The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-11-06
THE WATER sWINDLE.
Engineer Plnmmer Tells Why
He Opposed the Job.
The ISLAND MAIL CONTRACT.
Espsrt 81 shsetsng % Fred Psgs rassfa
. Hssx-Ftrs - rsrsisad-fns
Rsrs Asxsies saassssra

-
ter 81 these who ara sick cf the purchase
~ che usaut a this Tacoma Light and
water Ccmpnny 10 increasing rapidly.
Co. r. q. Pynmsn~r. who was one Of those
- no fought the purchase most vigorously.
summed rp the situation IA eonDectl0n
wIlh = Posr.gnYEEI1eEscxx rsporter as
follows.
II en- proud 20 say that vas active
furing the campo gn 20 prevent the bay
ing of tbs water plant. In my opinion
ske city n ~ oa.razsOassy svfndied 10 that
deal and no punishment would bs too
s@wora for tbs city officials who. know
snrsv. we're parties 10 the TRANSACTION.
fupposs for 3 moment that Cur side had
lesn successful IA preventing the issnisg
CT the bonds. supposs the election bad
teen foss0wed--as it was-ay the closing
If four backs, ths failure of many con-
eeras. and the general financial danger
from shEch we have Just recovered. II ali
sssls hal happened. who would have
been blamed for IL? Why, ne would.
az coarse THIS very day the
newspapers would be s1ying that
n gsrsvxs. Tftiow. Campbell, ShackIeford,
Tsumfsser and THE rest Of them Rad minded
their own business We would not have had
tsiis setback. Our banks woGsd Htsil be
finsrsetssng. The promised railway would
hy this time De running. opening mp our
valleys ard mineral resources. The gray
sfy supply system from Patterson and
Thonss springs wouid have been bus.t.
Ali our Idle iahoreFs would be 81 work. As
the gslded beams from the rising orb OF
day fail upon tho City Of Destiny The ham
OF busy factories aud mills would mtngie,
esc.--you can finish IL yourself You
know = man can write when 10 Is paid
for IL
.sTAs people mus. have known what
sfsetf
bonds. We distributed 3. eco circulars ali
over tbs city. beginning week before
eiersioa. We warned them that the old
ninnx was worn out aud OF no use 30 Us
that the local press Was surprisingly eager
60 help the scheme: that the company had
not tiEisa TO the waters they were presnm-
ing 20 eel Us; that Patterson and Thomas
springs would not furnish 100000 gal
Ions; that none of the water nov furnished
is re 10 drink, and that the report of the
expert employed by the city was not the
whole truth and nothing but the truth.
We urged that our bonds would be Just rs
good TO build \ new honest plant as 70 buy
an old worthless one"
ssIf the people knew al. this. Why did
fey vote 10 buy the old piantf"
''Oh. that Is a delightful story. The
people were manipulated. so to speak, in
Aueneed. The first decisive move was
made when the Chamber OF Commerce and
Commercial Club passed resolutions favor
ing the purchase. You might say right
there in pareuthesls that tbs bylaws of
the Commercial Club say that any mem
Der who shall oppose outside any resoiu-
ton like that IL subject TO fine or expul-
sion. That secured the vote OF those " no
never think. Then his honor appointed q
water commission and the people smiled
IN great giee Mt the prospect Of having the
water management in the hands OF i've OF
faf fF.a aG fsF0 rat NJ e{f
secured the votes Of all who cannot read.
Then there was plenty of work promised.
That secured the hungry votes. Then a
railroad was promised. That caught the
suckers, and they were numerous. / am
LOYAL 90 Tacoma because i know its re-
sources, but as for tho voters OF Tacoma,
you can say that by three-hfths majority
they have published 20 the world that
they have not the brains nor the sand TO
kick out of the city the miserable lot Of poll.
tseians who sold them ont. +"
1T Is said you we're interested
''Of course | was interested. A person
is liKely 10 DO interested when told 10 hold
up bis hands. The large number of ciii-
ssns who formerly were opposed TO the
purchase. and then not only suddenly
Hoped but left husiness--whIch was pos
kihiy less pFoltabic-and stood out Ia the
rain 10 argue the sale OF the bonds 10 in
crease their own taxes---they we're also
interested. 1t was said I was personally
Z interested In MEsheli river. When I filed
on Il the papers came out with six-inch
headings. but when decided 10 to the city
Tor $i-whieh l never got--thero was no
noise made about ID. Today everybody Is
interested In MashelI river because his
honor has discovered that there is no
water In tho Thomas and Patterson
springs. OF course this discovery was not
made until after the bonds had been signed
anu declined. To be fair TO Mr.. Anderson.
should say that he stated before an audi
cree that he would not promise any rail-
roads or extensions OF mains"