The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-09-10
HIGH DUTY CHOSEN.
Long Debate Upon the Merits
of Pumps.
MEETING OF THE DELEGATES.
Benezette Williams Denies That He
Was to Divide Salary with Elk
Mayor Cregier, of Chicago.

There was an unusually interesting and even
Lively meeting of the house OF delegates last
night when the question of buying pump was
discussed. There were present Delegates Jones,
Furry. Bagley. Barnes, krug, Hanford, Lansing,
hittinger. 5hipley, Morford, Hart and Willis.
Among those in the audience were Aldermen
Miller, Pontius and Snyder, Commissioners
Hebron and Rinehart, Superintendent Chalk,
Engineer c. Snyder, T. j. McCorry, Messrs. Lin
cen. Buckner and many others
Inc two reports inside by the board OF public
works were read and Mr.. Lansing moved TO refer
them to joint committee.
Mr. kittinger said they would not have the
gravity system for eight or ten years, and in the
meantime they would need several pumps He
did not think they wanted to make the city an
asylum for low-duty pumps. They would
never be able to sell them except forold iron
Mr.. Bagiey considered il too important mat
ter to rush through hurriedly. He would ike
TO more thoroughly inform himself upon the
points raised on both reports. TWAS decided TO
call upon Commissioner Hebron Tor further in
formation. He addressed the house, explaining
the reasons why he had come to the conclusion
that high-duty pump would be the best and
cheapest in the end. lie said Benezette Will
lams had reported in favor of low-duty pumps
on the theory that the gravity system would be
completed in four years; but as il seemed, in all
human probability, that it would not be COM
pieteu HI Blk, ana perhaps not IN elgnt, there
would be great saving.
MAJOR Rinehart was also called upon and he
said that experience has shown that Beuezette
Williams had given the city good advice lie
confessed to having formed prejudice, but the
more he went into his plans he felt satisfied that
he was an honest adviser and he believed him
TO be an eminent hydraulic engineer. He under
stood 1t had been claimed that ex Mayor Gre
gier. the man who got Williams the Job as con-
nnorln fnfnn h To-
third of his salary from Seattle. The story was
circulated by the Holly representatives Major
Rinehart had telegraphe Williams to ask If that
was true Mr.. Williams answers: "You can
say absolutely that the statement is unauali-
hedly false" Mr.. Cregier, who is said to be get
ting the third, is now in the employ of the Holly
company. That was the man who recommended
Williams, and it was the same company which
was now throwing discredit upon his recon-
mendations He made vigorous speech against
putting Oft the gravity system; he declared that
If the council told the people they were to have to
use Lake Washington water for eight or even six
years, they would hear such thunder from the
people as would make them think their term of
Office had come to an end.
MI. Bagley thought, nevertheless, it would be
ten or even fifteen years before they would spend
s2,5O0,eO0 for the gravity system. He declared
that the purity of Lake Washington water was
higher than that of most other cities i'm the
Union and would remain SO for some years yet.
Mr. Lineen, of the Holly company, denied be-
ing the author of the story. He had been told
by Judge Bolger, of Chicago, that he had been
retained by ex-Mayor Cregier to bring suit
against Williams for one-third of the compensa-
ton he was to get from Seattle. Mr.. Lneen
knew no more, but would stake his reputation
on the veraeity of the man who told him. He
told the delegates they could buy q 100000 gal
lon iow-duty pump for a few thousand dollars.
He went into figures to show that the high-duty
pump he offered TO put in would, in four years.
have cost only 500. He had never in fourteen
years experience, seen a closer investigation
into choice of pumps than that made. He fin
ally made the offer that if they did not save one
half the coal he would make no charge for the
pump. He warned them that the city was in
bad shape for pumping capacity. He strongly
advised them not to burden the city with a debt
OF $1,000, 600 until the population was 100000 or
more. II they went ont a little further they
could get beautiful water
Mr.. hittinger said the agent of the Worthing-