The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-11-09
GRAND JURY REPORT.
il Spreads Whitewash Over the
Almshouse Scandal
sur IT EXPOSES oLArDERs,


Inc EYano jury 6ttsF fncun4finE Eof
thlfty-ons days, hatehed its anal report
yesterday. Il attempts 20 excuse the
ssnshouse scandal aud raises q eioud Of
eEss 10 cover the fact by insinustlng crook
s3ness in the construction Of the Pacific
school bnildIng. Mr. James Parke, who
furnished the information which led 20 tho
ainsestigation" Of the almshouss matter.
was the contractor Of the Pacific school,.
snd one Of the members OF the board OF
eJncatton took an active part, as o mem
her Of the citixens' COMMITTEES. in gathering
information concerning ths county hos
pstzl and was m important witness before
The grand jury. The report practically
ignores the charge that two sets OF plans
aud specifications we're used ia letting the
fimshouss contract. II admits numerous
discrepancies and fzuits Ia the coustruc-
ton Of the building, bat not word Of
esnsuTe Is given. In the ether matter
thai Of the Pacific school--evcry deviation
ff0m the plans and specifications 10
pointed out with emphasis, and the board
Of directors, the architect and the con-
tractor sramade the objects Of insinua-
ssons, although the reluctant admission
comes ut the end that 'The grand Jury
fails 10 find any evidence Of fraud con-
neeted herewith" The report touches
eloquently upon q subject in which the
foreman OF the jury IL doubtless deeply
Interested. glanders in horses, and boldly
declares that animals so diseased should
be killed. Horses and school boards ale
not in politics.
This remarkable report was brought into
court before Judge fumes shortly before
the noon hour. Accompanying it were
nine indictments, four of which were
against ex-City Treasurer krng. two
against defendants of but little note and
three against persons not in custody. ALI
papers in custody of the jury that had not
been destroyed were also handed IN.
Judge Humss thanked the jury and let 10
-. The final report 10 as follows:
TO the Honorable Superior Court Of King
Conny, state Of Washington:
We. the grand jury OF the aforesaid
county and ssats. duly impaneled sepsem-
Der 20. 1898, report that we have concluded
oar duties and there being no further mat
yer for consideration we respectfully ask to
be discharged.
We have reported fifty-four bills, forty
seven OF which we have reported az true
bills, and seven We have reported as not
true bills
Two hundred and thirty-thrse witnesses
have been examined by as In the various
Investigations conducted.
Tho grand jury was duly convened on
Eep.cinber %, 1898, aud has been In session
every day since excepting Saturdays and
Sundays. and excepting Friday. Eovem-
Der :, up to and including November .,
Each grand juryman has been present at
each sitting, excepting Mr.. l.. Simpson,
who was excused at his own request from
sittings ON November 2. o and respect
lively, while the grand jury WAS investigat-
Ing the affairs OF school district No. I.
Then comes list Of the jurors and Wit
nesses, together with their days Of attend
ance and their mileage. The report on
the almshouse investigation follows. towi,:
We, the grand jury. beg leave to make
the following report respecting the county
aimshouse investigation:
First-Our attention has been called to
q belief of tho existence of two or more
separate plans at the time the contract was
being let, for the purpose Of misleading
bidders other than those whom the archi-
tect felt like favoring. Acting on this
proposition, every possible means has
been used TO lind whether or not such was
the case Evidence has been taken pro
aud con. for and against. and as q result
se decided TO devote our special attention
20 the present plans and specifications now
In the hands OF your county auditor, and
The building now under course OF con-
ttruetion and at this time not entirely en-
fshed. These plans and specifications
were filed on April u last with the county
auditor. and have been in his keeping con-
sisntIy 10 this date. They were written
originally complete, covering ell work, ma
teriais, construction, etc, and after having
been adopted By the commissioners
we're bound in separate volumes COW
sring various departments. namely, build
Ing. heating and plumbing, and iron work.
the latter section being pages - to IS In
elusive, together with instructions cover
Ing the same. the fsve pages referred 20
being portion of the building specinca-
lions and the pages referred TO IS being
short nc the time this Investigation Was
referred to the srand jury. Respecting
the absence of said pages, evidence intro
auced before rs shows that said pages
were originally placed with the auditor on
April II last: that after contract was
awarded 10 the present contractor the
achtect. In order TO facilitate time, loaned
bis ONCE copy TO the contractor Tor forward
Ing East TO the manufacturers. who de-
handed an original copy that they might
execute work in accordance with said speel-
teAiiunS, and that the architect might
make duplicate copy for bis personal
use; the county copy Was borrowed for
was not returned for fling October
IL issa We have carefully examined
fhe pans and specifications covering
eli construction and find them q
very complete work, yet, like all similar
Specifications. leaving many ioophoies
open for miSconstruction, which can only
b avoided by the careful watching Of the
building SUPERINTENDENT or The county
commissioners.
Your grand jury have personally In
speesed thoroughly the simshoase now
under construction. and reports as to.-
lows;
FiFst-The original specifications call for
afassic front laid ia red mortar. which
has been changed TO plain painted front.
~ order of the county commissioners.
SecQnd--Ihe original plans call tor al
extra selected common brick. 10 be laid by
kktlled brick masons. aud briSk work TO
have uniform qrarieF-ineh joints. Owing
10 hard burned brick being used, many
o. skieh are slightly crooked, there Is NOT
tae regularity of joints that would be ex-
peetea bad selected brick been used.
fhird~We ind all Of the BRICK OF good
sndorm quality Of common hard burned
hrics
Roarth-We find q change made from
We hollow TO q soltd wall, and this or
osFed by the county commissioners
ftfih -Speclncatiens call for stone skew
backs IN al segmentsl arches, these We
Ind omitted.
ssxth-~The specifications call for either
Merchants old method" or "Tayior's
ssdsssyse" roofing, plates and tin shingles
= same qgauty. We ind the plates are
~ stamped Merchants |. G roofing. :"
80 tae shingles used were Merchants
hiekoFy' brand.
SevrAth--Sr.exih eations call for hollow