A Packed Seattle Council Refuses to Reconsider Andrew Jackson—and Spars Over Work for the Unemployed

The city council transacted a large amount of important business last night, and the meeting was characterized by several lively scenes. The board refused to reconsider the vote confirming the appointment of Andrew Jackson as a member of the board of public works. It again referred the petition of the Industrial Co-operative Society to committee, ordered the rearrangement of street names, heard a new telephone franchise request, and had a wrangle over a street railway and the operation of the Rainier Mill street railway.

The council chamber was crowded with men, many of whom were interested in Jackson's appointment and others waiting to see what would be done with the Industrial Co-operative Society. Sweeney moved to reconsider the vote rejecting Jackson. Compton seconded the motion, but it failed, practically the same vote as at the last meeting, with the exception of Sweeney's vote. The action practically settled Jackson's fate.

Jordan spoke at length in favor of giving the members of the Industrial Co-operative Society a little work, enough to give them food. He moved that the board of public works be instructed to employ five men each day from the society. Compton said he sympathized with the unemployed, but favored a joint committee to confer and report a plan. After a long debate the matter was referred back for a report at the next meeting. Jordan wondered why the committee had not reported before, and Compton told him it was because Jordan had not come around to attend the called meeting.

Comptroller Parry reported on the condition of the city's finances, explaining that much of the money in the treasury was tied up in special funds, outstanding bonds and pay-roll assignments, leaving little available for general purposes. A joint resolution directing the city engineer to prepare an ordinance rearranging and simplifying duplicate street names was adopted. A committee report favoring a petition from the Union Trunk Line to stop operating two blocks was attacked by Dr. Jordan, who said the company had lied to the council and was lying now about the property owners; the report was adopted.

An ordinance granting a new telephone franchise was passed, and a claim by A. J. Hartley for the reward offered for the capture of Blanck was rejected. An ordinance appropriating money for the completion of the Lake Union sewer tunnel was also passed.