Who Gets to Dig Seattle’s Sewers? Knights of Labor Accuse City Hall of Hiring by Party Ticket
A labor committee charges that Seattle’s sewer crews were filled with nonresidents and Democratic loyalists while taxpaying workmen were turned away—and that some men were paid for less than they worked.
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An investigation ordered by Queen City Local Assembly 3,413, Knights of Labor, produced a committee report to the mayor and city officials on the methods followed in employing workmen on the sewers. The committee spent four or five days on the investigation and addressed the officials directly:
‘Gentlemen: You promised the citizens and taxpayers of Seattle that you would be honest and faithful to your trust as public officers. ... Why did your most honorable city officials employ more than 300 men who had no residence in Seattle, and whose names could not be found in the city directory, to work upon the city sewers? Why did you rudely refuse work to honest men whose homes are in Seattle and who pay taxes in Seattle, and give work to men who had no residence in this city nor interest in it whatever? Why did some of you honorable officials insult respectable citizens when they asked for work by telling them to go and live on the city charity; that you would not employ them even though they had a letter from Grover Cleveland? Why is it that men are compelled to obtain tickets from the chairman of the Democratic committee, or from a certain member of said committee, or from a certain official, before they could work on city sewers? Why is it that so large a number of men have not received full credit for their work? Many have lost one-half day to a full day. Why is it that certain men are permitted to work two shifts each day, while there are many able-bodied men who have large families to support whom you have and do persistently ignore? We ask you as citizens and taxpayers to explain this unusual conduct of public officials. We ask an explanation; will you give it?’
“Why is it that men are compelled to obtain tickets from the chairman of the Democratic committee ... before they could work on city sewers?”
The fight over who gets city work—and whether jobs are distributed by residency, need or political loyalty—is as Seattle as rain. The Knights’ demand for an explanation anticipates modern debates over local-hire rules, patronage and public contracting.
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