The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1915-02-19
CITY'S WATER SYSTEM
CAUSES MUCH TROUBLE
Council Will Go After Seaman & Quige
FOR Damages -WOIdenburg Wants to
Spend a Few thousand

Mayor Woodrow voted at last Tues
day nights council meeting for the
first time since becoming a member
of the city administration. The trouble
arose over Mr.. Woldenburgs resolution
TO commence an immediate action
against Contractors Seaman & Quigg,
their bondsmen and A. ]. Cook the
former city engineer for damages in
connection with the building OF the
city's water system. The resolution
was introduced by the socialist coun-
Gilman from the third ward the week
before and he now insisted on its
adoption. 1t was the sentiment OF the
council that drastic means should be
taken to compel the contractors to re-
turn at least part of the money to the
treasury which it appears that the city
has been mulcted out of. but it was
the method OF procedure which caused
the difference in opinion. On account
of the records kept at the time OF the
construction OF the water system being
very incomplete, three of the council
men thought the best course to pur-
sue would be to first notify Seaman &
Ouigg OF the recent developments and
then see if a satisfactory settlement
could not be made. After consider
able length Of time spent in exchang-
ing their reasons in being for or against
the measure, Mayor Woodrow called
for record vote of the council which
resulted in tie, Councilman Snyder
being absent. Miller and Seeley lined
up with Woldenburg and opposed were
Wheeler, Schubert and Featherstone to
which group the mayor added his vote
with an emphatic No!
After the resolution had been killed
it was again brought 20 life but lay
quite still while several operations were
performed. These operations consisted
of numerous additions and changes
suggested by the mayor and Acting
City Attorney Pearson. Then followed
another vote which resulted in the
passage OF the resolution. The meas
ure as it now stands instructs the city
attorney to bring suit after all other
methods OF effecting settlement with
the contractors have failed.
The next matter to come up was the
repairs on the water system" that
will cost seven or eight thousand dol
lars, which Mr.. Woldenburg, the apos-
tie of economy advocates being done
this summer. He believed that the
work should commence at once and
moved that Mr.. Barnum be reemployed
as city engineer and that steps be ia
ken at once to get the necessary ma
terial on the ground. For some mex
plainable reason the motion was lost
for want OF a second. To strengthen
his contention that the repair" are
needed and that the water that is now
coursing the city's pipe line is unit
for domestic purposes, he told an in
teresting frog story.
Il appears from Mr.. Woldenburg' S
narrative, that one day last week while
he was engaged in a game of pinochle,
at the Club poolroom, Councilman
Seeley entered carrying long snake
like object which he had gotten out oi
one Of the city water pipes, so he said.
On close examination it proved to be
a frog stretched out several times its
normal size. The sight was a very
sickening one for him, so he said and
during the rest Of the afternoon ne was
unable do dismiss the incident from
his mind. Later on the same day, after
finishing his evening repast, his mind
again turned to the tragic death OF Mr.
Bull Frog, and the inevitable happened,
He was compelled to make a sudden
dash for the back door, and he reached
terra firma just in time, for up hoped
everything he had swallowed the whole
day long. Any of US might have the
same experience Mr.. Woldenourg SAID
But after all, it was Seeley's fault. Why
did he go and hunt up that old frog