The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1911-01-05

The records at the court house
show the commissioners tried to
carry out the deal and spent
$4,000 of the peoples money on it
before they were stopped by Std
ham with an injunction suit in
court.
That is the way Torger Peter
son has been running the county
and this is one hole into which
has been poured the public funds
to help produce that $4,000
overdraft.
w. II. Stidham Is we'll kown IN
this county. For eight years he
was a court house man and work
ed in the treasurer's office, coll
lecting the personal taxes.
Stdham owns over 100 acres
up near Eatonville.
Royce owns a lot of property
beyond him. Stidham allowed
Royce a private drivewa over his
place and had a contract for it
for a certain length of time which
has now expired.
80 Political Debt Paid.
But Roce wanted a permanent
road and wanted It improved and
Peterson promised to give ii 10
him If he would support him in
the election, according to Stid-
hams statement.
He went to work to fulfll his
bargain. He built that road up
to the land of Stidham. Then
Stidham went into court and stop
ped him and there the road ends
today. 1t runs from the Eaton
Vile road, fine wide boulevard
we'll improved up to the land of
Stidham and stops. It benefits no
one on earth but Stidham, whom
it was not intended to benefit, and
it cost for the road work and sur
ways through the Royce's place,
about $4,000.
The expenditure was undertake
en- by ME and Mettler" with eyes
open. Stidham notified them OF
his contract with Royce and told
them the drive through his place
was a private one but the COM
missioners went ahead anyway to
| try and make good to Royce and
squandered about $4,000 to butt a
boulevard up against the fence of
Stidham.
1T all came out when Royce
wanted to buy some of my water
front on Tanwax lake" said Stid-
ham. "He wanted right of way
| for a railroad through my place,
too. He finally agreed 30 let up
on the road If he could get the
railroad. asked him what he
could do with the commissioners
and he went up to see. He came
back pretty soon to Crowl's office
and said, L don't seem to have
any influence with them
Well, that's funny, didn't
you tell me they had agreed to do
certain things for you for your
support?" / asked him.
Yes, they promised me they
would give me the road for my
support in their election said
Royce.
They were going to take my
land and build a road on IL at the
expense of the people for the head
of a big corporation for his poldti-
cal support in the election"
No Wonder Money Went.
Stidham says he is ready to
make affidavit to the facts and
that Crowl will also corroborate
his statements. He is now enjoy
ing the use of the road, however,
that comes up to his line and
stops and which he did not ask for
and which was put in by the COM
missioners in trying to pay politi-
cal debts.
There re numerous stories
from all n the county of similar
roads g been built. Private
ifriendl eterson or big corpora
tions a pull on votes appar-
entity able to get about what
they ed out of &c nb.ic
crib at she expense of tnV AK
lpayers.
With this policy 1t is plain to
be seen what became of the more
than half million dollars squan-
dered by me and Mettler" during
the last few years in alleged road
work.