The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-10-19

The organization Of the Department Of
Public Works was complsted yesterday by
the election BY the Board (Messrs. Coch-
ran. ninehart and Hsiibron) Of it, several
subordinate officers a. follows:
eecretary-J. r. Pratt.
Street commissioner n. Alexander.
superintendent OF buildings, wharvss
and bridges-L F. Compton.
City Englnser--M. S.ixrud.
superintendent OF Water Works-W. T.
Preston.
Assistant euperintende Mt Of Water
Works-Edwin Shepard.
Superintendent Of sewers = Richard
Schmidt.
1t would b. difficult to crisicise this or.
gAnixation ~ whole or in detail. It is not
too much to say that for no one of the
positions thus filed could there be found q
better man than the man chosen. Mr..
Pratt. the secretary. Is professional en-
gineer Of approved capacity and .
thoroughly scientific Is well as . practical
man. For eighteen years he Was con-
nected with the Pacific department. Of the
U. s. Coast and Geoditic Survey, six years
Of that time having charge Of the work in
and about Puget Sound, With headquarters
at Seattle. Recently he has been the mana
ger and superintendent of the Seattle Steam
Heat and Power Company.
Mr.. Alexander il the present very en-
cient STREET commissioner and IL practically
familiar with the whole detail Of hts Office.
Mr.. 6tixrud il the present city engineer
and hes proved his fitness BY work already
accomplished. He has greatly reduced the
cost Of work in his apartment, at the same
time increasing its efficiency. He was
unanimously recommended for the place
by the retiring city council. There were
many applicants for this position. among
them Messrs. Gardiner. Owens. Kicker and
others entirely competent and fit: but the
decision Of the Board was, under all the
circumstances. probably the best that could
have been made.
Mr.. Compton h An old citizen, : practical
builder and man entirely at for the work
assigned to him.
Mr.. Preston has been resident Of Seat
tie for several years. Is . scientific and
practical engineer and man thoroughly
reliable and competent For . long time
he has been connected with the engineering
department OF the s.. L. S. 4 E. r. r.
Mr.. Shepard. as assistant superintend-
ent Of the water system, will be in q IA
miIiar position. He will have charge Of
the Office and of the financial department
Of the water works. For several years Mr..
Shepard has held q similar position with
the Spring Hill Co., and is familiar with
every detail of the water system. He is
not only the best man, but practically the
only man for the place.
Mr.. Schmidt has made a study Of sewers
and sewer systems and has had much val
liable experience in the work.
The Board Of Public Works. with its off,
GERS and the City Comptroller has the dis
bursting of the funds TO be expended for
general city work during the next two
years. For the Comptrollership Mayor
White has appointed Mr.. C. W. Ferris, a
gentleman eminently qualified. 1t is be-
lieved that the official organization is as
nearly perfect as could be made. 1t is
made up of men. each of whom possesses
special qualifications for the work given
him. and all of whom are above suspicion.
II those who declared that the election
OF Mr.. White would plunge the city into an
era of official corruption have the righ,
spirit they viii now admit their mistake.