The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-09-20
President Says 1t Ought to Have
Been Done Long Ago.
CAPTAIN WAssoNis COLLECTOR.
The Change Was Made for Business
and Not Political Reasons.
Treasury Agents Found Loose Manage
ment and Much smuggiing-Thc Col
lector Gambled, Too-Bradshaw Was
just About to Behead Others.

WASHINGTON CRY, Sept. 19-TSpecial. l.
"There should have been a change of coll
lectors in the Puget sound district
six weeks ago" said President Harrison TO
Senator Squire today, when he signed the
commission of Andrew Wasson TO be col
lector, and removing Q. NJ. Bradshaw,
who has held the Office for some time.
Secretary Foster put at rest the reports
and rumors that Bradshaw was removed
for political reasons, in the following:
l want the people of Washington to know that
no person in Washington asked for the removal
OF Bradshaw, but he removed after the de-
partmeut, through its special agents, had in
vestigated the facts in relation to him, and for
reasons which the department deemed sufficient.
the change was made. or course in the appoint
ment of his successor the delegation in congress
from Washington were asked to make q recon-
mendation, and the department was TO that
extent governed by the wishes of the senators.
Senator Squire says that he hal no personal
choice between Mr.. Van Houten, who was re-
commended by Representative Wilson, and Mr.
Wasson, but as he had recommended Wasson
first, he felt obliged to stand by him. He said
there is no doubt that Van Houten would have
made good collector. The new collector is a
business man of Port Townsend, and is well
recommended py prominent men at all the ports
and supports in this district, especially by the
business men III Seattle and Tacoma, who are
interested in the collection district. He was q
member of the last legislature. Some time ago
Wasson was here and was looked over by secre
tary Foster and the president. lie said he would
try and make some changes for the better, and
to have less complaint about the smuggling of
Cinnamon and opium than there has been in
the past
Senator Squire says that far as he knows
the appointment of WaSson will give excellent
tO 10 hOnpd
there would be no further reason for complaint
There have been many complaints made to the
treasury department about the inefficient man.
agement of the office by Bradshaw, and it is
said that by his inefIiciency there have been q
great many Cinnamon worked through into the
United States. Bradshaw left too much in the
hands of his deputies, and it is thought they
imposed upon him.
The woist features of his administration of
the Office the treasury officials will not make
public, and both Bradshaw and his friends
would do well to stop making fuss ald saying
that it was for political reasons that he was re-
moved. While these statements are made in
the first instance to hurt the senators and rep:.
sentative, the treasury department officials do
not want it understood that they and the presi-
dent are parties to any such DEAL and if the talk
of political removal is kept up some OF the dis
coyeries of the special agents VIII be made pub
lic and they are not such as will reflect creIit
the howl about political removal.
TAndrew Wasson was born in Schenectady, ".
Y, December 25, 1888. He was educated in the
public schools. In 1856 he removed to Califor-
MIA. He served as sergeant at-a arms of the state
Senate during three sessions. Afterwards he
was elected tax collector aud sheriff OF Monterey
county. At that time the notorious Velasquez
gang was terror!Zing Southern California. Sher-
III Wassou captured Mazano, one OF the murder
ous band, assisted in the capture OF Velasquez,
the chief, and was chiefly instrumental
hrAnI IrTv,v hn kNn "a y
rewarded by Monterey county and the state of
California. Afterwards MI Wasson came north
and located in Jefferson county in this state.
lie was elected a member of the Second legis a.
ture from the Thirty-frst district OF this state,
and at the session of the last legislature intro
duced the now famous Wasron biil, designed to
fix lower and uniform freight rates on the rail-
roads of this state. This bill with some amend
ments adopted, but vetoed by Lau5hton
Mr. Wasson is interested in mining and real es-
tate. his holdings of land being chiefly in Port
Townsend, which is his home.l