The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-12-12
THE SUIT AGAINST C. 3. WRIGHT
Wholesale Bribery of City Officials and
Voters tn Be Alleged.

Voters To he Alleged.
Tacoma Special: Preparations for the
81 200, 900 damage suit brought by the city
of Tacoma against c. b. Wright and the
Tacoma Light a Water company are &C
cupying the attorneys of both parties to
the action. For the company Harris A
Corell, of the law Arm of Parsons, Corell
& Parsons. Is engaged daily at the city
clerks Office taking off typewrdtten
COPY OF the proceedings of the council
during the negotiations that led
up to the sale of the plant In April. 1888.
as wen as the record up to and including
the transfer on Aug. following. City
Attorney James Wickersham puts In his
whole time preparing evidence in the case
and getting schedules. reports of commit
tees, correspondence between the city
and the company and other important
documents together The case is set for
trial by jury In Judge Pritchard's court
next Monday. and II Is expected that full
ly three weeks Will be occupied In the
/ trial.
1t Is confidently expected that much OF
the evidence will be of a sensational
character. In the pleadings the city al
leges wholesale bribery and corruption OF
both city officials and voters. Much OF
these charges were stricken out but IL Is
expected the testimony of witnesses
showing that money was spent In the
election. II the city produces such testi-
mony, will be admitted. Nearly all OF
the officials OF the company have been
subpoenaed or will be by one side or the
other. Manager j. w. Anderson OF the
Tacoma Land company, who was active
in his efforts to carry the election. Will
also testify. Altogether, II Is believed the
public win know TO what extent II any.
money was used In influencing voters at
the election.
ha "A ~ will aaf
that Il never received all that was bar
gained and sold. Tho city claims that by
/ the terms of the sale a flow Of 10000. 00C
| gallons OF water daily was guaranteed BY
| the old company at the Thomas and Pat
! aerson springs. or at least that they were
represented to have that capacity. The
| flow of these springs has been frequently
measured since the purchase and It h
asserted on the authority of the city Off
Gals that not more than one-quarter o.
the flow claimed for the springs can b.
obtained. The city Is supposed to hav'
paid something like 100000 for this sourc'
of supply.
A short time before the election. 81 q
claimed. a ship load OF cast-iron pipe TO
| use I'm the streets was on It's way from
| New York TO Tacoma. purchased by tn
company. and. IL is alleged. included II
the original schedules OF property 10 b.
| sold furnished the fire and waite
committee OF the council by General Su
perintendent c. h. Hurley. This ship 4
alleged to have been stopped at Sal
Francisco when the election carried an.
her cargo discharged there. The state
ment has been made that the pipe ha
remained there since. Part of the dam
ages claimed are alleged to be by reasoi
of the failure OF the company to delive
this pipe.
At the time of the famous raid on Tn
gas plant in the fall OF 1898. there wa
considerable talk about a lost schedule
which Is supposed to have been surrepti
tiously taken from the city hall just afte
the election. Certain II Is that member
of the council who inspected the prop
erty before the election claim that the in
ventory OF personal property filed wit
the deed differed in many important re
spects from that furnished the fire an
water committee In February. 1898. b
which they were guided in placing a va
uation on the plants The whereabouts G
the February schedule. as Il Is known
has never since been definitely ascertain
ed. IL Is supposed to have containe
much Information now valuable to tn
city.
ID. L. Demorest. ex-president OF IN
board of public works. Is assisting n
city In the PREPARATION of its case. He
familiar with the whole matter. havin
been a member Of the board when N
water and light plants were sold and d,
livered.