City Hall's Battle Over the Sewers
Seattle's new city engineer clashes with the Board of Public Works over questionable construction projects and a lack of 'practical common sense.'
The story, cleaned up
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Edwin Hall Warner, the city's new acting city engineer, has been 'sat upon' by the Board of Public Works frequently, but he remains undeterred. Recently, he sent notice to the Windsor, Arlington, and other hotels that their sewerage would be stopped for a few days to make connections with the main sewer. Owners were terrified, fearing their hotels would be emptied of guests, until the Board of Public Works stepped in with 'simple suggestions' to divert the flow without the mass inconvenience. Furthermore, it appears that, without any legal ordinance, the Main Street sewer is being torn up and replaced. Accusations of jobbery are circulating, with former foreman James McNamara alleging that the previous engineer, R. H. Thomson, played favorites with the Seattle Brick and Tile Company in hopes of securing a future position. The board members are now openly bickering with Warner over his ability to simultaneously oversee the office and the tunnel construction.
“Let me tell you, Mr. Warner, that you cannot do this and give your attention to the office of city engineer and do justice to either place.”
Public works scandals and bureaucratic infighting have been a hallmark of Seattle politics since the city's infancy. The tension between technical engineering oversight and the political influence of the Board of Public Works remains a recognizable theme in local municipal governance.
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