The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-10-29
MOHR SORE AY
ENGINEER 4.
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
CHILLING RESULTS IN ATs
TACK ON RALSTON'S MlSs
SION AVENUE BRIDGE WORK.

Never in the history of the coun-
Gil was such blank amazement ex-
pressed as last night when Coun-
Gilman Mohr accused City Engi-
neer Ralston of dishonesty in the
building of the Mission avenue
bridge.
Recently at a meeting of the
chamber of commerce the city en-
gineer was among the speakers
who supported the Des Moines
plan of municipal government to
the extent of declaring that the
methods in use in Spokane were
Anticipated, dead and ossified. The
arraignment was generally en-
dorsed by the business men pres |
ent. J. d. Sherwood was even
more caustic than Ralston.
These statements seemed to
rankle Mohr. He said that if what
Ralston said about the improve
ment methods of this city were
true, then the health department
should be notified as it was within
it's province to look after dead and
ossified things. He said that If
such were the case, the engineer
himself was to be hId responsible.
He referred to the Mission avenue
bridge, and his references to the
engineer were sarcastic. He hopes
that the Mission bridge would not
be built of wood, at reast
He opened his address by call
ing attention to the exclusive
article in The Press, describing
the meeting of the chamber of
commerce and quoting the speak
ers. Mohr submitted resolution,
which was passed, ordering the
city engineer to submit all data
with relation to the bridge he is
building, and DR.. J. A. l.. Waddells
expert statement on it. Mohr des
clared that there was no similarity
between the bridge the council on
dered and the one that Is being
built. He attacked the legality Of
the engineers actions and said
that if he was building another
bridge it should be by the council
orders. He understood that the
original plans called for $4,000
worth of reinforcing steel while a
contract was let for only $4,000
| worth. 81
Later this question was referred
to Commissioner O'Brien, who stat
| ed that the contract was let for
| about $4,000 and there were some
tons left over from the Washington
street bridge. Mohr said Ralston's
estimate of the cost of the struct-
ure was $4,000 and the contrac.
| tors who bid on the plans and spec
| ifications bid as high as $163,0
Yet Ralston of late has stated that
he would probably build the bridge
for 100000. Mohr said there was
something rotten with Ralston's
work and Ralston should resign. s
81 believe that this council wants
IN honest proposition" he said.
We are like the man who when he
goes to restaurant always calls
'or hash, because he will know
what he is getting. We are evil.
iently getting hash all right. 1
Councilman Baldwin managed to
get the floor at this juncture. II
was considerably surprised at Rail
| ston's statements" he said. RAJ
ston and the board of public works
are responsible If this city's Inn
provement methods are antiQuated,
The engineer it seemed to me, was
criticizing himself. The bridge
changes should be repotred to the
council. I apprehend that the
bridge is not being CONSTRUCTED as
the council was informed it was
to be-"
Councilman Ostrander champion
ed the engineer. He said he was
trying to save the city money and
now was to be severely criticized
for building the bridge cheaper
than first planned. He referred to
Councilman Mohr as bridge ex-
pert" and said:
I'VE became councilmen at the
same time and while Mohr had set
himself up as an expert have stud
led hard both on steel and osn-
| crete and know no more about
bridges than | did at first. 1t
seems to me Mohr Is only whipping
the devil around the bush. He Is
trying to throw discredit upon the
engineer. l believe the engineer is
entitled to credit" "a
Mohr replied in much heat: IT
do not intend to discredit the engi-
neer. We want to know what Us
doing and II the plans we adopted
are being followed"
Councilman Schiller expressed
his belief nthe sincerity and hon
esty of the engineer. ~
| Mr.. Ostrander took occasion to
offer a statement in favor of the
Des Moines plan of municipal gov
eminent, by declaring that the
average plan of government such