The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-01-06
HANSON REPORT FLAYS "V|CE" ATTORNEYS
Continued From Page one

I Continued From Page one
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for many months This fund lies
idle IN the banks and only draws .
per cent lntercnt. I suggest that
$3.50 900 Of this fund be loaned 90 tho
water dcpnrtment--hnd thus save
the city $500 monthly. The water
department IL solvent and has no
outstanding warrants. In "a well man
aged municipal monopoly and there
IN no chance Of not getting the
money back when Il In needed
"Beforo skaEit dam site In ~
lectcd and construction work com.
menced. IL will cost many Thousands
Of dollars Ito obtain information by
boring. I feel II II a great deal bet
ter TO nd money now In thoro In
vestigation than to go ahead In
hnphaEard manner and spend bond
money in immediate construction
work. Wo should not hesitate 70
engage tho best experts"
The future OF our city depends In
very large degree upon tho sue
cossful development OF the skagit
Cheap and plentiful power means
more factories. more industries. more
employment The next legislature
should he asked 10 give us tho right
TO furnish residents and snunieipali.
tics In adjoining territory electrical
energy at fair price. 20 that they.
too. may profit and prosper by the
great water power located In our
midst"
During the last summer the city
has attempted TO seal portion OF
tho bed OF tho Cedar river. Appar'
entity. this sealing has been partially
successful. as water has risen 10 a
greater height than at any period
heretofore and the leakage IN less
You do not believe. nor do !. that
this sealing has been anything but
an experiment In carrying out In n
measure the plans laid down by tho
board Of engineers engaged by tho
city some years ago.
when. nert summer. the water
rceedes until u reaches IN. level OF
that part OF tho bed where sealing
operations have been carried on. We
will then 10 able TO determine
whether that portion has been scaled
or not
IL ~ my earnest belief and hope
that We will be- able 20 seal tho Cedar
river reservoir at a cost not diFpro'
portionats 90 the benefits We will
receive theretrom."
1T seems 70 me. tina, IN view %
the necessary tins needed 10 develop
thn skaglt. and the doubtful remedy
ing of tho Cedar river reservoir. We
must now proceed at once 60 install
another steam unit In our municipal
lighting system.
1T may 10 feasible and proper for
the city to obtain It's own coal mine
I 90 uan AH fuel for another STRAIN
I lighting plant. In a measure IL
would help regulate the price Of coal
10 tho consumer"
/
In tho near future We should
carefully consider the rates now
charged by our lighting department
l II Hofn. arc found too high. they
should he lowered. II sotns arc too
low. they should - raised. No con
sumner or class % consumers should
h~ compelled to pay for what another
individual or concern uses. fair
and equitable rate should be charged
everyone who unrs our light or
power and neither light. power.
transportation nor water should be
sold at less than cost
Municipal ownership nus, stand
on it's own feet and not he supported
I BY tho general Taxpayer city own
ership should not make our utilities
Christmas tree. nor should the tar
payer he tho Santa Claus"
Il desire 10 request you 20 appro
pirate the money for and create tho
position Of assistant 20 the mayor. ~
a salary OF g. 900 n year. This an.
slrtant should b. entirely under the
mayors control. h. should be n fair
accountant. a good business man.
understand proper financing and Ga
/ pccially should he possess common
sense. He should be sent a. desired
into any department and report his
findings 10 the mayor
The bulk Of tho mayors knowl-
edge necessarily comes from tho de.
partncnt heads. who naturally al.
ways toll us only tho best side.
want 90 know the worst M we'll
such n man will furnish information
saving tho city hundreds Of thou.
sands Of dollars"
The efforts OF tho department Of
public utilities during my term have
been no TO conduct the municipal
street railway that the faith OF our
citizens in public ownership and op-
Grafton Of street railways would 10
rewarded by adequate service at
reasonable rates and show a balance
on tho right side Of the ledger.
when assumed office tho -nu.
niclpal railway was losing money at
the rate OF t3.i50 a month. Within
four months after tho appointment
Of Thomas r. Murphinc as supcrin.
tondent Of utilities the municipal
became an asset instead OF a iiahil.
lily. eight months operation under
Murphines management showing n
net surplus. after paying interest and
4 an other charges. except dcprccla.
ton. OF f2.277.
Show Net Profit
In spite OF the fact that the
wages OF our railway employees were
increased from $3.50 TO $500 a day