The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-08-22
HERE AND THERE.


How Much Incompetence in ONCE Has
Cost the City in One Transaction.
II there is Republican in this city who voted
last March for the present "reform" admins
trafion who does not by this time truly hate
himself for having done SO. ordinance 2,306,
passed by both houses of the city council on
last Wednesday, ought surely to bring about
that result. Or, if there Is a Democrat in this
city who does not thoroughly dcspise himself
Tor having allowed his party to nominate and
eject as city fathers set Of men utterly devoid
OF business sense and entirely incompetent to
conduct the city's affairs, that same ordinance
ought to drive him from the ranks of Democ-
racy forever.
The ordinance authorizes the board of public
works "to purchase one thousand tons or more.
as may be necessary, Of cast iron pipe, on the
most favorable terms obtainable, from the
Northwest Supply Company" Naturally one is
inclined to the belief that this unusual! latitude,
on the best terms obtainable, IN given to the
board in order to enable them to do the best
for the city. When, however. We read little
further and find that the board 10 limited to the
obtaining of the best terms from one company
the Northwest supply Company-one is inclined
to think that there 10 something more to this
ordinance than appears on the surface. Especi.
ally 30 when we remember that there In An
ordinance that requires the board Of public
works to invite bids for supplies every two
months.
The truth 10 that the price Of the pipe 10
omitted from the ordinance, not with a view of
giving the board . chance to buy on "the best
terms ootainab!e," for that 10 out OF the ques-
ton. When purchasing agent 10 limited to
make his purchases from one particular house.
and that house 10 fully aware of that fact, his
chances to buy on "the best terms obtainable"
are very slim indeed But the price is omitted
with the sole object OF enabling stupid and a
"humbug reform council to conceal from pub
nv n mi en- ~
to conduct the city's affairs on business prin-
ciples.
The facts will bear repetition that In the
latter part OF March I'D. T. Wood 4 Co., of
Philadelphia, wrote to the board of public
works, saying in substance that they were load
Ing sailing vessel for Puget sound and had
several hundred tons OF storage room to spare.
They would therefore sell the city six miles of
6-inch and two miles of S-inch pipe, or about 500
tons all told, at a reduced price of $33 per ton,
delivered in good condition at the cty's wharf.
The city was then paving between $40 and $42
per ton for the same pipe. The board thought this
very advantageous offer to the city-one Of
those business chances of which every business
man would gladly take advantage-and recon-
mended to the council that the offer be accepted.
But our reformers were not to be caught in the
commission of 50 grave political crime as that
OF approving recommendation OF Repub-
lican board Of public works, and with all Demo-
cldtlc CONSCIENTIOUS ness lal0 the recommends
ton on the table" And that subsequently
about July 10, "a telegram was received from
the same firm Offering 1000 tons of pipe of vari-
Gus sizes. to be shipped by q tramp steamer now
loading at their works, at 50 per ton, and since
the present board hsrmonizes with the reform
administration the chances are that the offer
will be accepted, providing the steamer will not
have left Philadelphia by the time our council
concludes to act"
Whatever might have been the alleged cause
or reason for not accepting the advantageous
business offers mentioned above, it remains be-
yond dispute that had the council accepted
either one of those offers the city would now
have plenty of pipe of excellent quality at cost
not exceeding $34 per ton. while the ZOO tons OF
pipe ordered from the Oswego Iron Works. of
Oregon. through its agents in this city, the
Northwest Supply Company. will cost the city
1919 per ton-a difference against the city Of
$3.50 in one event and Sc, $50 in the other.
Comment upon such shameful waste of public
funds is supernuous. In fact, 1t is impossible to
think of it without feeling like crying out with
the missionary, who. upon returning from the
Orient, where he had spent several years in mis-
sionary work, stopped over in San Francisco,
and while there seeing q burly rufiian knock a
Chinaman down without tho least provocation,
exclaimed: "My God. If that is Christianity,
then, please, o Lord, give me paganism!' If
such govevernment is "reform," then we had
better pray for anarchy. RosH LooKEsH.