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

certainly no more than the latter number.
q rreater number uoald oe more aiEfacass
to handle. asld Il would open the way for
eisaues and internal striIes affecting the
REST interests Of the CITY.
suSr WHAT We wAET.
Deputy sheriff Woolery said: That Is
Just whaf we want and have been Whiting
/ for long time You can put me down IN
favor of the scheme and 10 90 further.
police affairs should be taken ont of the
councils jurisdiction. Politics has TOO
| mueh 10 do with the police force. The
question OF fitness should rule n appoint-
menss. As il is now, il is 8 question al re-
ward for party services. 90 not charge
jo5hery in the administration. but there is
great temptation in large transactions IN
body which permits Of sssse inquiry regard
ing its acts.
THE LAEoRER WORTHY or HIS HIRE
& Mr.. John Arthar said am heartily in
favor Of having a paid hoard 81 public
] works. TIE experiences Of Eastern cities
shows coacltssiTely that that is the true
manner ii wiaich 10 conduct the business
/ Of the publicin that respect. Ii has been
found every where that sn unpaid council.
/ giving 10 the council only 50 much OF their
tinse a. they can spare from their private
business cannot and silI not give 70 Inn
/ portant matters Of administration the con-
slant care ana watehfulness which thew
| require; besides il is most unfair to expect
/ such council 10 give their whole time
20 the public. IL board Of
| public WORKS Dc not established, ! should
favor the gfging Of, say. e. 90 > year TO
/ each councilman and SSeNa 10 the mayor.
n
/ ability Tor the performance OK their public
! duties IN as economical, systematic and
/ bnsinessike way as private business is
mansged III. ! have never felt at liberty
TO blame any member OF an unpaid eoun-
eli, or any such council as body. Tor
neglect Of matters OF public adIninistra-
ton.
THE BYsT SOLUTION.
Judge Richard Osborn said: The matter
has not been presented 70 me before, bnt
ny Judgment, from my experience in city
atfssrs, is that in weightT matters. such rs
| the wafer works scheme and others of
equal Importance, the questions do not get
the prompt and thorough attention that
they should from the council. There arc
/ frequent delays, and consequent losses
which the taxpayers are called upon to pay
dearly for. Everyone knows the manner
OF carrying out an important measure, its
| introduction, reference TO a committee iEs
being referred back. and as you know often
tabled and laid over for an indefinite
period. owing 10 the impossibility of get
ting the quick and intelligent attention
OF the council. If a council
mans private business interiors with
council meeting he Is apt 10 defer his
attendance until a subsequent meeting.
/ All these various delays cost the city
money. and it is my opinion that the ap-
| pointmeni Of board of pubic works, the
| members OF which shall be given a reason
able compensation, in order to secure men
of ability, would in the long run be great
saving TO the CITY. Many OF the vexatious
delays would be done away with, and ths
service rendered the municipality would be
more comprehensive and intelligent, be-
cause such appoinsees would be obliged by
the conditions on which they accepted
/ office to devote their time to the city's in
| terests. am heartily in favor Of such a
plan and fully believe that it is the best
solution of the scheme of public improve
! ments
PROPER ATTENTION NEEDED.
Justice of the Peace Rivers said The
| difficulty is 10 get a body of men, such as
tire council, to give proper attention TO city
| affairs without being paid for it. II they
| attend fully to their public duties their pri-
| vaie business suffers. and vice versa. 1t is
| too true in such cases that public business
| suffers. The business of the city is grow
| ing away from the council. They cannot
| attend to II properly. Time Is lost and
! money Is wasted. | am heartily in favor
| Of any scheme which will divide the labor
OF the council and still make the commit
tee. BY which | mean the public works
board. answerabie 10 its constituency ii the
Office is elective. which might perhaps be
the better plan although / cannot say posi-
lively now as to that.
TOO MucH FOR THE COUNCIL.
George b. Adair said: | favor the idea
| OF board of pahaic works by all means, as
/ 40 not believe that nine men can be Sc
Iected as council competent TO handle the
entire business of city of the population
/ OF Seattle. We should have board SINH
lar TO those OF other cities to take charge of
/ the water works. sewerage and street de-
| partments and thus relieve the council.
The present arrangement tends 10 misman-
| agement through forced haste. and the re-
snlt must necessarily in many cases result
in penny wise and pound foolish transae-
tons The taxpayers owe il 30 themselves
/ TO bring about the construction of COM
petens bosrsi OF public works.
A epuNtTTEE OF sfsE.
Mr., ". p. lloyd said There il nothing
that should meet with more hearty APP
/ pguval II the board Is composed OF the
right kind Of men, the good they can az
/ complssh i unlimited. TIE work has been
too great for the council since the lire, and
/ IS a natural consequence. has been
neglected. What We want Is board COM
/ posed OF representative citizens, who will
/ Immediately make wonderful charge in
/ the present condition OF affairs. The board
SHOULD consist II st least rine men. divided
into slsree distinct committees, the action
az either to he passed upon hy the entire
board. This Is the safest way. and will
lie the most popular method also.
RAG THtNG SO wasT.
s r. Street said A board OF public
works is the thing We want Let there be,
sae i've memhersz-one 20 be elected each
wear. was 4 member OF the counsel at
Thrce Rivers, Michigan, and 81 Anthony,