The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-07-26
Strange Acts of the Regents of
the Agricultural College.
CONTRACTS At HIGH FIGURES.
Determination in Bids - The Omcers
Rescind One Agreement and Anx-
Gus to Annul Another.


states honored governor, held the execu-
tive's seat in 1891, had again been manipu-
iating his plant tools, that thrift might
follow scheming" In the same article the
Republican party was congratulated upon
It's aiacrity in turning it's guns upon Re-
publican who unworthily held office, as
upon member of any other organization.
Then, after announcing that if all the
ugly stories concerning the conduct of the
Pullman Agricultural College were true, it
would be well for the Republican party to
sharpen its scalping knives, and by full
exposure and prompt punishment give
evidence of its determination to keep
ialth with the people, promise was made
to shortly lay before the public state
ment OF the Acknowledgement of that i'll
fated institution" Reference was made
to two vacancies in the board, that should
occur If the charges limited at were true.
The editorial closed thus:
For it 1.-THE institution has about it the smell
of ill-gotten gain, of coilusion, of the applica-
ton OF that "rule of throe'-addition, division,
silence.
A. II. Smith, of this city, was subse-
quently asked to explain the significance
OF this editorial. He said the same was
unwarranted. and must have grown out of
the stopping of payment of an advance
ment to the authorities on account of
work on the college building. 1t appeared
that warrant for the sum of 5000 had
been ordered drawn on this account be-
fore that amount had been earned. Mr..
Smith said payment had been stopped by
the state auditor. pending an investiga-
ton. He said the work on the college
buildings was progressing satisfactorily,
and at once turned the conversation upon
an entirely foreign subject.
In the meantime reports came here from
Pullman that all was not right, or rather
that the agricultural college commission
was at loggerheads. Scandalous gossip
also came from Spokane about the
letting Of contract for CHM
neys by the commission to Spokane
drug firm, at price fully double what the
goods were worth in the wholesale markets
of the country. And last but not least a
man from Pullman, who seemed perfectly
unbiased in the matter, spoke about
frauds in the letting Of contracts for the
building of the college hail.
This last bit of information came to
hand last week, while Mr.. Smith was at
Seattle attending meeting of the Agri-
futile attempts were made to see him
about the matter. but not until today
could an interview be had with him. He
proved, however, just as reticent as when
previously seen. Mr.. Smith said:
Everything is progressingsatis factorily The
contractors bill for work done, the payment of
which was temporarily stopped. has been paid,
and everything is moving satisfactorily"
"How about the rumors of collision and COR
ruption in your commission?
81 tell you everything is progressing satisfac-
torily,' he said sharply, almost angrly. as his
face flushed. al have no complaint to make.
do not care to say anything further at present"
'But," said the reporter, IL have secured some
figures from Pullman gentleman that go to
show that you let contracts for chemicals and
the college hall for nearly twice the price for
which the chemicals could be purchased or the
hall built Taxpayer naturally want to know
about it,
"We have found" Mr.. Smith replied, "that we
cannot build expensive a college hall as was
contemplated. $4,000 hall was talked OF, but
we will have to do with one that will cost not
half that amount, because we have tied up in
contracts already 900 of the $50 600 state
appropriation, and of course the $4,000 hall
cannot be built as we dare not enter into con-
tracts exceeding our appropriations"
elbow was it, Mr.. Smith, that the commission
wanted to let the contract for the college hall
for SIS, $50, when there was responsible bidder
willing to do the work for $s,23S?'
Mr. Smith tried hard to look unconcerned. 81
was not present when that matter was before
the commission" he said, finally. 81 have al
ready told you the $l4 coo proposition cannot be
entertained, because of lack of funds l am
treasurer OF the commission, and when the $1i,-
coo bid was talked of the other members may
not have known the true state of our finances
But this does not matter now, inasmuch as the
hail is not to be built ut any such figure"
"How much will be put into the hall, any
way?"
IL do not know as yet. New plans will have
to be drawn, and probably we build it for
81, 100 or 5000
"How about that contract for chemicals that
was let for twice the price the goods could be
bought for? You know all about that, do you
not?"
Mr.. Smith got indignant again 81 repeat"
he said emphatically, "that everything is pro-
crossing satisfactorily with the commission
business. will say further that no contract
for chemicals has been let. l have nothing
more to say at present.
Mr. Smith then excused himself His
reticence in this instance, however, seems
prompted solely by the alleged fact that
all was progressing satisfactorily, and
evaded, as far as possible, references to
what had occurred in the past Right
here the Pullman gentleman referred to
throws light on dark places. He is thor
oughly conversant with the work of the
Agricultural college commission and is
thoroughly reliable. This is what he saws !:
There has been a fight in the board of regents
Four OF them do the work, viz: Conoyer, Smith,
Fellows and Hopp. Fellows Is the Democratic
member, and Bellinger never attends the meet
ings. | was at Pullman when the June meeting
was held. The four referred to were there.
krum < Bradley, of Spokane, submitted a bid
for chemicals, assaying apparatus, etc, for the
college laboratory. Their bid was S. 2ss. 49, The
Spokane Drug Company also had a bid in for
s.. zoo or $3.50 Professor Hitchcock, who will
have charge OF the goods TO be purchased, stated
that they could be had for sl.70o. Here the
fight began. Smith said drug people in all parts
OF the state should have A chance 10 bid on tho
goods but Fellows, of the committee-Fellows
Hopp and Couover composed it--on chemicals
etc, reported that Krum & BraIeys bid had
been accepted. Well, that made Smith hot.
There was lively seance until the board ad-
journed until the next morning. In the morn
ing Fellows introduced Il resolution approving
the verbal contract of his committee in accept
ing Krum & Braleys bid This was the COM
mittee on chemicals, so-oalled, ana it had the
power to act The committee had made Fell
lows a committee of one 10 do the purchasing.
aud while the committee had power 10 act,
Fellows handed in this resolution for the action
of the entire board. Fellows resolution had
some wording on the side about Krum & Bradley
being he'd responsible for the delivery OF the
goods AZ Pullman station.
smith followed ND Fellows resolution with
amendment stating that iuasmueh as the
estimate of Professor Hitchcock was in the