Tacoma's Waterworks: A Buyback Offer Raises Eyebrows

Tacoma, March 9 — Special. — Joshua Peirce, who has in his possession C. B. Wright's alleged proposition to buy back the water plant, strenuously claims that the proposition is made in good faith and asserts equally as emphatically that the fact that Mr. Wright has offered him a $50,000 commission on the purchase cuts absolutely no figure with him. Mr. Peirce says he is working solely in the interests of the city. The paragraph in Wright's letter to Peirce referring to the purchase is as follows: 'It seems to be an easy matter for yourself and others in Tacoma to attribute to acts of mine this great depression—yet if the official figures published at Tacoma are correct in regard to the income of the plant I sold to the city they would seem to have a pretty good thing. I will say right here if you will get an option from the city to resell to me or any responsible party I may name the plant I sold for the money I received I will pay you a commission of $50,000 and will only ask for the option not to exceed sixty days.' For several hours this morning Judge Parker listened to the argument in the contempt proceedings brought against the mayor, city attorney and board of public works. Robert P. Rigney brought the proceedings, alleging that the city officials should be adjudged in contempt as they had failed to obey the court's injunction to cease taking Clover creek water until the city had satisfied the judgment secured in the condemnation proceedings. City Attorney Wickersham argued before the court that the fact that proceedings in an appeal from the verdict in the condemnation suit had been taken by the city acted as a bar to the injunction being in force, and therefore there had been no contempt. The matter was taken under advisement.