The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1904-03-02

any more and he believed the council
should do everything possible to
obviate the talk of graft.
GIasford Talks.
Councilman GlasfOrd stated that
while there had been some unfavor-
able comment about the new engine
purchased, yet he believed that if the
citizens of Walla Walla fully under
stood the matter they would be salts
led that the council had acted in a
proper manner. He said the state
ment which had been made that Mayor
Hunt had purchased the new fire
lighting macine without consulting the
council was untrue.
Mclean Expresses His Views.
Council Mclean said that he was in
favor of advertising for everything
that the city purchased, but he was not
ashamed of the action the council had
taken in securing the new engine.
While some people were finding fault
he thought the council deserved great
praise for it's action in the matter. He
said that the city had decided to pur-
chase a Metropolitan engine. which
was considered the best machine for
the use of Walla Walla
Metz Had No Choice.
When asked if he had any prefer
ence in the matter Of the purchase OF
A combination wagon, Chief Metz said
he did not, except that he thought the
city should get the best that was man
ufactured. He said that all the first
featured by the fire engine trust, the
American Fire Engine company, but
that he had cOrrespOnded with the
Seagraves company at Columbus, o..
for prices on combination, hose wagon
and chemical engine, but as yet had
received no reply.
Mayor Hunt Takes a Hand.
Mayor Hunt stated that he was not
troubled in the least about what the
people were saying about the manner
of purchasing the new engine, ana
what he had done was strictly in ac--
cordance with the instructions of the
council. That when the matter was
first taken up he had correspondent
with nearly all of the engines manu-
factories in the United States. and the
council after considering the replies.
had decided that the Metropolitan en-
CINE was the best one for the city to
purchase. He claimed that he had
been Informed that the city of Chicago
had recently purchased four Metro
politan steamers of the exact pattern
as the Walla Walla engine and had
paid the same price that this city was
to pay. He denied that he had ever
met Mr. Long until that gentleman APP
peared before the council with his
the engine He believed that the cOun-
Gil had done just what a majority of
the best business men would have
done under similar circumstances.
Motion to Advertise.
At the conclusion Of the mayors re-
marks Councilman Smith moved that
the clerk be instructed to advertise for
bids for the new apparatus. which was
carried.
Motion to Reconsider.
At this time Councilman Brewer
stated that as the new engine would
week it was absolutely necessary that
| "A new heater be purchased at once.
and while he fevored the plan of ad-
vertising for bids. he was of the Opin-
! ion that the matter of purchasing the
| heater should be taken up at once.
Councilman Mclean then immedi-
| ateiy moved to reconsider the original
motion. This brought Smith to his
| feet again when he warmed up and
made the speech of the evening. He
said: 1T appears to me that this
council is always doing things on the
! spur of the moment. l would like to
! know why. it is that everything is al
ways left to the last moment when we
want to purchase anything for the
city. From what some people have
told me, believe that Long. who sold
the city the new fire engine is a graft
er | am certain that no member OF
the council was approached in the mat
ter by Long. yet it seems very pecul-
lar that whenever Long comes tC
| Walla Walla he has no trouble in get
ting what he wants. l don't think
| Long is any worse than any of the