The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1904-09-26
CITY HALL MATTER
IN A new FORM
CHAIRMAN RuoG Will DRAFT AN ORDINANCE WITH rHE
OBJECTIONABLE FEATURE REMOVED WITH HOPE OF SAT.
lsfYlNe DIRECTORS

The proposition 70 issue bonds for
the erection Of new city hall aud
jail Is 60 be taken up again We'd
nesday evening Chairman Rude.
Of the committee to which the mat
ter WAS referred made artanEe-
meuts on Saturday for the cailing
Of the meeting 60 take up The sub
tect. After consultations with
Mayor RaihpKer. ether touncllmen
and business men. he concluded
that lt would not be wise to delay
consideration Of the matter longer
especially on account Of the crying
need for new clty prison.
The council Was ready to pass or.
dlnances proyiding FOR the bond
issue three weeks ago, when The
star pointed cut the fallaey Of
pasSinF the bills In their present
shape and they were virtually
dropped. The council then plainly
saw that TO sanction the bills In
their present form would mean
death to the city ball project. and
rather than 60 face the storm %
protest that would have arisen they
let the matter slide leaving Chair
man Rude to take the initiative.
The latter has concluded that
there Is practically no opposition to
the construction Of a new jail and
IL confident that a bond issue Tor
a city hall vii be authorized also ~
the matter Is placed before the
voters IN the proper shape There
will be opposition from the heavier
taxpayers. but since @ has been
shown that the issue 81 the bonds
will not bring the city 10 the limit
Of her bonded Indebtedness. thus
shutting Off all hope Tor the present
OF issuing bonds for the extension
Of the municipal lighting plant dis
trihutiug system. the eouncilmen
and citizens who feared such re-
suits have withdrawn What Vas the
most violent opposition TO the
protest
At It's meeting wednesday the
special committee vill shuttle of
the present worthless city hall ordl
nance. probably approving the jail
ordinance Just about as e nov
stands A new ordinance providing
Tor the issuance Of bonds Tor the
city hall viii be drafted. the oh
ieetlonahle features In the present
tne pointed cut By The star. being
eliminated
The proposition 20 b auhmltied
20 the voters In The present ordl-
nance. providing simpiy Tor the aa-
thorsrinx the ISSUANCE Of t6se. oo0 %
bQ2fs. $3.50. Q0a % that amount 20 Be
USED for the purchase % the other
half 81 the city hall block and the
balance for the erection % a city
hall thereon. will be replaced By
tao new ones. The voters wiil be
allowed 10 vote on the propositions
20 buy 4 site and TO erect a city hall
separately.
II they vote 20 purchase q site Il
will mean that the council viii BE-
allowed 90 make the choice Of the
property. II they vote against the
purchase % a site and for the eree-
tion Of ball II will mean that the
latter must be erected on the pres
ent site. There are many who claim
that the latter Is ample for the
purpose.
IL the voters should b. allowed
20 choose only a single site the own
ers % the property would be able
10 hold the city up for almost auy
price they desired. said Mr. Ruds
Saturday. "For that reason BE-
iieve that IL would be better for ths
people 20 vote simply for the ex-
penditure % a certain amount for
the purchase Of a site. leaving the
choice 81 the property In the hands
Of the council The latter tn that
manner would b enabled 10 drive
the best possible bargain.
1T the council should conclude
that Il did not want the east half 81
the block nov occupied hy the city
hall. which u owned. with the 81.
cepfion % one lot ! believe. BY the
Great Northern. either on account
~ location or price Il could pur.
chase some other site The obiec.
ton that has been made 20 the
Great Northern property. however
on account % the passage ~ ths
frrWaf under ~ I do mmf Hnfta4a g.