The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-04-27
THE COUNTY OFFICES.
Inquiry Into the Cost of Run
ming Departments
CITIZENS TRYING TO FIND OUT.
Chamber OF Conmerce and Municipal
League Take . Hand-In vestig1-
ticn with Cicsed poo-s-

The preliminary inquiry into the affairs
OF the county officials and the economical
management % their several otHces Was
commenced yesterday afternoon BY Sas
josnt committees Of sAe Municipal League
aaa ths Chamber o. Commerce. in Eae
rooms Of 1ae latter. This meeting Was
called IN answer 10 q Letter seq; by sne
county commissioners &c e @. Graves.
president OF the chamber. and published
yesterday morning n the Pos--iszELLE-
sKScE2- inviting the chamber 10 start 81
inquiry.
The Chamber Of Commerce Was repre-
seasec pv L O. Graves. Thomas ProscA
and Dr. Ramsey. and the Municipal
League By Herman Chaplin and Judge j.
j. Acs1ilvrs. Mr.. E.oer. the third member
Of this coyn ruiEsee. being absent.
The county officials present we're: Com
nisslone-s +. Gaseh. J. woodiag ana A.
L EusnersorG: Treasurer ~. A. P
Mstten; Auditor r. 4. Twichell: CLERK r.
W Gordon. Prosecuting Atso-nev J. r.
At.se- and hIs assistant. L. q Mcbride
The oaly members a5sens we're Sheriff
woo.erx and Assessor .. z Abraham.
The question OF holding AZ open meet
ing Or = secre. session was started By Mr..
Ghapln expressing the beaief that as THIS
Vas cniy preliminary inquiry questions
and answers could De put and gwen with
greater freedom and less restraint .han in
the presence Of reporters. NJ. TwieheiL
N reply, sSid ne coursec the :a.les. and
most open inquiry, and for his part ne
would rather have the reporters presen;
than not DR.. Mltten and Mr.. Gordon
echoed Mr.. Twicae.l's sentiments.
Mr. Graves and Judge McsSav-a came TO
Mr. Chapan's rescue and encouraged the
private hearing. and as they represented
the majority o. the joint committee Mr.
Chaplin announced RI executive" session.
which Was held, lasting tor nearly three
hours.
Al the close OF the meeting Mr.. Charm
volunteered the information TIA; the dis
cuszion had covered the questioning Of the
heads Of The several departments snd Sc
curing al possible information Of gen
eral character covering TIE work OF each
Office and the necessary force as 6 prel.ni-
nary 70 al examination - be made % the
methods Of each individual Office Each
Official had freely gwen ali necessary casa.
showing TIA; four OF the offices were self
sustaining, among those being the sussi-
sNA SS& %fStk j. &[l<s l&0 ny.
Chaplin could no. recall hus ali main
tanned that the work xas being done with
as small 9 force in each department S. was
possible, consistent with :ee great volume
OF county business, steadily on the in
crease.
Al the close Of the meeting and after the
county officials had been dismissed the
joint committee held 4 short session. and
appointed from among the SIX members of
the join, committee the following special
committees 10 visit the respective Offices
and make personal investigation Of each
Auditor. Graves. Chaplin: treasurer. Cha
psn. Graves. clerk. Mct1i.yra. Elder:
sheriff, Elder. Metstvra; prosecuting ST.
torney. Prosca, Ramsey: assessor, Ram
sew. Prosch.
These special committees are instructed
70 make their visits in time TO report 81
the next nesting OF the joint committee.
called fo- next Wednesday night. Mar