The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-11-16

agreed to 70 into partnership before Mr..
6ttxTud Was elected. Since then ! have
beon with him.
Mr.. Phillips explained that he kept the
books IN the same way - he had done for
6curry 4 Owens.
Mr.. Thomas +. Shepard entered the
room Ct this tims and said he was asked By
M. 6tixrud. who had no knowledge Of le-
gu matters, TO appear in his interest," he
did mot desire to Be premature. bat he
would ike to b heard before any fnal 90
ton was taken.
Several questions were asked Mr.. Phil
lips who replied that the object Of the pay
roll had been arranged to cover Ill the sx-
penses Of the Office; the charges were par
fectly reasonable; the custom had aiways
been followed, and If there was any profit
beyond that he considered it Was only
fair that Mr.. Stixrud should have it.
He said Mr.. WalIingford had objected
70 having charge for discount on scrip
and the understanding was thar an allow
auce should be made throughout the pay.
roll.
II ron have heard the statement Of Mr..
Phillips, was it your understanding with
the city that you we're to have profit be-
sides your days pay. Mr.. Stixrudf" asked
Mr.. Hebron.
mo, but IL was to cover the expenses"
s.Do you remember that told you, If
you were selected as city engineer the
board would expect you to dispense with
Mr.. Phillips services :"
YES"
DO ron remember that suggested that
there Was some dissatisfaction with Mr..
Phillips method OF keeping the books. and
that We did not care to have him re-
main 20
"Yes. remember something Of such .
conversation"
Were you aware Of the fact that in max
ing accounts for street improvements men
were charged for two days and half when
they only worked day or day and .
quarter Z"
81 don't know how much"
ibid you ever say to anybody that you
were satisfied there had been crooked
work In the city engineers Officer"
mo, have spoken of the difference be-
tween the old system and mine."
you have partnership with Mr.. Phil
lips. Was It your intention that the city
should pay al the expenses of your
Office Z"
well. al that the city should pay. I
had nothing to do with keeping the &C
counts.n
"Hsvs you been selling your scrip at .
discount Of 10 per centf''
Yes; ct an average of Lax per cent"
BY what authority did you put in tn ese
payrolls whom You knew them to be in
correctf"
II wanted to know how to do it and that
Is why went to Mr.. Wallingford. Since
/ have bean appointed by the board have
made out my accounts another way"
'Since you have been city engineer is it
not . fact that Mr.. Phillips has been con-
trolling the officef" asked Mr.. Rsinehart
He has besn looking after the accounts;
many OF the men employed by Scurry 4
Owens were indispensable to me. a. l had
to get information - to partly completed
work"
Replying to Mr.. Shepard. Mr.. Stixrud
said 1t vas the practice Of the profession to
charge clients percentage ON mems time
to cover incidental expenses; had he paid
them out of his own pocket his salary
would have been swamped. Since his re-
election as Q salaried officer he had
charged nothing but actual outlay.
Mr.. Shepard called attention to the fact
that professional men were compelled to
put on percentage 70 cover necessary ex.
penses. This did not seem 70 be . case of
falsifying pay-rolls. but of charging Just
such . percentage a would cover inciden-
tal expenses. Moreover, Mr. Etixrud had
inherited . system with the Office, and he
thought the board should take into con-
sidsration the efforts he had made to ie-
duee possibly bad system to the least
offensive degree. Unless there was an ey-
idence OF moral turpitude, he did not
think the board should 60 to the extent of
declaring Mr.. Stixrud unfit to hold city
onice, because they objected to system
which expired before they acquired juris-
diction.
Secretary Pratt said the difference be-
tween the accounts would show that If Mr..
Stixrud paid 10 per cent. discount on scrip
and $50 month rent, and deducted from
1t the amount Of difference on the pay
rolls, he would still appear to be out OF
pocket $29.25. without any allowance for
incideutais.
Assuming, of course, that the number
OF days charged is correct" remarked Mr..
Hebron.
Inc DOafu tooK recess, ana during the
afternoon Mr.. Hebron went over the
August payroll with Mr.. Stixrud.
When the board met 1t o'clock Mr..
Hebron reported that Mr.. St;xrud did
not consider that justice was being done
him By mere examination OF the pay
rolls, and desired to be heard in explana.
ton before any action was taken.
1t was resolved to resume consideration
OF the matter on Monday.
Mr.. Stixrud submitted statement show
ing how much street work had cost under
J. g. Scurry ss city engineer and under his
own administration. 1t gives the contract
cost OF work and the cost of engineering
work in connection with it. The totals
purport to show that whereas the per-
centage for surveys during Mr.. Scurry's
term was $3.50, 1t was only 256 under Mr..
D..