Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1913-05-16
WlSHKAH BRIDGE
BONDS DEFEATED
Receive Handsome Majoityr,
But Is IS Votes Short
Of Three-fifths
DUE TO SOUTH ABERDEEN
South Side Defeats Measure
and Loses Chance for Free
Bridge on Chehais

The election Tuesday resulted iu
the failure of the proposition to is.
sue bonds for the new bridge at Wish
kah street, by As 2-5 votes. The tota:
vote cast was 1904, of which 917 was
for the bonds and 6S7 against. a large
majority in favor of the new bridge.
which showed in no uncertain manner
that the people favor the location Sc
lected for this bridge by Engineer
Virgil Bogue, in planning the Port of
Grays Harbor.
Defeated in South Aberdeen
The defeat of the bonds was ac.
complished by South Aberdeen, which
gave a majority of 131 against them.
and the joke of this vote lies in the
fact that it was cast largely through
the influence of Councilman Myles-
who is generally credited with carry
ing that bailiwick around in his vest
pocket, and who opposed the propost-
ton through pique, caused by the re-
fusal of the council to include the
purchase of the West bridge for $6O.-
900 in the ordinance calling the elec-
ton. TO be sure, the council had No
offer from Mr.. West to sell at that. or
any otfe. figure, but such a little
thing as that cut small ice with Boss
Myles, who is accustomed to bull his
projects through the council by main
strength and awkardness-and his
vest pocket bourough-so he conclud-
ed that this was a good time to show
his colleagues that when his propo
sition was not accepted, theirs should
not succeed-and his vest pocket full
responded cordially, and now His blutf
Is in better working order than ever.
Buncoed Out Of Free Bridge
The misguided followers of Boss
Myles are probably now waking up
to the fact that they have been nicely
double crossed, and that their hope
for free bridge has eeen indefinite
ly postponed-that is the bridge they
wanted. Unknowingly they were
tied up by Myles with the syndicate
headed by Mayor France. which op-
posed the bonds Tuesday with the
purpose of securing bridge across
the Chehalis river at Lincoln street,
more than a mile west of the West
bridge, location that it is doubtful
if a vote to select it was submitted to
South Aberdeen would receive a doz-
en- votes in that suburb.
The deluded voters of South Aber.
deem have placed themselves in a po.
sition in which it will be impossible
to carry an election for the bridge
they want. The syndicate will op-
pose them for purely business reasons.
and they are tolerably sure of scant
assistance from the voters ON" tho
north side, whose votes. in every
ward but one, showed that they want.
ed the new bridge at Wishkah street
Every ward on the north side of the
Chehalis river, except the Sixth, gave
handsome majorities for the bonds.
the strenuous contest
by the syndicate, its ad-
herents and dupes. The vote of the
Sixth ward, which lies in the extreme
west end Of the city, confirms the
street bridge theory, and We
may expect before long to have this
project. that will call for a quarter o.
a million dollars or thereabouts,
launched by the same people who
last week were spreading printed re-
ports of the bankrupt, tax-ridden con-
dition Of Aberdeen, and the inability
Of the city to build a necessary bridge
costing less than one-third that sum.
Tho Opposition
The opposition to the bonds proved
to be a small minority. and, on the
north side, had a community of in
terests. On this side of the Chehalis
river was allied, the saloon district
that maintains sort of toll gate at
the Heron street bridge-through
which ladies are chary about passing
the southside realty syndicate. the
west end boomers and the misinform-
ed taxpayers who were fooled by the
false financial statements circulated.
Heron street. west of G street anc
east Of X street was not unitedly op-
posed, as they knew the change O.
would not injure them, and that ~
taxpayers. wise economy was to 10
served by carrying out the policy
adopted by the previous city counci:
after long study Of this bridge situ.
alton.
The Vote by Precincts
Following is a tabulated ss..ement
of the vote by wards: