Architects Allege Rigged School Design Contest
Local architects claim the selection of A.L. Haley for the West Seattle schoolhouse was pre-determined and never truly competitive.
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.
To the editor: I beg to correct the following statement in Monday's issue of your paper: 'The competition among the architects for the plans of the West Seattle schoolhouse resulted in favor of Architect A.L. Haley.' In justice to the Seattle architects, I would say that Mr. Haley was not awarded the work in competition. The Seattle architects were invited by postcard to submit designs, but when the three trustees met in session professedly to select a design for their building from those sent in, they did not even open to examine the drawings of the Seattle men, who had devoted several weeks to working up the drawings. Consequently, I repeat, the award was not given in competition.
“they did not even open to examine the drawings of the Seattle men, who had devoted several weeks to working up the drawings.”
Conflicts between professional standards and cronyism in municipal building projects are a long-standing tradition in Seattle politics. This letter highlights early tensions in the city's growth machine during the 1890s boom.
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