Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-12-27
Next to the Last Meeting of the New
WhatcOm City Council
WILD AND TURBULENT SESSION
Champion Street Sewer Tunnel Pro-
vokes a Row--Dock Street Con-
tract Raises Another

storm broke at its penultimate regular
meeting which was held last evening
The turbulent session was witnessed by
full gallery, which pressed against
the rail until adjournment at ! O'Clock
Mayor Miller and full council board
were present. Nearly all the lawyers
of the city were present IA attorneys for
the various schemes pending before the
council. Prest M. T.. Downs and En-
gineer j. J. Donovan, of the b. B. q
e., were there, expecting the franchise
for which that company had petitioned
to be acted upon. Mr.. Donovan, who
has himself been considerably mixed
up in municipal legislation, was deep
ly interested spectator of the proceed
ings.
Like the famous society upon the
Stanislow, "nothing could be finer or
more beautiful to see" than the first
half Of the meeting last evening.
The minutes Of the preceding meet
ing were read and approved. The
council sat as board Of equalization
on the Humbolt street assessment, and
the roll was adopted. The report of
the clerk and marshal on the rebate of
the wholesale liquor licenses was re-
lerred back TO be properly signed. r..
II. Vernon was allowed the amount Of
the engineers fifth estimate, 500, on
the Front street contract. The report
of the committee on Utter and
Sylvan street improvement, recon-
mending that the city re-advertise for
bids, was adopted. The clerk was in
structed To advertise for bids for the
improvement of Twentieth street. The
report Of the special committee recon-
mending the adoption of the assess
ment roll of Elizabeth street was adj
| opted and the council will sit as "A
board OF equalization upon it next
| Monday evening. The final estimate
on Elizabeth street was allowed.
Thus far the council had maintained
| the even tenor of its way. At this
Juncture the apple Of discord was
| thrown into the meeting in the form
of the report Of the sewer committee,
which proved TO be the Dryenforth
bomb that punctured the storU-cloud.
1t will be remembered that the coun-
pion street sewer tunnel by days labor
without awarding "A contract, and that
the superior court recently issued an
injunction restraining the city from
proceeding In this way. The report of
the sewer committee set forth these
facts, stating that plans and speciiica-
tiOns for the work had been procured
preparatory TO advertising for bids for
the contract, for the consideration Of
the council, and recommending that
the council proceed tO let the work by
contract. The plans and specifications,
IA thick volume of typewriter pages,
accompanied the report. a motion 10
adopt the report brought Nicklin to his
feet. He held that this action would
carry with IL the adoption of the plans
and specifications, work that had been
done Illegally and without authority.
If whole volume Is tOI
be adopted we ought TO have
at least few minutes to
look IT over" said he. He moved as
an amendment that it be laid over one
week, which was lost. He then moved
an amendment TO the report specifying
that 1t did not carry with IL the plans
He supported his amendment In fiery,
bitter speech.
jenkins then offered as substitute a
motion declaring that the report car
ried with IL the plans. This was lost |
Nicklin tnen offered another amend |
ment declaring that the report did not |
carry with it the plans. This was also |
lost and the question Of the adoption |
of the report was put and carried.
A motion 10 hold an adjourned meet
ing wednesday afternoon 10 consider
the plans and specifications, 10 canvas
the vote Of the water bond election and
10 receive bids for the $4,000 water
bonds voted prevailed In spite Of a
sharp attack from Mr.. Nicklin, who
held that the council was acting In
undue haste in receiving bids for the
bonds before the purchase Of the water
works had been decided upon.
The contract and bond Of Bell d Nc
Caskill for the Improvement Of Dock
street provoked another turbulent
scene Before the bids were opened
this firm submitted an agreement
TO accept warrants drawn upon the
abutting property, relieving the city Of
all responsibility except for street inter
sections. This agreement was not en-
bodied In the contract. Councilman
Cooper stated that the firm would give
good and sufficient idemnity bond 10
carry out the agreement. A motion
was made 10 reconsider the vote OF the
lettin, Of the contract. Nicklin charged
the opposite side Of the table with col
lusion and fraud. The vote 10 recon-
slider prevailed, and Latta moved that
the contract be awarded again 10 the
same firm In accordance with the con-
tract submitted. The mayoEheld that
the motion was out Of order, and that
II would be necessary TO readvertise for
bids before II could be again awarded.
An appeal was taken from this decls-
lon and sustainen, and the motion was
again made and recorded. The mayor
again ruled II out OF order and another