The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-02-06

glacial deposit. He vss also Questioned a:
some length in order apparently 20 test
ais memory ss 30 the lengths Of the sew
erai sewers and the snnoEat of work sc.n-
ally done. He replied 90 . nu-her Of
such questions without seeming 90 reach
sny particular point
'*foa said you had made estimates a.
loving Considerably more than you really
expected the work 10 cost ?" he was asked.
Yes"
lyon knew II was your duty. under
yogr oath. TO give q truthfui estimate
Why did you estimate more than you
thought IL would eosi7''
''Becsase il was utterly impossible for
any man 20 tell Shat sorse PARTS wosIld
cost. In front of the LesrT-i ester build
Ing knew are had a ssEdust foundation.
At the bunks-s IL was also necessary to
bald foundation. and il was impossible
10 tell Just what the cost would DC til the
earth vas opened. gave the council the
outside figures, 80 snat they might not use
funds for other sewers aud then ind =
shortage on this work"
First failing 20 make Thomson admit
that be was responsible for the bad work,
the cross-examining attorney tried TO
make him trip IN several ways. but he
found himself met by firm replies.
Were you so much interested in the
eity's welfare that you objected 70 the way
In which the work was done2"
II was particularly Directing TO the
msnuer in which my plans and specifea-
tions were being carried out I was not
being consulted and was not responsible,
but was regarded as being responsible.
People have come 30 me about the brick
matter and told me there was as big steal
in il az Ia the krag affair"
''iIow many brick did you examiner"
About eight or ten"
''Then goa want the mayor 10 under
stand that you condemned the brick on
these eight or ten ?"
No: tested those. picking them up
haphazard. and compared them with
those ia the piles"
did you carefully make test Of all the
brick you examined ?"
No"
"Yeu were consideratc OF the feelings of
Mr. Cochran"
II was not thinking of Mr.. Cochran. /
only wanted 10 be fair to the brick"
of the brick ?" ILaughter.l
Such saliies rs these were always
promptly appreciated by the lobby, which
stood patiently Tor hours and only very
rarely got chance to laugh while Tnoni-
son was on the stand.
Mr. Thompson then took a new tack
and tried TO lead up to a confession that if
the board had not taken the brick they
could get the sewers could not have been
constructed for some months.
You don't understand the method of
brick burning, Mr.. Thompson. said the
witness.
II am obliged 10 you for the sugges-
ton. " said the attorney.
You are entirely welcome" rerlied the
engineer. III the board had rejected bad
brick a. first there would have been no
trouble thereafter"
A short recess was taken TO allow Coch-
ran 10 attend the usual session of the
board of public works
Mr.. Thompson began to ask then if il
vas not necessary for the board to depcnd
very largely upon his experience and
technical knowledge for their guidance.
Mr.. Thomson replied that in so simple
matter as the digging of trench, he
thought any man of common sense might
be able to see that money was being
wasted.
Witness denied that he had any partlcu-
lar feeling against Cochran or Wolfe. He
had never had any trouble with Stree.
superintendent Ryan. and found him
fairly skiilfui in his business.
Mr.. Thomson stated also how he had
gone TO Van Brocklin and told him that
he was satisfied that 1T was shameful 10
allow such rotten brick to 60 into the
sewers. lie said he did not like TO write
to the newspapers. but did not care to rest
under the disgrace that would surely fol-
low exposure OF the facts.
Van Broeklin replied; 1.-THE only thing
you can do is 10 do as do; and that is TO
keep kicking" Thomson, therefore. kept
kicking" He demonstrated with RYAN
and with White, but TO no purpose
Witness knew White as foreman. and
Neal Boyle. who had charge of the sewer
on Republican street, but knew nothing as
to their experience. When witness saw
Boyle ut work the masonry was being
we'll done and the brick looked good.
Boyle was doing nothing, but had his
hands In his pockets; he supposed he was
bossing.
Did you expect to find BOYLE working
hinIselfY"
NO, | had no such expectations"
dryiy replied Thomson. Laughter.
The inquiry was then adjourned until 10
o'clock this morning.