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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1914 | 13 |
| 1915 | 16 |
| 1916 | 11 |
| 1917 | 16 |
56 stories matching contract
- Richland Bridge Contract Nullified by State Oversight
A procedural shortcut taken by county commissioners to build a bridge has backfired, with the state declaring their contract void for lack of competitive bidding.
- Kennewick Bargained for Brighter Streets—and a Ten-Year Utility Deal
In December 1916, Pacific Power Light proposed replacing Kennewick’s carbon arc lamps with hydrogen lamps, but council members wanted guarantees that new technology and future rate cuts would reach the city.
- School Superintendent Rejects Higher Pay to Remain in Kennewick
M. S. Lewis chooses community stability over a higher salary in Auburn, citing a duty to his contract.
- The Fight Over Who Gets the Road Contract
Prosser taxpayers challenge Benton County commissioners over the awarding of the Kennewick-Finley road contract to a non-lowest bidder.
- County Scraps Courthouse Contract Amid Legal Dispute
The Ferro Concrete Company of Seattle walks away from the Benton County courthouse project as legal challenges persist.
- The Hanford Water Wars
A federal court ruling protects local ranchers from mortgage holders in the complex bankruptcy of the Hanford Irrigation Power Company.
- Breach of Promise Lawsuit Dismissed
A judge rules that a marriage agreement based on cohabitation is not a binding legal contract.
- A $12,000 Bridge to Richland—and a Lesson in Low Bids
Benton County commissioners reject four steel-bridge bids and hire the Coast Bridge Company to replace the Yakima River crossing with two Howe-truss spans.
- Local Contractor Wins Highway Bid Amid Board Debate
County Commissioners grapple with local versus lowest-cost bidding in the construction of the Kennewick-Finley Highway.
- Benton County's Courthouse Fight Turns Into a Four-Commissioner Circus
A newly elected commissioner is kept waiting, a courthouse contract is let in defiance of a court order, and $125,000 in bonds leave just $1,362 for furnishings.
- Street Improvements Coming to Second Street
A new contract with a Walla Walla firm promises to modernize a major downtown corridor by May.
- The Fight for the Finley Highway
A political brawl between Benton County towns erupts over construction of a new permanent highway, pitting local taxpayers against county officials.
- The Bizarre Legal Battle for the Benton County Courthouse
A sprawling court fight over the construction contract has pulled in an army of attorneys, stalling the project and complicating the county's civic future.
- New Benton County Board Vows to Topple Courthouse Deal
Commissioners Bash and Pratt fire legal counsel and challenge the legitimacy of the previous board's construction contracts.
- The Fight for a Practical Highway
Local farmers and business owners clash with state planners over the expensive materials chosen for the Kennewick-Finley road.
- The European War Ate Kennewick's Bond Sale
Voters approved $23,000 in funding bonds in June. By October the paper was still locked in a Denver vault, the city was still paying interest on its old warrants, and Keeler Brothers blamed a war half a world away.
- Local Labor Beats the Low Bid on the Kennewick-Finley Road
County commissioners chose Kennewick’s Wm. Morain over the lowest bidder because he promised local crews and teams instead of trucks.
- The Failed Recall of Benton County Commissioners
A political movement to unseat local officials fizzles out as residents and neighboring papers dismiss the effort as unnecessary discord.
- The Never-Ending Court House Legal War
A legal stalemate in Benton County leaves lawyers, litigants, and commissioners in a dizzying spiral of injunctions and contempt charges.
- Engineers Warned the Kennewick–Richland Bridge Was Dangerous
With the old Yakima River crossing judged too flimsy to repair, county commissioners prepared to let a contract for a new steel highway bridge by the end of December 1916.
- The Courthouse Contract Benton County Couldn't Swallow
Commissioners Clements and McNeill let a courthouse contract and issued a warrant without advertising for bids. A judge said they were within the law; the Courier-Reporter said the taxpayers would remember.
- The Lame-Duck Courthouse Deal That a Judge Had to Stop
Benton County's outgoing commissioners rammed through a courthouse contract and a $9,500 payment in their final hours — and the next morning the state Supreme Court's restraining order landed on the table.
- Turning Surplus Grapes into Liquid Assets
A Kennewick factory steps in to process hundreds of tons of grapes, stabilizing market prices for local farmers.
- The Irrigation Skeptics Proven Wrong
A local farmer fights regional agricultural myths with thirty tons of seed potatoes.
- Building Move Turns Dangerous for Contractor
A routine building relocation in Kennewick turns into a medical emergency when a heavy-duty cable fails, breaking a man's leg.