The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-01-24
THE CHARGES FILED.
Proceedings Against Wolfe And
Cochran Instituted.
Or. kLoeseR The COMPLAINANT.
Msifsassnee. Mfsfeasanee snd sonfeas-
snee Alleged ct sewer
gob-Ths Charges ia Fall.

]. ~ Wolfe. - members Of the board OF
public works, OF maifeassnce. misfeassres
aud nonfeasance. have st last been nled
and served Thss are preferred by Presi-
dent EIoeber. of the house Of DELEGATES,
and are addressed 20 Mayor Ronald They
Yecise many instances Of alleged inecm-
petenee and csreiessuess, ard eonciude
with o request that the mayor invesiigats
them.
The hearing viii probably be had On
Friday, and it IL rumored that II the
eherges be sustained and Cochran and
Wolfe are removed from Office. Alderman
I,eander Miller and Robert III. Caliigaa.
superintendent of water WORKS will Be sp-
pointed TO succeed them. The mayor posi-
lively refuses 20 talk of the matter. lsiit the
ruuor has 30 much eredsnce among ths
city hall officials that SOME of Charles g..
Ifeifner's dearest friends do not scrupIe
70 approach Miller ard Catiigan with q
view To securing the Office OF secretary.
II IL not probable that any Of tbs present
attaches OF the Office will be appointed.
and II anybody now in tire administration
is preferred il will probably be Andrew
BlaxistoB.. the present deputy comptroI-
Ter. He vas once offered the position,
son. recognizing the value OF his services.
requested him 10 remain In that Office. As
Nr. Carson does not go out of Office until
next October, the probability is that he
would prefer 70 have Blackstone remain.
II Leander Miller should be appointed
commissioner there would be q vacancy in
the board of aldermen, which would be
filled by election by the other aldermen,
% that the choice of Democrat is assured.
President kloeber signed the charge.
against Cochran and Wolfe yesterday
afternoon. He said. "a he signed them:
Il do this By request. and do IL with
out reluctance. As member of this ad-
ministration and as Democrat | am
interested, and 1t will please me TO have
the charges disproysd. There has been so
much talk that Cochran and Wolfe are al
ready condemned Ia the public mind.
This Is not fair to them. II Is no use try
ing to make believe that these charges
have not been made. and the only way
they can be disproved or substanfiated
is by hearing. This is the least they
can ask at our hands We are
on the eve OF an election. III the people
believe these charges-that is, If they are
allowed to pass unchallenged, the Demo-
Gratis will be overwhelmingly defeated.
This will be regarded as . condemnation
OF the present administration, and dom
propose 10 submit quietly. II the charges
are untrue they can be disproved without
difficulty"
The charges are In duplicate. the only
difference in them being that the name OF
Wolfe is in one and that of Cochran in
the other. For convenience the names
are Joined in the following copy:
ITO u. 4. Ronald. Mayor Of the
CITY Of seotiis' |. J. S. Kioeoer, president
OF tue house of delegates OF the city of
Seattle, do hereby inform you that the
following charges charging Jesse Cochran
and j. NJ. Wolfe, members OF the board
of public works of the said city of Seattle
with misieasance. malfeasance and non.
feasance in Office as members of said board
OF public works have been reported To me
and do hereby present the same TO you.
to.wit:
Charge one--That heretofore. to-wit
on December II. 1885, the board of public
works OF said city undertook the construc-
ton OF public sewer in said city, which
said sewer was established by ordinance
No. Tvs. In the following location, to-wit:
beginning on West street at its in tersectiou
with Virginia street and running thence
along West street 10 its intersection with
Depot street. that by the provisions of
the charter of said city said board OF pub
lac works has The management, control.
building and repair of the sewers of the
city and all connections Herewith: that
the said Wolfe and Cochran in the dis
charge OF their duty as members of said
board OF public works IN the III Management
control and building of said sewer on
West street on said December IS isas
ana on other days and times between
said December ~, issl7. and January 81
iSa, knowingly and wiltully were guilty
oil ineompetency, negligence and wilful
disregard of official duty in thiS
I'D That the said Wolfe and Coch-
ran knowingly and wilfuliy caused. su.
thoriEed aud permitted an unreasonable
length OF ditch, towit: Two thousand
feet 10 he onened at one time. thereby rem
dering 1t necessary ia haul and use many
thousand feet oi lumber not otherwise
needed, and also rendered the lanSe of
time between the opening OF the ditch and
the laying OF the pipe so great that III.
sides OF The ditch Caved IN many places so
that IL became Impossible to remove much
OF said lumber. 10 the great loss and dam.
age Of said city.
''t2l That in the opening Of the
said ditch said Wolfe and Cochran caused
and permitted the same SO To be onenesl
that no proper or reasonable system WAS
used with reference 10 Its drainage so that
ia time OF rainfall, being the natural and
ordinary event to be Anticipated at the
said season 81 the wear, many sections of
said ditch were Hooded and in the re-
h"FSi OF SAID water no regard was had to
economical or huSiness-like methods but
the same Vas srcklessly and negltgentiy
removed hy buckets instead of by pumps
or other proper methods. 10 the great los /.
and damage OF said city.
'tSl That in the employment and
distribution of men along inc line of said
sewer tor the construction thereof the
said Wolfe and Cochran caused the same
To be so managed that no regard Was naii
20 economical or buxiuess-nke methods
but ibe meu we're so stationed that they
we're IN the way ot one another and many
81 said men were forced To remain tile and
were idle during long intervals Of time Al
shs same time drawing ray from said city.
10 the great loss and damage OF said city
'ts) That in the construction Of the NJ an
holes Of said seweg. the said Wolfe and
cochran knowingly caused ana rsernai,te,i
many brick - 10 used at quality unit
for Use therein, many thereof being made
at poorly ground clay and poorly burnt.
50 that the durability oi said sewer :
CREAMY irssenea, 10 the great loss and
damage OF sAtd cstv.
That the said Wolfe and CoehrAn well
hnes durlag all the said times Of each ana
al Of the matters and things in tin,
charge set forth, and dia not Al any nes..
IN. Of said board 81 Pablo works (which
meetings we're regularly held on each and
every Monday and Thursday of each Wees
curiag said itmesl make any report or
mention q any OF said matters or thing.
sud did net make any enaeayor or al
tempt IN any manner "a csase sad hosf,f
10 discontinue or Abate she cvGs ana
wrongs ~ this eAarge set forth.
"thagEe, j y Q. - hat heretofore, 40 all. on
NoNtmpsr - iN0. The lNArA nf ~, !. \.