,
South Third, South Fourth, South Fifth,
South Sixth and the intersecting streets,
from Yesler avenue to Jackson street,
have been raised to grade, planked and
sidewalked. Third street, from Yesler av-
enue to Pike street. has also been reduced
to grade and planked. These streets are
all now in good condition.
When Mr.. Yesler and Senator Rine-
ll - H. e
the most important features of the
report-the opening OF the Occidental tri-
angle and of the corner OF Second street
and Yesler avenue-by injunction, M
White proposed two resolutions advocat-
ing the purchase of the property at the APP
praised value with interest from the date of
condemnation, and the submission to the
voters of an issue of bonds to the amount,
Messrs. Yesler and Rinehart to execute
deeds to the city Immediately upon the ex-
ecution of the contract. This proposition
was accepted and proved a solution of the
problem.
About two months ago. when the
cramped condition of the city's finances
began to be felt and the banks refused to
receive city scrip, Mr.. White advocated an
advance of wages to city workmen equal
to the discount to which the scrip was sub
ject so that the city should bear the loss
oceasioned by lack of money, as it would
in the case of any other creditor. Failing
to carry this proposition and thus secure
for the laborers their rights in the
matter, he himself, in the course of two
months, purchased city scrip at par to the
amount of $4,000, thus sacrificing a dis
count of Is 10 20 per cent, and locking up
that amount of money until the city was
ready to pay it. This course naturally had
two effects-to accommodate the laborers
and inspire confidence in the financial con-
dition of the city.
Mr.. White has advocated many other
public improvements, such as the con-
struction of boulevard along the shore of
Lake Washington from Yeser avenue to
Madison street, the establishment of cor
poration yard. where all wagons and other
property found lying on the streets could
bee stored and sold. If uncalled for. and the
construction of a receiving station on the
water front, TO which sick and injured per-
sons could be temporarily removed to Sc
cure immediate care.
Had Mr.. Whites advice been followed.
the city might now be organized under the
more liberal powers granted by the legisla-
ture TO first-class cities Shortly after the
formal admission of the state last winter,
be proposed that, on the basis of the last
census showing population of over %. coo.
aud under the provisions of the state con-
stitution, the council should immediately
cal! an election Of charter commissioners.
III this proposition had been adopted,
1t would have caused the adoption OF a
new charter some months earlier and
al.