The Seattle Republican. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1???-1915, 1910-09-16

Of course it is pessimstic and even populistic to
advocate or even think there has been any crooked
work about the city hall of Seattle in the letting OF the
hundred and regrade contracts and he or she VINO
advocates such nefarous doctrines does so without any
foundation for the same save his distorted BRAIN
and vet when you examine into certain things 1t IS uC
terly impossible to how they could have gone as
thew did without some receiving graft there1or
and a graft of enormous size.
Listen to the history of the contract for the re-
grading of Greenwood street. The city englneers's
office was called upon furnish estimates for the work
and the duty was assigned to j. G. jeffrey who atthe
time was high salaried employee of the city engineers
office After weeks surveying and othce work ne HI
alv reached the conclusion that, the cheapest the
work could be done for So cents cubic YARD ana
that figure was put up to the property holders along
that thoroughfare. AS as they thoroughly I'M
derstood the details howl like unto the roar OF seven
caps of thunder went up and determined effort was
put on foot to fight it.
But did they fight it? Not much and all because
Councilman Murphy and Assistant Engineer jeffrey
took DAYS and weeks of their valuable time, Tor which
they were paid splendid salaries by the city, and can
vassed the entire district and talked with all OF the
property holders for the purpose OF convincing them
that the estimate was conservative one and that 1t
was the only possible way of getting the street re-
graded One by one the property holders began TO
sign up for the regarde and then the one was played
off against the other until finally majority II not all
of them had signed for the regrade of the street at
the estimated figure. 1t great victory Tor the
engineer and the city should have congratulated her.
self for having such efficient assistant city engl-
neer and councilman as Mr. Jeffrey and Mr.. Murphy.
But there was hidden hand that was turning wheel
in wheel and glimpse at that will now be given.
The property holders had no sooner been convinced
that they really getting something for nothing and
the council ready to let the contract than did that able
opd1 Assistant (itV EnQn0or jeffrey
resign and form partnership with Holt to go IN
to the contracting business of regarding the streets OF
Seattle Just how it all happened it is hard for an
outsider to say but Jeffrey got the contract and not
having yet made any great amount OF money ne
thought he would not undertake any actual work at
that time so he sold part of his contract rights to
another firm Without striking blow orswithout
the investment of single dollar he transferred his
rights to the othor fellow and given the snug sum
of something like $751; 900 for his equity At one fell
swoop this engineer who had been working for $500
per month and even ess was able to turn trick
which, if he did not have to cut it up with Others
would have made him absolutely independent for life
Yes of course it was the square and in the open,
but YOU must admit, it does not look like it.
Strange is it not, that the engineer for the city
should take it on to himself to with the councilman
of the same district to persuade the property holders
to accept the figure of the engineer and as soon
as that was accomplished the council let the contract
to the self same engineer? Strange, ist not that the
engineer who working for the city and paid big
salary. made his estimates so that one man
could take the contract for figure and then subet
it and make comfortable fortune out of it, and at the
same time the man actually doing the contract make
handsome profit? If the interest of the city had have
been looked out for the first profit would have been cut
ont and ONLY the second would have been possible 1t
NAV have been all on the square and in the open, but
YOU must admit it does not look like.it.
Strange is it not, that only certain con-
tractors are able to get line the regrade contracts