The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-10-01
krug Robbery Outdone by the
Waterworks Sale Job.
TAXPAYERS LEARN THE TRUTH,
The City Cheated Out of One Million,
Five Hundred Thousand Dollars.
Before the Election the Voters Were
Warned In ysin-rhe waterworks
Joeeers Throw Away 100000 More

TACOMA. Sept Sa~-ISpecial Judged bv
iuFiAer exposures. taxpayers feel that
Tacoma has been more ompletely krugged
| than Seattle. A discrepancy Of ). 4o0. 900
gallons OF water In q single instance, and
involving an estimated loss OF 81, soc. o00 TO
the city, in connection with the purchase
OF the water plant of the Tacoma Light
and Water Company for 81. $50 oco has
been discovered and reported TO the city
council by the board of public works.
disclosures of this nature somewhat ex-
plain the animus of the vicious opposition
encountered by the Posr-lSrEIIIsEScER
from those interested in the sale during
the water campaign when the mere facts
were published by 10. IL was stated then
that the properties which the water COM
psny aud its friends were endeavoring 10
unload, and which il was stated would i'm
sure gravity system. were not what il
claimed, and that they would not and
could not be relied upon for such system.
Tonight the board of public works. after
looking into the matter and expending
800 to gather q few facts. which were
hushed up as far as possible during the
water campaign, reported 10 the city
council that there were only 800 900 gall
Ions OF water IN sight at the Patterson
Springs. The board doubts If there is
any more water there, and. as it will cost
5000 more to find out, it does not feel
justified in going ahead. when il Is doubt
full If by running tunnels any great
amount of water could be secured above
the amount reported.
And these are the springs advertised
through the local press by the water CON-
pany as flowing 100000 gallons daily.
President Rydstrom, of the board of public
works, states the proposition in the light
of recent investigation:
1--WE went over the entire ground and
measured all the water in sight. and found
only l,6o0, 900 gallons. Engineer Herring
estimated the fow roughly at 5000. 600.
but his report reads IN such q way
that / do not think he can be held
entirely responsible. The water company
stated the fiow at 100000, and Ii was
upon the statement of Mr.. Sellers that
Mr.. Herring got his first estimates. By
figuring in the area and the rainfall he
checked up Mr.. Sellers estimates and put
in the estimate of 5000, 600. With the
water which we have actually found at
Patterson's springs il will be impossible
to pump water at Thomas springs, and
there will be a shortage of 10,O00,000 gal
Ions, which were 10 have been had by
gravity. 1t will cost the city 81 ,500, 900 to
sc. this supply from other sources"
Mr.. Sellers is the man who 10 credited
above all others with placing the 81. 750. 900
burden upon Tacoma taxpayers. He
represented C. b. Wright. and In this deal
his word was law.
While the board of public works was
vested with full power TO find out just how
mach water there is at Patterson s springs
il, under the doubtful circumstances, hesi-
tated, and President Rydstrom gives the
cue:
"The chances are there Is no more water
there"
On the heels Of Mr.. Rigney, who was
given verdict of ts. 900 against the water
company for draining his land OF water,
there are over q half dozen claimants for
further damages.
An explanation Is In order from Rudolph
Herring. who was paid so per diem and
expenses by the city for report upon the
water supply proposition. However, he
was originally engaged TO report upon
the Mashell river source. The water COM
panys properties was an afterthought,
and was suddenly brought into prominence
aud doomed by no publicly tangible in
ducements. Even those who had con-
demned IL embraced Il.