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

GIL fRf NfNAatttN W. SUI fHt"tAAAHAf
ga that legal steps be taken 10 alb
rogaie a.
Maehlae Politician.
Prank Paul. more even than Mr..
Parry. wsn a typical machine poll
tlclan and. laeklng Mr. parry'a en-
srgY ard ability ieit little impress
aion upon the comptrolieS's office.
further than 20 acquire aud cult
yate whlle occupying f. relations
With The cltY government which ne
uiiAned Afterwards 10 his financial
profit During his more lar man
axsment Of the office. financial and
hoakA oeplng irregularities began 10
Green into Il aa evidenced BY the
disclosures Of the eHpnrie etn.
ployaa 90 Investigate the extent of
tho operation Of Mr. RiplingeF
The extent and natnFe OF these
operations arc best shown b. IN"
experts report Itself
As city Comptroller Paul had
observed the mannsr IN which Mr.
ParrF.m Seattle a Lake Washington
waterway company had. tht0tEh
IL friendly relations Nifh the eity
council made profitable uNe 81 The
vast SURPLUS flaw of Cedar river
water and Nhcn be left me con.
eofu WAS the GeufEetawn Water
company
The Uoorreinun Water company
was organized April q. 1905. ana
financed or the basis Of two pub
lie grants. enc q county franchise
and The 'oshsr a contract wuh the
city for lta water One of these
grants. the city contract waH un.
lawful. the aihef. the franchise.
probably so. but 1T least Irregular
Given the Franehiss
The franchiao was granted Feb
ruare 6 ik8z. . NJ l. fLAfe ,
Hamilton. 81 Geafgoiuwn. an ad.
hsrsnt of the old aouth district 20
n,icni ring then and nos domtnai-
ing che board Of county COMMITS.
ainnefs. ard an smplaye of the
county In the capacity af road nu'
psrxisnr fer diaific, No. 2 The
tact that the grantee was county
nmpluYs probably makes the Tran
chlae unlawful aud az least makes
tho manner uf It's procurement IT,
FeEulaT
Mr. Paul TOOK up with the rtsy
eouneil the matter OF zeitiuE Cedar
river water for the companYn pro.
panaa system and ON June ie. 1903.
the council passed an ordinance
iaiuee declared without legal an.
thorftF1. authorizing the board OF
unbiir works 90 enter ihto a con
tract 10 auppiY the company Ntth
wairr AZ the lowest manufacturer
rata M 10 20 900 cuhle feet .
month and above that amount At
coats per Thousand cubic feel.
The company purchased a reser.
volr aita IN Georgetown Tor $500
ana with this and lis txo public
grants vas ready 20 proceed with
the financing Of the company.
Which IL did IN the usual custom
~ pablir service finance
The franchise. prospective plant
and contract were mortgagod Tor
SO GOO 90 secure an issue OF per
cont bonds. the money from the
sale af which was used 10 construct
INC avstcm and the SIS 600 stock
issue vas distributed among the
prnmotars. Mr. Paul. Mr. Hamilton.
n NJ Rinuear and q nar,oldl a.
velvet The earnings of the
company nov reach $1,000 a year
ana the operating expenses. inter
egt and taxes about 81 GOO leaving
a net Income Of $1,000 \ year on
an investment four years ago OF
the political pun and financial abii.
~ Of the promoters The stock OF
tho company ia now worth from
$50 GOO 10 SIS 600. And despite
Tho fact that the contract has been
declared illegal and the company
has since developed another source
Of supply. Il was until very
sbort time ago drawing At least a
norton Of its supply from the city
system.
Another Form Of Graft
Not content with having secured
A favorable a contract for the use
~ Cedar river water the company
entered into further negotiations
by which the cost Of It's water was
still further reduced During the
snmmers Of 1904 and 1905 the city
council was induced 20 contribute
srnter free from the Cedar river
pvstam for use In sprinkling the
Rad TO the race track This water
o.as delivered through the mains
a the Georgetown Water company.
put here u where the eompany's
graft came IN The company
y1aa purchasing It's water tower the
ftret 40 600 cubic feet MONTH a.
4 cents a hundred cubic feet The
ofdipauco Of 1904 provided that for
a.ator delivered to Che road tanks
FOR aprinkIinR the road the com
many should bo rehated by the
eny at the rate Of rs cents per
tfnkfut Of about 100 cable feet
That ia the company paid the city
4 cents hundred cubic feet for tho
water which the city then gave
away to the county for the use
chiefly Of the proprlctora OF tho
race track managed by Ex Senator
A. r. Van de Vsnter who enjoyed
close political relations with the
county commisslonors. Having
Rivon away the water which Il had
once sold for cents hundred
rubic feet the city purchased Il
back again At no cents a cubic foot.
n profit TO the company OF nearly
aon Nor cont. on Cedar river water