The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1907-06-25

ti3925 and sold back TO the city
60 be given away 90 the county
10000 cubic feet for sos. 30 that
the 226 900 cubic feet the company
delivered 20 other customers cost
II but s2i2b or bat about ono fourth
tho original contract price.
Paid No Taxes.
In addition 10 working this graft
on the city ia the manipulation 81
rs illegal water contract through
the city council the Georgetown
Water company managed 10 cs
cape paylns taxes on It's distribut
ing system until the writer called
the attention OF tho aaaeHsmsnt Of
ficials To tho delinquency ia 1905
Another incident In the relations
between Frank Paul aud the city
government which throws light ON
the political training aud character
II Homes" John Rlplinger. and
the influence upon his character Of
his political Associates and sur.
roundinEs IL the employment 0f Mr.
Paul IN MAY. 1908 10 exercise hts
Influence on" the members ~ the
state land commission This deal
was entered into CA behalf OF the
city by Councilman James A.
James. chairman Of the finance
committee. and John RipilnFer.
then city comptroller.
Following a mandatory provision
~ the city charter OF 1886 the eoun
ell had submitted to the people In
1900 the question Of issuing bonds
for the construction OF city light.
inH plant The people had voted
tho bonds. but since the proposed
plant promised 10 wiring the ga.
tortion out of corporate rates for
domestic electric lighting the
project encountered undermined
official and unofficial opposition Of
~ effective = character that Il waH
more than three years before the
city officials even sold the bonds.
This diimtnrinaAa had begun 10
AROUSE n political interest which
approached a scandal when In 1898
efforts were made to dispose Of the
bonds A. Ia the ease of the water
bonds recently sought to be sold
those efforts encountered under
ground opposition 10 financial cir
eies aud threatened 10 prove uusuc-
ceasfni.
The city officials turned to the
state land commission 70 induce
the commission 10 purchase them
ss an inyeatmen, for the state per
mRnont school fund. These nsgo-
fiatiuus draseed along some weeks.
politics interviewed with demand
for private CRAFTS and the deal
threatened "a fall through
Something For Mr., Paul.
n vas al this time that Council
man James aud Comptroller RIP
ilnEsr snterea into a contract with
Mr. Paul 20 pay him a big bonus "
be would float the bonds with the
arNta. Mr. Paul exercised his ~.
iitirai poll and ia his own Ian
Fuaga paid out large sums 81
money" IN his effort 20 carry out
hls ena Of the contract The state
land commission aan made "a sec
the matter IN new ilKht and Tho
bonds we're purchased
hot With an election approaching
che other members 81 the council
rsnbdiaied the contract. u was
plFsonholed until after the election.
then Sir. Paula claim denied. Ar.
Paul sued the city for tifTbo but
the supreme court held that Mr..
James and Mr. Riplinger had no
power 70 bind the city on such a
contract
The employment Of Mr. Paul 10
negotiate this deal ~ 80 large
compensation a. he claimed can be
accounted Cor only ON one Of two
theories Ona Ia that Il vas found
necessary ca bride one or more
members OF the state land commits
sion and Mr.. Paul was hired for
that purpose The other is that
some Of the parties thereto saw In
the negotiations an opportunity to
give Mr. Paul nice juicy graft