The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-10-18
ASKED FOR SUBSIDY.
Second Street Merchants Want
Paving Done Quick.
AND ARE TOLD 1T CAN BE FIXED
Rialto storekeepers Raise a Fund to
Have That Block Paved First
The Contractors Denial.

A J. Baungartner, the contractor who IS
paving Second street. evidently THINKS
that the amount he will receive for his
work from the city is not enough. This
conclusion Is arrived at from the fact that
some or the merchants on Second street
have been asked to contribute to a fund
which was 10 be turned over 70 Mr. Baum
gartner If he would hurry up the paving
work on certain parts OF the street.
MT Baumgartner was awarded the con-
tract for paving Second street from Yesler
avenue 10 Pike street by tAe board or pun
lie works, the contract price being siS,-
$3.50. The work was TO be done under the
Immediate direction of the city engineer,
who. among other things. should direct the
contractor as TO what part of the street he
should begin work on. on Baumgartner
bond for the fuliilment of his contract are
Dexter Horton, Robert Moran, y. II. Latl-
mer. John Wilson and George Haisch.
He Thought Ii Could Be ''FiNed."
One day. before work was begun, one or
the Rialto storekeepers was approached
by mutual friend of himself and the con-
tractor, who is said 10 be one of Baum
gartners bondsmen. and told by him that
il II was any object for the merchants on
that block TO have the paving done there
first, he thought the matter could Ice
fixed" The Rialto merchants We're, OF
course, anxious TO have the work done as
quickly as possible. so that when the holl-
day trade should begin the street would ne
clear OF distractions. and they reasoned
that if bonus 10 the contractor would
rush matters along. why, they wouid see
that the work was rushed. So Subscrip-
ton list was passed around and in The XII
alto building S75 was contributed. Schade
& Woodruff, the crockery men. agreed to
pay S. Daulton & Carrie were willing TO
subscribe, and did. So did Raymond, the
GHnA Tho Sf-Tp o. ligP0CeFS IN
formant, who is himself one of the sub
scribers, said that Manager Mccarthy, or
Newhalls, also signed the list. but when
Mr.. Mccarthy was asked about it he said
that he knew nothing about the matter at
all.
Worked on Business Rivalry.
Besides having il understood that the
payment of this subscription would grease
the wheels so that work would be begun
at Madison street il has also been report
ed that the contractor played one side or
the street against the other, and had a
man go down each side telling the people
that if they would subscribe enough work
on their side of the street would be done
first. Across from the Rialto are two or
three millinery and dressmaking shops,
two bicycle stores, a tailoring establish
ment. restaurant. etc. The concerns are
all smaller than their neighbor across the
street, and they did not feel that ii made
DluCIl QIutEtUte Will tttlil HtiiNAs SNNN -
the street was paved first. and moAt of
them could not afford 10 pay for par
TALLY.
o. Dallin. the tailor. says that the sub
scription paper was presented TO him ana
that he was asked 10 sign whatever ne
could, so or si5 bat ne refused TO pay any
thing W. s. Morley. a matchmaker, says
he was not approached. In the Queen
City Shirt Co. the proprietor was absent
and the clerks knew nothing of II. Miss
NJ. Gallagher. a milliner. had been In her
present location only a week ana had not
heard of IL. The Chinese firm or Con
Leoag & Co. makers of underwear. SAID II
did not make any difference to them which
side of the street was paved first, and
knew nothing OF any Subscription.
Mrs. A. VI. Sickles. milliner and dress
maker, said a man came 10 her store while
she was out and told her daughter thar
he was after subscription, and that If
he could get enough money that side of
the street would be paved first. Mrs. Sick
les afterward agreed TO pay s. TO the fund,
but she said yesterday that she certainly
would not pay IL. because all the work
so far was being done on the other side of
the street. Smith & Smith. wholesale wool
ems. said they had not heard of il before.
Forehand Bros. bicycle men, were said 70
have subscribed S. and the other bicycle
house the same amount but this could not
be confirmed
The entire story OF now ana why the SUD-
scription WAS taken up was told to a Post
Intelligencer reporter by a man who sign
ed IL himself and was Instrumental in get
ting others TO sign. He said that the sub
scription list was taken up Second street
above Spring, but that not dollar was
subscribed except by people on the block
between Madison and Spring. He said
that Herman Chaplin. the Seattle represen-
tative Of the Rialto Company. had also
signed the paper, agreeing 10 pay $40 10
the fund.
Baumgartner Denies 1t.
Mr.. Baumgartner was seen at his home
last night and asked If he had anything
to say about the matter. He said:
Il do not know anything about Il. There
has never been-I have not asked. any
body for money, nor has anybody been
TO see me about it. I was told this after
noon that a Post-Intelligencer reporter
had been making inquiries about this,
and for me not 10 be frightened about 1t.
There is nothing in g."