Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1896-01-03
THE SECRETS OF TACOMA
Five Column Article in the San
Francisco Call.
THE STORY OF BANKRUPTCY
Prominent Men Who Arc Alleged TO Have
Played a Part in Political
Misrule.

The San Francisco Call of December
10 contains a five-column Sensation"
under big headlines, reciting the alleg-
ed secret political history of Tacoma
ana giving what is purported to be the
true story of the looting of the city gov
eminent. On the first page 1t prints
pictures of mine men who figure prom
inently in Tacoma's history of corrup-
tlon." These men are Nelson Bennett,
II. O. Fishback, M. S. Hill, w. l.. Bar
tholomew, Sam Collyer, c. A. Lavender,
c. A. Snowden, Walter J. Thompson
and Major Oliver. Extracts from this
remarkable story are here given:
Among the letters found in the Dust
ed Bank of Tacoma bv the receiver of
that institution was one from Grattan
Fl. Wheeler. in which he made the pro-
phetic remark, referring to the deals in
which he and his coadjutors were en-
gagged:
When we get through with Tacoma
there won't be enough of her left to make
a shadow"
This prophecy has literally come true,
but the shadow of utter financial ruin
hangs over the once bustling city of Ia
coma
Wheeler knew how. He began his ca
reer in Tacoma by gaining the confidence
or oscar Nuhn, who had money, and to-
gether they went into the book and sta
tionary business, until Nuhn had the con-
hdence and the experience, and Wheeler
mad the money. Then he became one of
the prominent organizers and pillars of
the new Church of the Holy Communion,
or which the late regretted and now gone
east Rev. DR.. Jeffries was sent out as a
-
the treasurer of the church, and when he
passed up and down the aisles on Sunday,
in his long Prince Albert coat, his white
| tie and Immaculate shirtfront, with state
| ly and dignified tread, all the people said
to themselves, mr.. Wheeler Is certainly a
great and good man, and whatever he
says In matters of finance must be worth
| listening to-
| But Wheeler-ex-treasur ex-bank
president, ex-great financier-had dropped
out OF the range of vision of the people of
Tacoma, and out of the Jurisdiction of her
| courts. He now occupies luxurious apart
| ments at the Windsor hotel in New York
| where he is daily informed of the status
| Oh aifairs in the forsaken little metropolis
on the PARKWAY shores of Puget Sound
But where is Boggs, the successor of the
great financier? Like a pack of wolves
who tear to pieces and devour their leader
when he is hit by the hunters bullet
those who were engaged with ex-City
Treasurer George w. Boggs in looting the
city treasury on the lines laid out for
them by Wheeler, now that Boggs is be-
hind the bars charged with robbinp the
city OF half million, are clamoring the
loudest for his conviction, hoping there
by to divert attention from themselves.
Not one of them came forward to furnish
him bail, nor even air or comfort, and
blue eyed George waits day after day in
the half-milliOn dollar iai1 NO Inn
and unruffied, so far as appearances GO
as any theological student or unjustly ac-
cused school boy. George knows that he
holds club over the city; that he alone
knows the numbers and description of
the warrants which the supreme court OF
the state of Washington decided the city
is not legally bound to pay, because of a
technicality, and which the city admin
istration is anxious to repudiate If Boggs
could only be induced to disclose which
ones fall under the rule. This information
he refuses to give because his friends
have the warrants and he says the city
sold the warrants and received good mon
ey Tor them, and now they have no right
to try to evade payment. On the other
hand, If couple of hundred thousand
dollars of outstanding city warrants could
be repudiated-if the famous million dol
lar suit against C. w. Wright could be
gained for the city-there might be some
hope OF recovery from the effects of the
raids upon her treasury. But with Boggs
refusing to give up the information de-
sired, with the decision of the supreme
court last week holding that the city is
bound to pay the water bonds, and that
the defense set up by the city, that the
voters were bribed to vote for the issue of
the bonds, was no defense, but an admis-
sion that the city issued the bonds with
its eyes open, and with the prospective
failure of the million dollar suit when it
IN trial this UvaQlx 10
hope for anything but reputation.
With a public debt outstanding of over
100000 upon which interest is piling up
at the rate of about $1,000 every day in the
year and no money to pay it, and a still
larger private debt with an assessed valu-
more than two-thirds of the taxes of 1894
unpaid and no one willing to risk bid on
property offered at tax sale, it looks as
though it was a question not of years nor
of months, but question of days when
the people must come to realize that the
city is hopelessly bankrupt.
Like circus ground after the circus has
gone Tacoma stands today, striking con-
trast to what she was in the days when
money flowed like water, when everybody
had a bank, and every city officer had an
interest in a private harem.
OF the half hundred prominent citizens
who made up the gang that robbed the
city until there was scarcely enough left
to tempt crow, hardly one has escaped
the reward of his work. Bankruptcy and
disaster have overtaken some. others have
gone to the suicides grave, still others be-
come almost paupers, or are now jumping
sideways to escape the prison doors.
For all this debt of $1,000, 900 Tacoma has
a water system. with no source of supply;
a shipload of pipe in San Francisco, to get;
a city hall that could be built for less than
$15O,O00, if honestly done; a bridge for the
sole use and benefit of the st. Paul Mill
Company; a county court house that
ought to be built for $4,000, and have
money left-say 100000 or 81, 900 900 in all,
and 100000 worth of experience.
,sblohicitywswolougfis NIB wwkww
Tacoma has fine harbor, a beautiful
location and many natural advantages
[ coal in bundance, timber and stone.
rich agricultural country tributary, and
once Invested of the burdens which have
almost drained the last drop of blood from
her veins, will take new start and be-
come the fair mistress of the great in.
land sea of the northwest.
MARGERY DARE.