The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-02-08
Supreme Court Decision on Cedar
River Contract.
n is NOT DISCRETIONARY.
~ Contracts far City Work Must
as Submitted 10 pnblie semPetf-
ssun-sify 1oaaeIi VIII New
an.nd the Ordinance and Re-
sx~Ytt.@ for Bid. for the Work
VIII he q saving te the aAfy.

Tses state supreme court yesterday hsrc-
- ssy-r = saets.1r 70 re case az t9e award
a. tse C@4sr rEer c1EstssCf - G&3sn &
rxrn< xhacn 4G.r1gs tae decision ~ 3sdg1
usyrx u ttse superior csssst. ard also bears
=. ire esffe.rasasa o. sac 8ssAl Jews ~
vi II Humpnrsy, corporation eoain1e3 on
To- sssSeel
4nas esgfrAct yas FOR tne coussrgr1 l5f %
o. rEsat yaf the Cedar river Na,t@ sup
~ BAs were a.4EeT.s s4ss foE asG 90 No
smras~r i. mr. aaJe ;sr sgeusug ffse tsa-.
tssrs was ezsly oar u.8aes, Canaan &
rxrne. N@a knoSn C.4iN4Eo coBtFactorA.
,1se BID .otaled Up Go Sis - =. 81
s.gTA .sss tnan TIE SUM provided f9E
an eonapsetisn ~ tsa plant
tsffY Eeaglsseey Thomson aa.e AZ tie tine
.Aas shere u0sls a4Er been other bja1ers
lsss thai aE Ieei8Ba Sege made 10y 5aose
vhn wossd 5ft es siae have bis - tns pro
x.ron In the general xeteufs and contract
saat Interest ea the warrants s1@34d 1aie
fsyss t~s acceptance - tG@ SoFE ~ t1s
e.sy. instead al tram tae 'iae o: non,hiy
satraatrx % wGgk GONE ao fas contract In
Is. hid - gl4e chtcaEo Gran It MS eK-
r.askly stated that interest on tie war
rxnsz she5s.d g4se from tne u0nthig es2l-
MATS O. th.s point, therefore. the bid
vas net n conformity win tie advertise
sesf fg- s.ls aad Jet j. w.S accepted by
lie city
Why No More bidders.
goraf faea whn would aaVe been bidders
but Tor the pgovlso a. 70 interest tAat made
ira warrants ~ dIn-cui. 70 nnaEeler Then
,sIsed objections. calming that a. the Chr
eaxe nrfa had fot compiled win tie re-
a.s-fsfnauss IL fais regaFsl. but rad ex-
t.1essly stimulated tE4as interest 9n tas HAT-
:anfs zheu8 date from monthly estimates
u work d8De, The ID was no bad a. All
They wa9e as wiling - become olst8 grs
or the same terms, Corporation Counsel
Humphrey vas called ap0n FOR an opsnhga.
and he declared tns bid Illegal
Then Moran Bros. ~sn1 b fore t3e SUI
psrtof esBrf and aaked FOR an order - re-
Strain Eagfue4T Thamps7n and lnt hoard
a. pe1ie works from accepting tae bud
q he ChicAg9 nra Juagt Moore ruled
r. favor ~ H., M8raus. and Mr.. HuEDph-
rsy was directed - carry the Case 10 tne
safe supreme c9ars.
TIE deczsIon ~ the after. handed dow
spyterdav, ariruH the Judgment Of the
oss nav J,ige frosn The condensed report
Of tbs llAgfnen; received by wrs-
Intention of the Charter.
The curt frat takes sp the contentious
CT TIE appellants tazt II was not 8eFes-
aar, 10 ssosni1 the contract 70 competitive
hisa.ng an1 that even e It u as necessary
90 70 slo. the change made In the bid orig
Ilaly Submitted Bas sRmafeEial, ana
therefore uei luxurious 10 tie city ~ paint
In lgaa this the court rules AZ fosllN
argument that il ives the iutentiou and
policy OF the trainers 81 the charter u
submit all contracts authorized Ay tbs
city TO public Couipe tltsoH
We think there can De- i3o 4aestlpn nnt
that contracts of the character 90 that
nnw under consideration fai within the
provisions 81 the charter requiring con
tracts 70 ae let ga the lowest bidder. and
teai ssfgs ns II follows that neither the
bard Of public works nor AMY other Of
feer or Qfac~rE az ihe city had any legal
s4.4f
tract which WIS sot the direct result 81
competitive GGsng or 4f an opportunity
for such giadlus the board ~ pUHltc
ssrks Ia not vested with amy discretion
Ery power IN regard "a awarding can
tracts
TAs decision concludes that the whole
Transaction is characterize eE me at
ras{ good faith on the paTt a AL par
tees concerned bnt the court cannot con
slider ANY; hing but the law applicable -
the facts siatsi ~ the complaint. and tho
court holes that the Judgment aupc alcd
fruna wa8 siEht ard must n. affirmed
The decision wac written By }uaisns An
.ers sui y VonrurTed tn ~ 35&Iic"9 Cor
aaA and ionbar Judge Reayis atd rot
81 lD the ease ard Judge Scott has since
tAe hearing fHflfcf
ri- o.,s &. Gain ny IL.
what wjU aa the next sscp~' Nr
Humphrey was ssked Last night after ne
Rad grRd ae above decision.
'@rhc next step fs SAID "will he f"r
tan council 20 esla special meeting Ia
smenf tie ordinance as So the interest
on ware ts ans then &c r@-alvsrilse far
hlas ] taink the eity wli - *ac eain~r
- re proceedings Nheu the ordinance
Is changed - khat interest cu warrants
dates fFow tire siaN ~ iEsHe IHSf8at IT
ifeni tie date y thc Acceptance 81 the
wsFs p tb& cry thcrc wlii - mora BID
serx ara 'nok for Use biis 70 ne con
st'ieratiy loScr tnan tae one telat ass SC
cspied
CHANGE n HOARD on HEALTH