City Council Settles Deadly Runaway Claim
A tragic workplace accident leads to a $750 settlement after the city is sued for the death of an employee.
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.
There was an expression of surprise on the faces of the councilmen last night when the clerk read a communication from Attorney Gover Teats, stating that his client, Mrs. Gunderson, would compromise her $15,000 damage suit against the city for $750. About a year ago Mrs. Gunderson's husband, who was then in the employ of the city, was killed in a runaway while going to work, and a damage suit resulted. Councilman Whitman, of Old Town, was at first opposed to a settlement. He said that the offer of a compromise showed that there was no merit in the claim. After several of the councilmen had spoken, City Attorney Ellis stated that he was in favor of the compromise. He said he had considered the matter carefully and believed that this settlement was the best the city could do. The council acted upon Mr. Ellis' suggestion.
“The offer of a compromise showed that there was no merit in the claim.”
This reflects the early municipal struggle of managing liability and worker safety in a rapidly industrializing Tacoma. Today, similar disputes over municipal worker deaths or injury are handled through state-administered Labor and Industries claims, but the tension between 'merit' and budget-conscious settlements remains a constant in city politics.
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