The Political Hustle for Tacoma's Streets
As the Commissioner of Public Works lobbies for a raise for the Street Superintendent, political maneuvering behind the scenes suggests that Scott Snyder is the favored candidate for the lucrative city post.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Iam Welsh, Commissioner of Public Works, states that he is going to send a communication to the council this evening relative to lifting the salary of the Superintendent of Streets from $75 to $100 a month. 'It is impossible to obtain a man who is competent to fill that position for the salary that the city is paying at the present time,' said Mr. Welsh. Scott Snyder and Owen Woods are the candidates for the position. It was believed that Mr. Snyder was to be the building inspector, but Mayor Wright announced this morning that he had been appointed to the office temporarily. He is looked upon as the one favored for the position of street superintendent. Politicians say that Mr. Snyder is sure of some good position because he is one of the hardest workers in the party and deserves to be recognized.
“It is impossible to obtain a man who is competent to fill that position for the salary that the city is paying at the present time.”
Municipal appointments have long been used to reward loyal party workers, a practice that echoes in today's local government hiring controversies. The struggle to recruit 'competent' staff at city salary levels remains a central tension in Tacoma's administrative life.
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