The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-12-26

= j. II. Ped1gO is TO De paid
= . . . . . . . . y . .
Citizens and taxpayers in general,
who keep close tab on city affairs are
disposed to openly charge that the city
council is making an extravagant
use of the city's funds and to substan-
tate these contentious point to the
employment of several outside attor-
neys to handle the city's legal affairs
when City Attorney Blandford, per-
l1sstly competent to attend to the af-
AIRS of his office, Is openly ignored,
although he is paid a salary Of 500
month.
Taxpayers Not in on Secret.
For more than a year now Sharp
stein & Sharpstein have been retained
by the council, but at what cost to the
city not a single member of the coun-
ell knows, let alone the taxpayers, who
foot the bills. That Sharpstein &
Sharpstein can charge the city what
ever they please is not denied and 1T
is not known that this law firm has
ever been known to work for Its
health. The council was subject to Sc
we're criticism for employing Engineer
R. H. Thomson to locate an available
source of supply for Walla Walla's
proposed water system without first
ascertaining what the Seattle en-
gineer was to charge for his SER
vices as an expert That Thomson
charged the city but $1,000 was a mat
ter of considerable congratulation
among members Of the council as
we'll as taxpayers when the engineer
finally consented to put in mis- bill. En-
gineer Thomsons services were cheap.
but will the bill that Sharpstein &
Sharpstein will render, when they do
be in keeping with ThOmsOn's BILL
These taxpayers and citizens say
they do not object to the employemnt
of outside legal talent on occasions
when the Importance of any partic-
Nar business demands it, but to
ain two and even three outside at
tOmeys on matters that could just
as we'll be handled by the city at
tOrney's office, is nothing more than
wasteful extravaganza of the peo-
pies money that should be put to some
better use.
Two More Attorneys Employed.
The latest ACQUISITION to Walla Wal
las legal force is c. c. Gose and ).
H. Pedigo employed by the judiciary
committee, headed by Chairman kirk
man, TO defend the city, in event the
i've saloonkeepers, whose licenses were
revoked a month ago, take the matter
INTO the courts. 1t is well known
1act that the saloon keepers have no
Intention of going into court with their
rcases, yet the attorneys are still re-
tanned, but at what cost? 1t is a sig
nificant fact that Attorney Gose Is
warm friend of Chairman Kirkman
and that Attorney Pedigo is attorney
Tor Councilman Glasford. Attorney
6ose was also employed with Sharp
stein & Snarpstein to draw up the
Water ordinance passed by the coun-
cal Friday night There is no doubt
Whatever but that City Aattorney
Bandford was perfectly competent
10 draw UP that water ordinance ano
save perhaps several hundred dollars
the city and just why the coun-
eli prefers to give this work to out
Side attorneys is a mystery too deer
10 fathom by the average taxpayer
If Attorney Blandford was competen
10 handle the legal end Of the trans
Ter of the old Walla Walla Watel
'ompany's. business to WaHa Walla
involving several hundred tnousant
collars, he was perfectly competen
{Contfnued on Eighth Page1