The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1904-10-21
PALOUSE STREET TROUBLE
CITY SURVEYOR WILSON SUB
MiTTED A REPORT TO CITY
COUNCIL LAST NIGHT.
Accepted the Street Work. but Reject
ed the Curbine-FinaI Report
Filed Tonight.

cept the same, the contractor will eth
er have to do the work over or bring
an action in the court to settle a con-
troversy that is very likely to arise
When the council met last night the
matter of accepting Palouse street was
called up by Councilman Smith and
after the matter had been discussed in
an informal way for some time City
Surveyor Wilson was instructed to
file a report on the street at once A
delay of about - minutes was occa-
stoned when the surveyor submitted
the following report:
To the Honorable Mayor and Council
of the City of Walla Walla:
"Gentlemen-Having been requested
to report on Palouse street grade as
to its present condition, l submit the
following:
Il have tested the grade of the fin
ished street and found it a little low
III 1t lS" poIlltS NlllCH MI. AdIlS was
to fill and report, but SO far he has
not recalled me. With that exception
the grading is quite satisfactory.
LAS to the curb, it does not appear
70 me to be up to the requirements in
strength and construction, at the pres
ent time, and l have refused to ac
cept it, Yours very truly.
j. B. WILSON.
city Surveyor"
Again the discussion of the question
was taken up and finally the report of
the surveyor was adopted. Still the
council was not fully satisfied and de-
cided that the surveyor and the acting
mayor select two experts to assist the
surveyor in making another examina
ton of the curbing and submit a final
report at an adjourned meeting to be
held tonight.
At the request of the council City
Attorney Blandford will submit an
opinion relative to the matter He
was asked to state whether the council
could accept the Improvement of the
street work proper and pay for that
work and reject the curbing.
Hodges Had a Kick Coming.
In connection with the Palouse
street improvement John Hodges, the
inspector hired by the city, presented
claim for $50, as balance due him
for services performed. Hodges claim
ed that he had worked SO days and
acting under the instructions of the
city engineer had charged at the rate
of $3.50 per day. The first two bills
that he had presented to the council
the finance committee had cut down
the per diem to 81. He demanded that
the council allow him the remaining
so cents per day for the SO days put in.
Councilman Smith and Councilman
of words. Smith claimed that he and
Glasford had talked over the subject
Smith claiming that an agreement had
been arrived at whereby the rate was
to be 81 This statement Councilman
Glasford denied very emphatically. He
said that he was not fighting Hodges
battles, yet he believed that he had
performed his work well and that he
was entitled to receive the same wages
that other inspectors of like work had
been paid, citing the fact that the in
spector of the work done on Oak street
had received $3.50 per day. |
The matter was settled. however, by
the council deciding that 50 per day |
was sufficient for the services.
To Hire Electrician.
Chief Metz of the fire department re-
ported that Harry Williams, one OF the |
firemen who had been in charge of the
electric fire alarm system, had noti-
fed him that he would resign his posi-
ton, and the chief suggested that an
other person be employed to take his
place. The chief pointed out that it |
would require an electrician, and while |
the salary would possibly be some
higher than that paid to Williams. he
believed it would be the most econom-
ical to get thorough electrician. The
matter was referred to the fire COM
mittee with full power to act in the
premises.
To Retire Water Bonds.
A warrant was ordered drawn appro-
priating sufficient money to retire four
Of the water and sewed bonds. The |
amount required to take up the pohds
and pay the interest is s11,s17.50.