Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1911-12-01
Time to Act.

Time to Act.
The time is oppo! ure that Wash
il-ton Should have law similar to
California and some OF the other
States, providing for public ad
m.n.stra,or. to settle up the estates
Of persons dying without having
executed wis, and where the reia-
tiYcs mag lie unknown, or when they
NAV reside in a foreign jurisdiction.
There have been numerous in
stances in this State in which per-
sons having died intestate, and left
money sometime valuable property,
that strangers compete with one
another to &c: appointed admins
traitor or. in order 10 make easy
money and handle the estate and alb
sorb the assets. When the heirs
were discovered have found they
have been left without any part OF
the division.
4 public administrator, receiving
fixed compensation, can manage
the estate more economically and
inexpensively than private indi-
vidual who is anxious to make liv-
ing out of his wits, and if he found a
will might be interested in suppress
sing the document. while the public
official would have no such motive to
influence his conduct.
After paying the debts and ex-
penses, the balance OF the estate
converted into money. could be de-
posted with the Clerk of the Court
to remain a few years for further
disposition. If no claimants APP
peared within that period, this
money could then be deposited with
the State or County Treasurer to the
credit of the public fund.
1t might transpire that the I'M
claimed money would more than pay
the salary of the public administra-
tor and his deputies and leave nice
balance in the public treasury to be
disposed Of in the manner indicated,
or to promote some other good and
worthy purpose, which would con-
stitute one of the details for the Leg
islature to solve.
How IT LOOKS. fill and
the country south of Eighth street.
with the slush and water lying on
the surface, look worse than they did
before any fill was attempted to be
made. The expenses Of this under
taking has been enormous, still the
city is considering over the Mallory
sewer and its great cost. Thousands
of dollars of court cost will occur be-
fore the controversy shall have been
determined which will be charged
up in all Likelihood 70 the city or the
property owners in the so-called
sewer district. 1t may happen that
this sewer will be eventually removed
and an open water way will be pro-
vided to get rid of the surplus surface
water and furnish an outlet to Nozzle
creek. This may not happen. how.
ever, until a special sewer assess
ment shall have been made and bonds
or securities are issued, in which event
there will be an awakening to the SER
iousness of the situation. Then the
property owners will see where they
are at. 1t is strange. yes passing
strange. aud more than all that. how
a city may make mistakes in such
matters and charge up the expense
incurred through its blunders against
the property owners and taxpayers,
who were not consulted regarding
the feasibility OF the undertaking be-
tore the work was started.
IT is said that moving pictures
prompted masked boy rufiians in Sc
attic to tie lad to q telephone pole
in n secluded block of the city, en-
forcing compliance by fourishing a
revolver about his head. taking from
his pockets all personal property dear
to boys heart; then after discuss
ing the cutting OF various vital or
gans. doubtless for still further in
timidation, left him to suffer at the
stake until relief should come in
some form. The victim. after about
two hours labor, succeeded in sever
ing the strands Of rope by his teeth
and was so weak that he fell to the
ground. 1t can hardly be supposed
that the attack was prompted by
anything but q spirit of youthful
ruffianism, just for the excitement of
following forbidden. paths suggested
by the moving pictures. Man is an
initiative creature at best, and care
should be taken that the plastic
youthful mind should be guarded far
es possible from any thing that might
degrade.
THE passing of that exceedingly
useful household article-the broom
is noted in the decline OF its use
through the various kinds of sweep
ers and the pneumatic machine which
actually swallows the dust from the
wall and ceiling, we'll as the floor.
Some form of broom u,ac ,,rohnllx,