Battle over Pullman College Construction
A Seattle contractor faces a restraining order following allegations of fraud in the awarding of a state building bid.
Judge Parker has issued a restraining order on petition of D. C. Goss, prohibiting the board of regents of the Pullman Agricultural College from entering into a contract with S. Cameron of Seattle. The complaint alleges that the regents assigned the contract to Cameron, although his bid for the administration building was $43,000, while that of Goss, who is a local resident, was but $40,000. The complaint further states that the board prolonged the time within which bids were to be received to allow Cameron to submit his, that the bids were opened privately rather than publicly, and that the board fraudulently declared the Cameron bid the 'most responsible' despite Goss meeting all security requirements.
“The board prolonged the time within which bids were to be received so that Cameron could make his bid, and the bids were not opened publicly, but privately.”
Civic corruption in government contracting is a recurring theme in Seattle’s history. The tension between local bidders and larger contractors, exacerbated by 'insider' board decisions, echoes modern debates over transparency in public infrastructure spending.
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