The Price of Public Water: A Tacoma Corruption Scandal
A city councilman blows the whistle on a $1.35 million scheme to force the city to purchase a private utility plant.
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Councilman Berry, chairman of the light and water committee, revealed startling details about the pressure brought to bear on him to force the city to buy the water and light plant for $1,350,000. Berry had carefully calculated the value of the plant based on its physical assets and projected earnings, and when company agents refused to consider anything less than $1,800,000, he refused to sign off on the deal. He claimed he was pressured by fellow council members, including the council president, to push the proposition through to a public vote. He further alleged that while the committee eventually negotiated a reduction, internal telegrams suggested that the private owners were still manipulating the sale for profit, leading him to demand an inquiry into potential bribery.
“I also told them that this action in cutting down the price was good cause for the people to think that there was money in the deal. I insisted that there was money in it.”
This 1893 conflict over the private versus public ownership of water and light infrastructure mirrors the ongoing struggles Seattle has faced regarding the control of essential public utilities. The suspicion of 'boodle' and backroom deals at the turn of the century remains a potent thread in municipal politics as cities continue to weigh the cost of privatized services.
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