The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-11-14
City Engineer Stixrud Tells
How He Did It.
ON wALLINoFoRD's BAD ADVICE.
Discovery Made by the Board Of
Public Works.
Paying Men One Price and Charging the
City Another-Ths City Surveyor Adj
mits That street work Accounts Have
Always Been Crooked.

when the board Of public works met yester-
day the Democratic chairman got . surprise.
His Republican colleagues hsve been oui thy
investigating some OF the practices which have
grown up under the old council aud it, sys-
tenn, and yesterday they sprung the first result
All the members were present. together with
City Engineer Stixrud, Street Commissioner
Alexander. Sewer Superintendent Schmidt,
euperintende of Buildings Compton and Sec
retary J. r. Pratt.
When the meeting was called 70 order, Mr..
Hebron asked the secretary for the city engi.
nser's payroll for Octobsr The payroll under
the old system only runs up TO October %. and
IL divided up into separate sheets. one for each
street under construction Without . word of
preliminary waraing Mr.. Hebron, turning to
Engineer Stixrud, ssid:
"Cnder the old system the expenses contained
in this payroll were assessed to property own
ers. The city engineer put in bill for survey
ing each particular street, and the expenses
were charged 70 the property owner. The city
enpi1 eer was paid In fees at the rate of s. day;
additional help was to be furnIshed by him and
their time charged.
en-. stixrud," continued Mr.. Hebron, aac-
cording TO these payrols you have been paying
some men $250 day aud chsYging the owners
of assesssble property ~ day"
Mr.. Stixrud replied that he had: the difference
was to cover incidental expenses. such - car
fare> etc.
II find, for instance, bill for Jsckson-street
Improvement in which you charge at the rate
OF Is day for yourself. IS day each for two
assistants. other men at g. and others at $3.50
day. Which are those for whom you charged
more t. an you paid?"
II cannot remember but it has always been
done ever since the Office was created" said Mr..
Suxrud.
"How," asked Mr. Hebron, do you know
what the incidental charges amounted to? Do
you charge up from entries or guess At it,"
Il have no book to show" said the city
engineer; "but the men would supply me with
memoranda on Slips Of paper The street COM
mitfee has always passed the bills In that
shape
'.But did not Mayor White refuse 10 pass those
bills? They do not 60 to the street committee
now bat to the mayor and comptroller q the
auditing committee. Mr. White sent those
back to you TO be corrected, did he not?
well, one of the old conncilmen told me to
do it that way"
who was that councilman
"Mr. Wallingford."
III was not the chairman Of the street COM
mit'ee."
mo; of the finance committee. He told me
that was how It had been done BY Scurry and
Owens. ana he saw no reason for changing it"
'.Your accounn were never questioned or re-
jected By that committeeT
"No"
'.Have you the books showing what you &C.
tually paid those menr'
EYES,"
II move, said MI. Heilbron, turning to Chair.
man Cochrane, shat Mr.. stixrud be directed 70
produce those books and any other memorands
bearing on this subject before the board tomof.
row."
The motion was carried. and the order given
Mr.. Heilnron Was asked - to the matter aud
he replied:
"The board 10 determined to make the fullest
inquiry into the enormous EXPENDITURES Of the
city so far - lies within Its jurisdiction What.
ever other circumstances ara brought out til 10
shows most lax and pernicious method OF
doing business. The people who have paid so
heavily for the Improvements of their property
have Right to know how the money was
spent, and whether the charges in the main are
correct or not there can Be no question that this
was the wrong way to make them.
ut 10 . disagreeable task, but We intend to do
what We consider right no matter whom It may
hurt There 10 no politics in this board 20 far
- am concerned"
The accounts are in such shape that It 10 only
by long and careful examination with other
data an accurate statement can be made of the
number OF days charged to each man. or the diff
ference between the amounts charged to the
property owners or paid TO the men, but the
following figures are accurate: The pay roll for
October 10 from the LIST TO the 22d. One day,
election day. was holiday. and three Others
were Sundays, leaving eighteen working days
The practice has bean to charge . portion of
each day to the account of each street for he
city engine and his two assistants, and time
for each OF the other men TO such streets a they
work d on. For instance. against each of the
streets enumerated Mr.. stixrud CHARGED a nor
ton of the DAYS of the month ss follovs.