The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-09-01

CITY AFFAIRS.
A Review OF MT. Springs Letter and
Its Suggestions.
SEATTLE, WASH, Aug. 81, 1891
To THE EDITOR: Will you kindly permit me
to reply to the writer of the article which ap-
peared In your issue of the 23d. Criticism OF
the present administration has been directed 80
largely to the subject OF refrencnment In the
several offices that comparatively little atten-
ton has been given to the question of how the
public service has been actually administered.
The main object of what is called reform is q
better performance of public duty by those who
are elected or appointed to official places, and it
10 not to be forgotten thtt the object of appoint
ments is not the distribution OF patronage, but
the efficient and honest conduct OF the public
service. Appointments and the methods that
control them are a means to an end and not
ends in themselves. The end to be
aimed at is good government, and the vital
question with the people Is whether
they are getting 1t. The administration has a
right to be judged by results, and, while Its
methods may be criticised, the question of how
its work is done is not to be overlooked. Its
opponents are not able to say that the public
work is done with less efficiency, honesty and
economy than before the present officials came
into office, for every observing man must &C
knowledge that in many respects there has been
very marked improvement 1t is safe to say that
throughout the several departments Of the city
government new vigor and efficiency have been
introduced, and old abuses have been rooted out
and better methods have been adopted, and that
there has been far less infection OF the service
with partisan purposes and the spoils idea than
had been the case for years before the change.
This shows that change was needed, and that
the demands of public sentiment have advanced
wonderfully in the past few months My
friend Mr.. Spring, for whom I enter
tain the highest respect, seems to
have a faculty for seeing ghosts
and other denizens of the spirit world to de-
gree that we cannot possibly hope to emulate.
1t may be because the quietness and seclusion
of the northern section of the city where he re-
sides is peculiarly favorable to slumber.
However. there Is much in the article which
commends itself to the thinking public Mr..
Spring recommends that the board of public
works consist of q civil engineer, one contractor
or builder (who must be practical csrpenter),
and one who is engaged in grading streets or
laying sewers. With such board the offices of
street, sewer. water and building superinten-
dents could be dispensed with. Now let us see
how this would work. The contractor or builder
wonld have TO personally superintend the cree
ton and construction of all public and private
buildings, bridges and wharves attend to all
alterations and repairs, and city carpentry
work generally, attend to the issuing OF per-
mits and see that no one builds without per-
mit make estimates of lumber REQUIRED for all
construction and repairs, let all contracts for
brick work, plastering, painting, papering and
hundred other things. The other two members
OF the board would attend to their de-
partments, which would require equally
as much attention. But here we have
forgotten something Was the board
intended to perform no other duties but those of
mechanical nature? II so, 1t must be admitted
that if each member of the board attended to his
department and personally superintendent ali
work in his department, he could not find much
time to compare notes, therefore 1t is reasonable
to suppose that he would have 10 hire help to
assist him and delegate to one assistant part of
his duties ard to a second some other depart
ment. Ultimately We would find a whole
retinue OF assistants all attending to everything
and doing nothing, for what is everybody's bust
ness is nobody's business, and fail to see where
the city would derive any benefit by such a
change. In fact the suggestion seems to me to
be unreasonable. Having had a little expert
ence OF the amount of work required to run one
of the mechanical departments mentioned
the second suggestion of Mr.. Spring to reduce
the board TO one, viz, commissioner of public
works who shall have a general knowledge of
all the important branches of city work seems
to me impossible Admitting for the sake of
argument that such man could be found,
which do not admit, how much would the city
gain by such a change. Would he not require
the same amount of superintendent in the sew.
eral mechanical departments, and each superin-
tendent require the same number of assistants,
ioremen AMI help to perform the same amount
OF work performed under the present system?
For myself would prefer to have three men,
bers on the board, as consider that these gen.
eral men who are possessed of general knowI-
edge mall mechanical departments areinyari ably
master OF none. The present board is well sup
piled with mechanical skill, for lie not the present
secretary, Mr. Hoolbrook, practical engineer,
and his knowledge and experience is at the ser.
vice of the board. Now, as to Mr.. Cochran,
who, in the language of Mr.. Spring, is nothing
but painter, have this TO say, having been
personally acquainted with him for the past
three years, that have always found him to be
possessed of good judgment and ranked above
the average in mechanical skill, and, in nv
Judgment, thoroughly competent to pass upon
any work done by or for the city, and as to the
sewer and water department and the amount of
skin required to superintend its construction
has not the city secured the services of a thor
oughly competent aud reliable engineer to draft
plans for such a system? Cannot Mr. Cochran.
as practical painter, or any other man having
knowledge of plans, read them and see that
the work is constructed In accordance with
them9 In my judgment the mayor made q very
wise selection, and secured the SER
vices OF who in every particu-
lar meets the requirements of the position.
l am willing 70 admit that a just criticism is
productive of much good, and in many instances
has done much to purify public Offices, but has
my friend justly criticised? / must confess I
am unable 10 find single line in the whole
letter where the writer points out any mistake
made by the chairman or other members of the
board that prove incompetency and am inclined
TO the belief that the fault-fnding is visionary,
ana reminds me OF the condition of the fell
low that was very hungry and very drunk stand
ing IN mudhole and holding to q post. He
knew IL he let 60 of the post he would fall In the
mud, and II he stayed there he would siarve
T. J. McCoRRY