The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-02-20
GEO. W. HUNT TO SUE.
He Claims 81, O0O. 900 Damages
From Northern Pacific.
ron ErFEcTIno HIS RUIN.
Contrast fss 80 NILES u ths Grove
Nsss Pass KaiIroaA Lst-Cnfes
RsesAs wage Qasstiea.

TACOMA. Feb. ia--fEpecial ion the ap-
plieasion of Attorney L. B. Stedman, OF
seattle, Judxe Hanford today granted
George W. Hunt the well-known railroad
contractor Of walla WaIia. permission TO
sue the receivers of tbs Northern Pacific
railroad for S.. coo COO damsges The COM
paint will be fled az Seattle tomorrow.
only FIVE days before the action would
have been barred by the statute OF lsmita-
lions.
The complaint viii state that in Febru-
ary, 1897. Hunt vas the proprietor Of the
Oregon Il Washington Territory Railway
Company, in Southeastern Washington
and Oregon, and also was engaged in con-
structing o railway from Centralia to
Gray's harbor. Hunt was indebted TO the
Northern Pacific company for about $40.
COO At the time mentioned. and was in New
York negotiating . sale of the bonds of his
two railroads. although his family were
residing in WalIa WalIa The Northern
Pacific were anxious to get control Of
Hunts lines aud prevent him from essab-
fishing independent roads in this state.
and offered TO purchase them from him.
He refused TO sell and the company there
upon commenced attachment proceedings
sgains. him on his debt. In the affidavit
for the attachment IL was alleged that he
had absented himself from his usual place
Of abode, and that he and the Oregon d
Washington Territory Railway Company
were disposing Of their property with the
intention of defrauding their creditors.
During oil this time. Hunt says. he Was in
New York city in daily consultation with
Mr.. Wright and ether officials Of the
Northern Pacific Railway Company. The
attachment proceedings were widely adj
vertised In the newspapers throughout the
country. Hunt says. at the instance OF the
Northern Pacific Railway Company. and
the effect was to prevent the sale OF the
bonds and injure his credit in Washing
ton. Oregon and New York. At the time
! of the attachment Hunts negotiations
| had almost been contaminated.
| Ii 10 claimed by Hunt that the attach
| ment was maliciously sued out by the
| Northern Pacific company. and that It's
| agents who swore out the attachment ard
all the officers of the company knew that
the allegations were false. inasmuch a. the
/ Northern Pacific was fully secured for
| Hunts Indebtedness to il, and It had never
| demanded any additional security and
also knew that his family was residing at
MS nome IN w AHA w AHA ana that ne was
in New York ON business, negotiating the
| bonds of his roads. The complaint will
state that Hunt had subsidies amounting
to over 81 o00. coo in value promised to him
for building these railroads. but that on
account of the attachment he was forced
to discontinue the work and was unable
to earn the subsidies. and he claims that,
by reason Of his losing the sale of the
bonds. the loss Of the subsidies and the
injury to his credit and reputation and
ability to engage in his profession as a
railroad contractor and constructor. he
has been damaged in the sum of s., 600 coo.
IL il said that the present officers of the
Northern Pacific company do not approve
of the action of the former officials in Sc
curing the attachments against Hunt. and
when the case comes to trial some inter
esting inside history of. the operations of
the Northern Pacific may be brought to
light. Hunts attorneys are Williams,
Wood & Linthicum and ]. w. Whailey, of
Portland, and Hastings Il Stedman, OF
Seattle.