Tacoma's Water Chief Accused—and the City Hall Feud Behind It

TACOMA, July 14.—[Special.]—The water works scandal which was started eighteen months ago, when the plant was unloaded upon the city, reached a grand climax this afternoon, the cue for important developments being given this morning.

Mayor Orr sent to the council the name of George H. Hollidge for the office of superintendent of the water and light plants. The appointment was confirmed, with but one dissenting vote, Dr. Lee, late president of the council.

An hour later President Demorest, of the board of public works, appeared and at an opportune moment was granted permission to address the council. He charged Hollidge with dishonesty and produced affidavits to prove it. He had a bundle of affidavits, and the one which was read gives an idea of the others. In D. Davis' affidavit—the one read—he says he met Hollidge at Seattle just about the time Hollidge was going to Tacoma to take charge of the Tacoma Light and Water Company's plant. Davis swears he had a secret understanding with Hollidge whereby he was to come to Tacoma after Hollidge arrived and, under the guise of a complete stranger, be furnished work on the water plant. Davis says he came and was carried on the pay rolls of the water company while he was working in fact for Hollidge personally, and that, besides, he and Hollidge arranged to have Davis' name appear on the rolls for excess time, they to split what was made in that way. Davis also charged Hollidge with buying clothes for a released prisoner and charging them up to the company, and with pocketing the money for the clothes when the released prisoner subsequently returned it.

But this is not a marker to another move that has been engineered by the board of public works, and which has for its prime object the indictment of Hollidge by the United States grand jury now in session, for writing anonymous and obscene postal cards to the board. This end of the trouble Hollidge has been in the hands of the postal authorities for several days. These postal cards had something of the nature of those written by a … anarchist named Blackburn, for the writing of which he was sent to prison. In them the board, and especially Mr. Demorest, is called hard names and otherwise denounced. Some of them were written over a year ago, but for a long time no clue could be picked up as to the writer. Lately new facts tumbled into the lap of the board, and the investigation was pushed vigorously and turned over to the postal inspectors, who have been working on them and presumably looking at Hollidge.

For a few days it has been a case of life and death with the board, as the name of superintendent of the water and light plant was to be sent in under a recent ordinance of the council creating the office. The understanding has been that a part of the scheme to appoint the superintendent was to kill the board, inasmuch as the superintendent would practically usurp the duties of the board. But the job was to get the anonymous postal card case before the grand jury and have it fixed up in time to head off the appointment. To add to the dilemma the mayor notified those concerned to bring on their evidence against Hollidge. He spoke thus a week ago, he says, but no evidence appeared. This afternoon, after Hollidge's name had been sent upstairs for the confirmation of the council, Mr. Orr says the board of public works appeared and laid the affidavits before him, which were presented later to the council. In this regard the mayor says: 'I want an honest man in the office, and if the board or any individual can produce facts damaging to Mr. Hollidge's character, I will act in the matter.' This was after the appointment had been made, but before the affidavits were presented to the council by Mr. Demorest.

When Hollidge was told the affidavits would be presented to the council, he thought it ridiculous and improbable. Finally, when the reality of the thing was forced upon him, he made this statement: 'I know Davis. He used to work for me. I first met him here in Tacoma. I never knew him at Seattle. I never employed him to do any private work and charge it up to the company. I never divided with him.'

Immediately after Demorest threw his bombshell, Councilman Watson said: 'There is not an honester or more upright man in Tacoma than that man Hollidge, and you will find it so. I know him. Finally, as for that man Davis, he is crazy. I do not know what he is. He will swear he never made that affidavit. I have seen him go down on his knees in the streets of Tacoma, asking his salvation and praying.'

A committee was appointed to investigate the charges. Monday, at 10 a.m., the committee will get together, the council being requested to be present, together with Hollidge, the board of public works and others who are directly concerned. The affair is considered a nervy move for the mayor. The board is a luxury, and this is a mighty good handle for the fellows who want to kill it, because it has uncovered some of the rottenness of the water purchase deal. This board had the courage to look into the Thomas-Patterson springs and report that the water which the water-plant-sale manipulators said was there was not there. In fact, it was about 8,000,000 to 12,000,000 gallons per day short of being there. Besides, this same man Demorest made a finish fight against the purchase of the plant.

Mr. Hollidge is well known in Seattle. He was there from 1881 to 1889, and built the gas plant for Dexter Horton & Co., and also the water works for the late Mr. Yesler. He took charge of the light and water plant on coming here, and in 1889, when C. B. Wright made C. B. Hurley general superintendent, Hollidge could not stand it and resigned. He has ever since been at swords' points with Hurley. Hollidge was born in London, England, about 45 years ago, and has been on the Coast twenty years. One of the curious charges preferred against him, Rydstrom says, is that he used to be a member of the Salvation Army, and with others converted a horsethief. The horsethief on being released was given a suit of clothes, and those are the clothes supposed to be referred to by Davis, which he claims were charged up to the water company as excess time.

While describing Affiant Davis' Salvation Army antics, Councilman Watson dropped upon his knees, as if in prayer, being the first city officer ever seen on his knees during public debate.