The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-07-31
HERE AND THERE.
Some Remarks About the once OF INC
building Inspector-Water ONCE.

The Communications OF Mr.. Helms, ouAioiaS
INSPECTOR, and Mr.. Hsuss. his assistant puo
lished in the sT-ISTELLIG ESCEk on SUNDAY,
Nav a. and Thursday, May Il. respectively are
Of interest 10 the public, inasIaUea As they give
rs a chance 10 look into the inside doinss u
tbe reform administration. On May q MI.
UsuSs published 3 letter. IN which ne inaos sew
eral severe charges against his ex-cnieA' S
taiuIy charges made By discharged eLHp1"'o
must be taken with grain of allowances. As
rule such charges are made N angry Has.e'
dom ACCOMPANIED by the necessary proof iS'
Mr. Heuss in his letter avoided the usual af-
cusatio,s at random He made specific charges
and offered TO the board OF public WORKS 70 prove
his statements.
It's perhaps superiuous to mention thai the
board-a majority OF whom are the mayor
..ovn agents''-never bothered about the mat
ter. Generally democratic polltiesA reIor'le..
are not overpaNieulsr about efficiency or stric'
honesty. However, on May ~ Mr.. Helms re-
Piled 10 Mr. Hsrss letter. stating his side OF 'he
case Now since Wa have heard both SIDES no
one can Justly complain II we form our coHc'u-
sions from the CORES poadence-
Mr., Heuss charges Mr.. Helms with keeping IN
his Office an incompetent and illterate c1sfA
Mr.. Helms does not deny the truthfuiness ci
this charge, but satisfies himself with an Ia
mayor brayado statement ''My clerk is entirely
satisfactory to me-" II would be well for MI
Helms to remember that he is not paying the
clerk. II is the city that pays him, aud II MI
Helms wants TO run his office on business prln-
ciples, as he claims he does, then ne must en-
ploy a clerk that is entirely satisfactory 10 tAe
taxpayers and not 10 Mr.. Helms individually
The least the city could expect from reform
administration is that is clerks IN the mechan-
icsl departments should have d common rudt-
meutary mechanical ana literary education.
Mr.. Eeuss further charges that the building
inspector sent 1000 feet OF lumber 10 box up
sewer when 800 Zee. could be used, and that he
(Heuss) called the inspectors attention 10 the
fact and that the building inspector, who claims
TO run his Office on business principles, re-
9uested his assistant 10 help him in hushing
the matter Up so that the board o. public works
may not find it ont This charge Mr.. Helms
does not deny. SO we are getting reform in tull
measure.
Next Mr. Helms claims that on Spring street
he had stick OF timber 6x6x20 left, and that
his chieI scolded him for not having destroyed
the stick so that the board should not find It
out MI Helms does not dispute the truthful
of this accusation. but tries to ridicule tie
wholematter by dispuiIng the size OF the stick.
claiming il was al Sx>x2i and not 6x6x0 That
simply means forty-six feet of lumber against
Mr.. Helms
Mr. Heuss further charges that the men en-
ployed are incapable of doing days work, and
that he called bis chiefs attention to that fact,
since be tHelms) had become security for gro
ceries for some OF the men aud was under obli-
cations 10 Others in various ways Mr. Helms
does not deny these charges, but utiliZes the &C.
casion TO ventiiate before the public his char
liable inclinations. Charity undoubtedly is the
nobiest trait on human nature, provided always
that the giver puts his hand into his own pocket
and gives thereirom. But when the giyer puts
his hands into the peoples pockets and dis
penses charity unstintedly therefrom, then we
reminded of the Good Book that says, "The
sacrifices Of the wicked are abominable to the
Lord" The people certainly are under obliga-
tons to Mr.. Helms for writing the letter, for it
gives them a chance 10 learn some of the fine
work of the Democratic machine. but as far as
Mr.. Helms is concerned he would have been
much better off had he never written. In that
case be would have the benefit OF the doubt.
Now ne stands convicted upon his own testi-
mony. l cannot bring myself to further CON-
rent upon Mr. Helms properly or improperly
filling the position OF building inspector. He
has been the best witness for the people, SO
shall submit the case without argument and ex-
cuss Mr.. Helms from further attendance.
would have gladly given good cigar had
had W. Z. Wilson with me last Thursday when
Investigated the several complaints that he'd
ME from residents in the region that the Broad
way pumping station supplies with water. In
nearly every house that l visited I heard
language more emphatic than polite Ii ap-
pears that the engineer Of the Broadway pump
ing station gives his pumps resting spells aud
1t just so happens-whether by design or ae-
cident IS more than can tell that these spells
occur a little after 8 p. M Those that have
eaten their evening meal and washed their
dishes by that time are fortunate, but those that
have not-well, they have to go without it,
The worst part is that going without their din
ners Is not all the penalties citizens have to
pay Tor the privilege OF being governed by
reform administration. The plumber comes in
for his share. The water is shut of without a
moments notice; the pipes ran dry, aud the
stove Is RED hot The natural result is that,
what with paying plumber bills and going
without their dinners. their temper is far from
being IN very pleasant mood Yet would
our citizens lit their hands to he ven
and thank God aud the all-wise mayor
for the privilege of living If these
blessings would only come regularly II the
water were shut OFF daily, then thew would
change their business hours eat their dinner
earlier, do anything TO give the pumps or
pumper a chance To take the necessary resting
spell. But no; the water is shut of irregularly.
to madness. The only remedy tina. suggests
Itself is that as long as we have 10 live under a
reform rule, We had better dig wells and get
along the best We can until after the elections
and then, perhaps, our Seattle mayor will sum
mp sufficient courage TO resist the pressure of
the machine. RQsH LCOKFsH