Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1912-01-11
Nearly 300 New Lights Will
Be Installed in Residence
District
WOULD BUY WEST BRIDGE
Complaint Against Employ
meet Agencies Is Filed.
Routine Business

Two petitions signed by more thar
1000 businessmen and laborers askins
the city council to investigate the al
legged grating of certain employment
agencies in Aberdeen, an order fol
Mayor Parks and City Clerk Clark tC
enter into a contract with the Grays
Harbor Railway e. Light company fol
lighting the city and a petition asking
the city council to purchase the Wes
bridge across the Chehals river, We're
the important matters before the city
council at it's short but important ses
sion last night.
The meeting had it's human inter
est side, for as the city council sat
passing its ordinance and contracting
it's business it was often disturbed
by the strains of the "Bummers song
or 'ln the Sweet By and By or an
occasional yell from Is or more mem
bers of the l. w. w. who were in the
Jail below.
The petitions, asking that the en-
plOyment agencies be investigated,
came as surprise. One stated that
there was a sentiment among the
workingmen on Grays Harbor that
they We're the victims of sharp prac-
tices by the employment offices and
the city council was requested to
have it's officials make an investigation
and take action to meet the condi-
tions. This petition was signel by
more than 100 business houses.
Another petition read that working
men asked for an investigation into
practices of agencies stating that posi-
tions wre given at cost of from 81
to $35 and after paying the money
and going to the camp or place, the
workingman found that the place had
been filed and on request for the re-
turn of the money, were told it was
not the fault of the employment agen.
cy. The petition asked that this sys.
tenn of graft be stopped.
The proposition OF entering into a
contract with the Grays Harbor Rail
way & Light company, was discussed
at length and the council adopted the
report of the light committee that the
contract be signed. Councilman
Myles, Sauers and O'Hare stated that
the price was lower than cost and the
price of 1925 per light was cheaper
than Seattle was getting its lights per
month. Sauers called attention to
the necessity of lighting up the resi-
dence district stating that the peo
pie paid taxes and were entitled to
consideration. He stated that the ad
ditional lights would cost the cost
the city $1,000 additional annually.
A petition signed by residents OF
South Aberdeen asking the city coun
Gil to call a special election to bond
the city for $4,000 for the purchase
of the West bridge brought forth con
siderable discussion.
Councilman Myles said: 1--WE have
the opinion of the city attorney that
bonds can be issued for this purchase
and it should be acted on at once
1t is a shame for a growing city like
Aberdeen to have in it's city limits a
toll bridge. While l know the city
council is powerless to act in the
matter, yet it can call special elec
tion and allow the people to decide
on the matter and l am sure that il
will be carried The residents of the
South side have been paying taxes fol
years and are entitled to consideration
it is a right that should have beel
granted them years ago. | think that
the purchase of the West bridge is
proper as we have bridge which
could be used at this time, and if we
build a new bridge, We will have tC
wait perhaps three years before il
could be used.
Councilman, Staulding said that he
did not believe the council should pur
chase bridge that was about to tum
BILE down. That it should build good
bridge. He was loudly applauded fol
his speech.
Councilman Crivyea said that the
matter was an important one. HI
called attention to the large amoun