The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-07-09

building the Olive avenue concrete
bridge. But the responsibility for
the economical construction of the
bridge under this plan must be
borne by Mayor Pratt and the
board of public works, and not by
Engineer Ralston.
After parliamentary battle of
two hours last night, in which fuel
was added to the flames of bitter
feeling heretofore existing between
City Engineer Ralston and Council
men Lambert, Dalke, Mohr and
Funk, resolution was adopted Or
dering the mayor and the board of
public works to proceed with the
building of the bridge.
A string was attached to the or
der, however, this being in the ma
ture of a resolution introduced by
Mohr, and adopted, which requires
the board Of public works to file
with the council complete plans
and specifications for the Olive
avenue bridge, with estimates of
cost and quantities of material re-
quired; the mayor and board to
keep correct tab on all items of
expense and make full report of
the same back to the council; that
there shall be no changes in the
plans or specifications without the
consent of the city council, and
that Spokane labor and heads of
families shall receive preference
in the work.
Lambert led in the fight against
Ralston having any further connec-
ton with bridge building under the
day labor plan, and tried hard to
secure the passage of resolution
requesting Chairman Reuterdahl of
the board of public works, who is a
concrete engineer, to expert the
Olive avenue bridge plans of Rails
ton. He said he was willing for
the work to proceed if Reuterdahl
said the bridge could be built for
anything near Ralston's estimate
of $4,000. Lambert insisted that
the bridge will cost $150,000.
Dalke said the present council
had been accused of being rotten
council, and that people would
have reason to call it such if it
gave Ralston a free hand in an
other job of bridge building.
Councilman Funk said that he
was willing to stand or fall in his
fight against Ralston building
bridges 1t had been said that he
was opposed to labor because he
fought the day labor idea under
Ralston, but he said there never
was a job where labor received
worse treatment than it did on the
Mission avenue bridge at the
hands of Ralston. He said that he
had been in the city council nine
years and was under no obligations
to contractors or anyone else, and
that he was poorer today than
when he went into office. Funk
said that he was still carpenter
employed at his trade and that he
felt certain that there was not one
man in his union of over 100
members who would vote to build
bridge under Ralston by day
labor. II the people of his ward
wanted to start recall petition
against him, under these circum-
stances, he was ready to accept
the consequences.
The plans drawn by Ralston for
the Monroe tsreet bridge being
presented. on motion of Lambert,
still apparently distrustful of Rails
ton, the plans were ordered sub
mitted to Engineer William H.
Burr of New York for exporting. 1t
was ordered that the exporting
should not cost to exceed one per
cent of the estimate, S350,000. This
means a leeway up to $500 for ex-
porting the plans on Monroe street.
Jacob Schiller, who professed
time and again that he had no feel
ing in the matter, championed the
cause of Mr.. Ralston, and at times
waxed very eloquent. He was aided
by B. r. Ostrander, who sided with
Ralston on every point. Shaefer.
Nelson and Cartwright did not
take much part in the discussion.
but backed up Schiller and Os-
trander by their votes, giving Rails
ton one majority In all the divided
ballots.
Ralston was on hand himself and
heard his ability roasted a frazzle
and that Of Reuterdahl, whom he
tired from his office q few months
ago. lauded to the skies. In the
building Of the Olive avenue bridge