The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-03-15
FUNDS $4,000 SHORT.
Startling Discovery Of Decep-
tion and Blunders.
THE SEWER MONEY ovERoRAwn.
Mayor Konaid's Message 20 the City
CoancfI-So Con ii rmattos Of the
Board Nom in ations.

The vacancies in the board OF public
works are not yet Glaed. The hoard Of
aldermen made no mention OF the matter
publicly, bu. as adjournment nnui Friday
evening Vas agreed 20 By vote early IN the
evening il became evident that no sgres-
ment had been arrived at. Later an az
tempt was made TO change this TO catur-
day night. but 1t failed.
MAYOR Ronald sent in a message 70 the
city council, which IL amazing in its proofs
Of incom potency an the part OF tbs late
board Of public works commissioners. IL
shows that while the authorities were de-
cIaring on oath that the estimates for
sewers had nbt been exceeded. they were
already In excess Of the estimates by over
$500. The message is, ia the main. as
follows:
I'VE are face 20 face with an unpleasant
proposition, but believing that the only
manly course TOR Us TO pursue at this. the
moment of our retirement, IS 10 recognize
Its existence and provide for Its solution.
j have deemed IL my duty 10 call IL TO
your attention.
'Tbe sewer upon Wes. street. Front
and Commercial streets, Main street. Re
publican and Brook streets and Kenny
street. are inconpietsd. The appfoprla-
tion in ali cases is exhausted, and upon
two OF the streets has been very largely
exceeded. Work ceased upon Kenny
street sewer upon the 18th day of febru-
AIRY last. at which time the Appropriation
had been exceeded to the amount Of
&4a5Gt. The sewer from Willow street TO
Madison street, distance OF 1850 feet.
has been untouched AS yet by the hand Of
the workmen. tt Is practically useless
until completed TO Madison sire ct. At " hieh
point IL IL made accessible to
large population and meets the require
ment intended therefor. La It's present
condition il will drain, besides The Pacific
school, only four or five houses. The ex-
pense already placed upon the sewer in
Front and Commercial streets ike wise
exceeds its appropriation. The total
amount appropriated for this sewer in the
first instance was s27. 800 This appropri-
alton had been exhausted before the 3oth
day OF January last. and on and between
said date and the ed day of February
further expenditure of s.. J03. 02 vas added
upon this sewer On that day the CON
struction was turned over TO the city en-
g.ueer's control. At this time IL was not
known that there was an overdraft on ac-
count Of this fund. but snpposing there
was a small baiance left to the credit of
this fund and also to the credit of Man
street sewer, the board OF public works
employed u small number OF men on each of
those streets. attempting to so clear them up
that tney would to suitable for travel and
In particular to place Main street in such
condition that II wouldbe clear for the fire
apparatus in case of an alarm of fire.
Since then. however, in checking over TIA,
fcotings Of expenditures incurred on the
Front street sewer an error OF $40, 900 vas
Uncovered In the addition OF the various
entries in the books kept In the Office of
the superintendent OF sewers. which error
was carried III the totals. thereby escaping
detection by tho superintendent. Upon
discovery of this error work on both streets
WAS suspended. Since then no further ex-
penditure has been laid out uron this
sewer IL 10 likewise uneotnplcted. An
emergency exists and this street and Main
street should be completed and opened for
travel without delay. but we are without
any authority to make further expendi-
ture thereon. On the I'D day of last
month the board of public works placed
the construction OF sewers under the con-
troll and direction of the city engineer.
Subsequent experience has demonstrated
the wisdom OF such an act. The work of
construction since this transfer to the Of
fee Of the city engineer has progressed sat
tsfactorily and has in all instances been
completed for a sum slightly within the
estimates. Two short sewers, practically
all constructed under his control, have
been completed. and there remains in each
y
APPROPRIATION. The sewers now under
construction In the eastern part of the city
Ia drain that portion of the clty into and
through the south sewer tunnel will | am
assured by the engineer. with observance
OF rigid economy and strict adherence TO
good business methods. be constructed for
the appropriation heretofore made for
these sewers. The same ~ true OF the
RollIn street sewer. hence the question
that now We must meet Is. what shall bc
done with the sewers heretofore author
lied and not yet completed. namely West
street sewer, fTont and Commercial street
sewer, Main street sewer. Kenny street
sewer, Republican and BROOK streets
sewer. The city engineer, who made the
estimates aud placed them slightly in ex-
cess of the original estimates made hy
Ieacxette Williams. advises me that the
uneompletsd portion of these sew
ers can be completed with no greater
expense err increased appropriation than
Its proportional part OF the original e.tt-
mate under the original ordinance author
1Sing their constr uction. have caused
the engineer To prepare estimates OF the
cost OF cofnpletion OF the uncom pleted
portion of these sewers. These estimates
herein furnish q you. They arc figured
upon the same baNs as the original eSti.
paies under " hich the sewers were author
iHed Co be constructed The differences on
Inmates Tor their completion are As 10 lows.
Nesistreef wsr . .--..-....... 49,. am :,
fFont and Commercial street sewers . I6.ea e.
Main street sewEr...-... ...-...... & Il IL
Republican and Brooks streets SsF. :. 20 ~
henay street sswet...... .........., An I
$500 -
Here We meet another question;
rroeeets of the Seattle sewer bonds
.! iss3 amount TO ......--........ t. $50 no
AiEssiy Appropriated hy ordinancs. .le.a0 81
Rslsnee Of proceeds uasrproprissed. .4lo0 Is,
From he ABOVE IL Will be seen ,hat she
proceeds af the sewer bonds vet remaining
are short Of the actual amount required -
eomp.ete tho sewers already ordered sud
nearly completed the sum ot slnQs1
kitl another question more serious pre-
cents Itself. Oae OF the most necessary
sewers in the city, namely, the Sewer
running from the north tunnel ALIENS. the
eastern shore 81 Lake Uaton into the
Seventh ward, and which 10 was eontem-
plated should be huilt out OF the sewer
bonds. esnnct oe completed Ii the remain
ms rTpVaeds Of she sever bonds are su-
piled to~ ards this Increased appropriation
necessary. Thls is sincerely To be e
rrei'rd, - the health sna slVr. VI a lsrgs.
portion OF this city living ia that vicinity
oepenS upon the 'mmed ate construction
al this l&st mentioned ssSer
'EaTly IN the month ri fehrpsrv f,rr.
seeing thal Ea+@h - nos facing us. re-
commended 81 ths legislative aerA-tn1ent
at she elty sUspenSion ot further ousn-
Ing al any Ues sewers aud thai All work
shoult he confined - the campirttan NJ :,
much a. has heretofore been opsue4 At
the same ngle ! had prepared Aat mr.
scented 10 yen. Tor year abortion. "a .5r,it-
nance for shls purpose. Ha3 thls arsfl.
nance been adopted. cor narntlv sieve
zach large Increased spptoprsas.ous wo5..t
not now he REQUIRED Il - u - vax-a.,n -