The Sewer Scandal: Seattle Engineer Fired for Refusing Corrupt Bricks

Almost a public calamity has befallen the city. The Democratic machine has secured full control of the work on the public sewers, in what Mayor Ronald denounces as a sacrifice of the public welfare to reckless and unscrupulous partisanship. Two members of the board of public works, J. Cochran and J.N. Wolfe, removed Reginald H. Thomson from the office of city engineer and appointed Edwin Hall Warner, removing the only obstacle to political and pecuniary jobbery. The immediate cause of the removal was Thomson's intent to inspect the sewer line to ascertain the quality of the brick. It was required that materials should be extra hard-burned brick, but it was found that inferior, porous bricks were being purchased from a political ally without testing. Foreman Jimmy Campbell reported that for every 3,000 bricks required by the map, he was ordered to accept only 1,000. Additionally, Thomson refused to fire experienced married men in order to make room for political appointments. Mayor Ronald intends to ask the council to suspend work on the sewers until he can get at the true inwardness of this scheme.