The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-11-16
THE MILESTONE Hung,
Tacoma Council Completing the
S1,000,000 Swindle.
Mr.. wRIGHT's BOND ACCEPTED.
This Will Give the City $500, 900
With Which to Buy Warrants.
City Warrants Are Worth so Cents on
the Dollar, and offaciAIs who Bought
Them Expect TO Get Them Redeemed
at Par-Jebbery on Every Hapd.

is concerned, the 100000 water plant
milestone was this evening fastened about
the neck Of Tacoma taxpayers.
Eight water-purchasing members OF the
council voted 10 approve c. IS. Wright's
$100 U00 indemnify bond. This releases
from escrow $i00, ,0o0 in bonds held for the
city in New York. The intention of the
bond Is 20 indemnify the city against
claims arising against the property OF the
water company, but is claimed BY scores
that il does nothing of the sort, and IL is
therefore branded as worthless.
However. the city attorney reported in
favor of the bond, albeit W. ID. Tyler and
wife. as sureties to the extent of SIS. .0O0
are not on it Provision is made for their
signatures, but in order to make the same
binding and valid. it Is argued by Council
men Grattan, Harris, Glenn and others
il will again have to be passed upon by
the council. In other words, their legal
advice is 20 the effect that the bond is a
deinsion and worthless. They do not
think it will stick.
But even If it does stick, all promises
not TO be smooth sailing for the managers
of the $l.oo0.o0o steal. The city having
failed, there is demand for an inyestiga-
jury. Ii there is enough freedom of action
left outside of corporation influence in the
city to warrant it, the grand jury will be
the last resort.
And if the grand jury does take hold of
the matter. some pretty ugly sores are apt
TO be probed. A coterie OF citizens free
TO assert themselves, for the purpose of
instituting a suit, or calling in the assist
ance OF the grand jury. may be driven un-
der cover. as many others have been, if
they have the hardihood TO oppose the
managers who unloaded for 81, $50, 900 a
water plant shown by the board OF public
works to be worth $4,000
A man has been secured In this connec-
ton. who sets himself up as a hydraulic
engineer. aud his opinion Of the flow of
the alleged springs" referred TO by the
superior court decision. is published in be-
lifting the report of the board of public
works. whose president was an engineer
twenty years before A. c. Muir
dock. the man in question, began
carrying chain in survey
ing corps a year or two ago. The
board Of public works feels hurt, of course.
Some OF its members refer TO Mr.. Murdock
as hobo" He was with the water cofu-
pany engineers when the original esti-
mates of the fiow OF the springs, which are
now referred to as alleged springs" were
made. Mr.. Rydstrom, president of the
board OF public works, says he has never
been anything but rodman, and has
never attended any engineering school.
Nevertheless his views on the flow of the
alleged springs are put forward in contra
diction of those of the city engineering
department and Of the entire board of
public works.
Officials are growing more or less CAL
Ioused as the water deal is being exposed.
Some are still sensitive. For instance. this
evening, when the water purchasing MEM
bers OF the city council were straining
every nerve 20 get the indemnity bond
accepted in order that the $4,000 which
Mr.. Wright owes the city might be
straightened out and some warrants re-
deemed. City Attorney Murray made a
suggestion TO insert a few words into the
bond. Maj. Grattan was already fairly
disgusted and demanded:
lis the city attorney working for the
water company or tor the city %
Mr.. Murray was called upon to
answer certain questions, and in that con-
words was made. As TO the other mat
ters, Mr.. Grattan, they are entirely un-
called for and ungentlemanly.
Mr.. Murray with difficulty restrained
himself. He recommended the bond. In
the hope of defeating il, the Grattan-
Harris-0lenn folks tried to prevent a
quorum. All Of them left the hall at one
time. but they reckoned without the presi:
dent, DIR. Lee, who, while nominalIy With
them. would not vacate the chair. in order
TO prevent action by the absence OF a
quorum. Ii was expected that he would
cali some one else TO the chair. and then
slip out with the others.
There were only eleven members pres
ent, however, when the main question
was ordered. BY vote of TO the bond
was carried. Barring reconsideration. this
Is the final act OF the water deal members
of the council. Their water plant Is
worthless as gravity system; the limit
of the city's Indebtedness has been reached
as q result of misrepresentation and
manipulation; the source Of water supply
has been taken from the city By decree OF
the superior court, and the indemnity
bond is pronounced worthless.
Were IL not that he considers the wishes
of his constituency, Mai. Graitan SAYS he
would at once resign as q member of the
council and never again, ii he could help
il. would he be caught in such company.
After the milestone had been adjusted a
resolution was handed mp in the council
10 pay the fiddler. Mr.. Wright has TO be
paid some s24 o1o in a few days in interest
on his bonds. He took the entire issue OF
water bonds. II will be remembered. IN re-
turn for his $T40. .ooo plant, which sold for
81. 5000. The controller OF course,
recommended that the interest be paid in
q city warrant But, suggested Council
man Roardman, suppose the bank will not
accept city warrant He thought in that
case the city would be in default on pay
mens Of ats interest.
1t IS reported here tha, city warrants
can be had from 50 ceEis on the dollar and
upwards. When Mr. Wright pays up
some of the warrant speculators may be
ahie 20 cash IN" at par. Such is the ez-
pectaEion.
As to the water deal on the whole, g B.
Pettengill said today:
by calling the men who opposed the
purchase OF the water plant and still
think and say it Sas a bad bargain tor
tnts city. the friends O! Seattle, the Tedger
shows that Il has not recovered from The
tnfatuatton which possessed IL and which
II helped 10 spread among the people last
SUrEng. The argument then wnx that II