East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1914-11-02

Look out for last minute fake re-
ports and explanations circulated with
a view TO aiding T. p. GilHland in ov-
grooming the mass OF damaging evil
dence against him regarding bridge
swindles.
For over two weeks the expose has
been underway. The facts have been
presented in open and above board
manner DAYS before election. The
most important revelations have con-
sisted in statements made under oath.
Ex-Judge Gilllland has had full and
ample opportunity 60 answer the
charges against him. He has been
unable 20 refute any OF the main ac-
cusati0ns. Some OF the important
points he has failed 20 meet entirely.
others ne has met with outright mis-
statements Gnlliand has relied on
loud oratory. not on facts. 70 Justify
his record. To offset the A. n. Coo
ley affidavit showing Eberhart's con-
fession he had swindied the county
out % $4,000 on the Umatilla bridge
and had brihed the county court. Gil
Hand relies upon a denial from Eb-
erhart II f. quite natural such de-
niai should he made by Eherhart FOR
should he openly admit his confes-
sion he would be pleading guilty 10
= penitentiary offense.
The system They Used.
The most damaging thing in the
long list of misdeeds charged 20 GILL; 1
land e. the fact that as county Judge !
he permitted n system. in regard 20
bridge contracts. that led inevitably 20 /
the robbery ~ the county Under the I
system Eberhart. who sold steel
bridges. was engaged 20 draw plans
FOR the county bridges and was paid 4
FOR doing the work He was also en-
gagged 20 superintend the work. Eb-
erhart was allowed 20 have a copy of
tho plans for his own use. Another
copy was flied with the county clerk.
Bridge builders aside from Eberhart
could not secure copies of the plans
50 an 20 make bids and distant bidders
would refuse 10 send personal repre-
seniatiyes here 20 inspect the plans IN
the clerks office. Furthermore the
bridge men aside from Eberhart were
afraid 10 compete IN earnest because
they knew Eherhart was 20 superin-
tend the work and would probably
"ioh" them should they secure n con-
tract They also knew Eberhart
could set bridge plans changed when
he wanted 10 even after contracts has
been let.
The utter impropriety Of that sys
TEN 81 doing business was discovered
by the present court az its very first
session and Il was done away with.
Bridge plans are now drawn by the
county engineer and copies Of the
plans and specifications are sent 10 all
bridge concerns wishing them. no
matter where they may be located SO
there has been real competition un-
der the present court ana the cost OF
bridges based on a pound basis. has
been about half what they were under
the former court.
Eherlart Had Monopoly.
Under the "Eberhart system" Eb-
erhart secured all the contracts He
built a total OF 80 bridges and the ag-
gregaie cost was fsi.5Si25 out OF
a large number OF those bridges
checked by competent engineers. only
one bridge was found where a rea-
sonable price was granted the county.
II was IN very first bridge built In
ihe cases OF the other bridges investi-
gated the bridges were sold on a ba-
sis of from nine 20 Is cents pound
-or steel The present county court is
building a better grade OF bridges az
prices based on from five 10 six cents
! pound for steel. The Main street
bridge in PendletOn cost on a basis r
Continued on page six o