The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-03-01

Zeal in the Tacoma Water Plant
Scheme Leads to Error.
SIGNS ADJECTIVE ORDINANCE.
Corporation Influence . Heavy Burden
for Tacoma-Strong Updercurrent
OF Opposition to the Deal.

TACOMA, Feb. Is. Especial. - Mayor
Huson, who signed the water works and
electric light purchase ordinance in great
hurry, will have plenty Of time to think
the matter over at his leisure. inasmuch
as the question of the legality of the same
will be referred to the supreme court.
Yesterday and today experts examined
the ordinance. and they pronounce it de-
fective in many respects. Every Tom.
Dick and Harry who is interested in the
addition, division and silence" method
adopted in getting the people to favor the
is blaming somebody else for the many
unsound features of the ordinance. Here
is a sample from the Neus:
The ordinance calling for special election for
March 81 is defective and there seems to have
been a serious mistake made somewhere Tho
three publications of the ordinance expire to-
morrow, March l, and the election must by law
be held thirty days after that As the first pub
HcatiOn of the call for election cannot be made
until Thursday. March =, there will be but
twenty days between that date and March
81. Somebody seems to be trying to job this
water business at every turn.
Then it adds the following:
We cannot build an independent water sys-
tenn. because we could not float bonds II you
doubt this ask q broker or a banker.
So far no banker or broker has said any
thing to warrant such . statement. Any
number of heavy taxpayers and financiers
say just the opposite.
One of the chief objections to the ordi-
nance is that it fails utterly to give any
schedule of what the city is to get for the
81, 10000 Nothing in the shape of an in
ventory Of the property is given.
Typhoid fever has almost reached the
proportions of an epidemc in certain parts
of the city, but because it is de sirabte to
unload the water and electric plant on the
city. no sewers can be built by reason of q
lack of funds.
Such ridiculous bosh as: &C. B. Wright
will have the c. B. Il Q. road in Tacoma
inside of year and will spend S. OOO, 900
at the Tacoma end of the line if this pur-
chase (water and electric light) is made by
the city," is being circulated today by the
enemies of taxpayers and the friends of
the water purchase scheme.
All the latter want the question brought
to an issue before the city election, April
4. Still. w. H. Fife, the heaviest individ
ual taxpayer in Tacoma. says:
We want nothing at the hands OF the present
city administration.
The ablest practical electrician in the
city says the electric plant can be dupli-
Gated for less than 100000. His name
would be given but for the fact that the
influence of the water plant purchase
schemers would close his mouth securely
in the future.
Practical contractors say the water plant
is not worth over $500. 900 or 81, OOO, 600 for
the whole outfit.
When suit was filed this afternoon to
declare the ordinance void because the
property had not been scheduled and for
other reasons, as stated in the Posi-
INTELLIGENCER, the Tacoma Light and
Water Company Immediately demurred
to the complaint. Unless Mr.. Wright in
black and white guarantees Tacoma an
other railroad up through the Nesqually
lumber and the Cowlitz coal districts, all
this fighting ever the ordinance will be of
no avail because the taxpayers will take
! great pleasure in killing it should it ever
come before them on its merits.