Sewer Scandal Erupts in Ballard
A fiery public meeting exposes alleged corruption, faulty materials, and a disgraced official's messy history.
The story, cleaned up
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A mass meeting was held in Ballard on Saturday to discuss the suspected corruption in the construction of the city's new sewer system. C.A. Reynolds, who addressed the crowd, criticized Mayor Mackie and accused contractors of robbing the public. He produced a piece of Manila rope to demonstrate that the work was not using the specified materials. Reynolds alleged that he had traveled to Walla Walla to investigate George Worley, who had been hired to inspect the Ballard sewers. He claimed Worley was involved in a water scandal during his time as a sewer superintendent in Walla Walla. Worley, who was present, jumped to his feet and threw $50 in gold on the platform, offering to bet that the claims were false. The money was returned to the betters after a committee member pointed out that gambling is a felony. The committee intends to demand the dismissal of Worley and other inspectors to uncover whether the city council is complicit in the contractors' fraud.
“What is this? It is Manila rope, but the contractors would have us believe that it was tarred oakum.”
This 1903 conflict over sewer construction and municipal oversight mirrors modern-day anxieties about transparency in public works projects. Even then, the battle over municipal contracts was framed as a fundamental test of whether City Hall served the residents or the private contractors.
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