The Forged Petition That Nearly Paved Second Street—and the Council Fight That Followed

The movement for the paving of Second street with vitrified brick, with granite curbings, from Yesler avenue to Pike street, which seems to be the desire of the majority of the property holders along that street, is now awaiting the action of the council and depends on whether the city can afford to pay its share of the cost. On February 13 last the first petition was drawn up and circulated and out of the eighty-six lot holders along the street for the distance to be paved, forty-six signed, but the petition was not deemed valid, the scope not being sufficient and the terms not properly stated. After several had signed some one, not liking the reading of the petition, incorporated the words, "to be paved with vitrified brick," and then signed his own name. This made it very well for him, but was not doing justice to those who had previously signed, even though it might have met with their wishes.

Among the signatures on the first petition was that of Amos Brown, who later called on City Engineer Thomson and said that the signature was a forgery; that he never signed it, and moreover, never authorized any one to sign for him.

With these and other difficulties to contend with, it was deemed wise to abandon and set aside the petition and draw up a new one, which was done. The second petition has been numerously signed and complies with the law inasmuch as one-half of the property owners to be benefited on the street are represented. Thus matters dragged along until three weeks ago, when the finance committee notified the city engineer that no more money would be available for street paving and kindred improvements, and since that time the proposition has been dropped. But at the meeting of the council Monday evening the board of aldermen issued an order for "the paving of Second street in conformity with the petition on file in the city engineer's office," which again tends to complicate matters.

About six weeks ago a similar order was made and the city engineer drew up the desired ordinance and it is now in the possession of Alderman Compton, being referred to him as chairman of the street committee.

Thus it can be seen that the question is somewhat muddled. The cost of paving Second street in the manner desired would reach $50,000, of which amount the city's portion would be about $12,000. The charter provides two ways of authorizing improvements of this character; one is by petition from more than half of the property owners upon whom the cost will largely fall, and the other is by a two-third vote of the council. A great many people are in favor of the street being paved now, for it is argued that not only is the improvement needed, but labor and material are cheap and the work can be accomplished at this time for a much less figure than a few years hence, when money is freer and idle men are scarce.