USA > Washington > Benton County > History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. I > Part 51
USA > Washington > Kittitas County > History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. I > Part 51
USA > Washington > Yakima County > History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. I > Part 51
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SEC. 23. Any city which shall have operated for more than six years under the provisions of this act may abandon such organization hereunder, and accept the provisions of the general law of the state of Washington then applicable to cities of its population.
Upon the petition of not less than twenty-five per centum of the electors of such city a special election shall be called, to which the following proposi- tion only shall be submitted: "Shall the city of (name of city) abandon its organization as a city under commission and become a city under the general law governing cities of like population?"
If a majority of the votes cast at such special election be in favor of such proposition, the said city shall become organized under the general law and the first election of city officers under the general law shall be held on the date of the next general city election of cities of its class ; but such change shall not in any manner or degree affect the property, rights, or liabilities of any nature of such city, but shall merely extend to such change in its form of government.
The sufficiency of such petition shall be determined, the election ordered and conducted, and the results declared, generally, as provided by Section 20 of this act, in so far as the provisions thereof are applicable.
SEC. 24. Petitions provided for in this act shall be signed by none but legal voters of the city. Each petition shall contain, in addition to the names of the petitioners, the street and house number in which the petitioner resides, his age and length of residence in the city. It shall also be accompanied by the affidavit of one or more legal voters of the city stating that the signers thereof were, at the time of signing, legal voters of said city, and the number of signers at the time the affidavit was made.
SEC. 25. An emergency exists, and this act shall take effect immediately.
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The city commission government, thus instituted, has justified itself in the minds of the citizens of Yakima and of the other cities of the state which have adopted it.
It is of interest to remember that it was sustained by the Supreme Court in a test case.
CITY OFFICIALS FORM FIRST ORGANIZATION TO DATE
We give at this point the list of mayors and clerks to the present time.
1886-Edward Whitson, mayor.
Fred Parker, clerk.
1888-Fred R. Reed, mayor.
O. A. Fechter, clerk.
1890-A. H. Reynolds, acting mayor.
O. A. Fechter, clerk.
1891-R. K. Nichols, mayor. John Reed, acting mayor.
F. M. Spain, clerk. George W. Redman, clerk.
1891-A. B. Weed, mayor. G. W. Redman, clerk. R. K. Nichols, clerk.
1892-A. B. Weed, mayor. G. W. Redman, clerk.
1893-W. F. Prosser, mayor. Joseph Bartholet, clerk.
1894-W. L. Jones and W. H. Redman had a tie vote of 177. As a result there was a special election by which W. H. Redman became mayor; James R. Coe, clerk.
1896-W. H. Redman, mayor. James R. Coe, clerk.
Up to this point elections had been in May, but with this year they were changed to December. Election of this year resulted :
O. A. Fechter, mayor. H. B. Voorhees, clerk.
1897-,O. A. Fechter, mayor. H. B. Doust, clerk.
1898-O. A. Fechter, mayor. H. B. Doust, clerk. 1899-W. H. Redman, mayor. H. B. Doust, clerk. 1900-O. A. Fechter, mayor. H. B. Doust, clerk. 1901-O. A. Fechter, mayor. H. B. Doust, clerk.
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1902-A. J. Shaw, mayor. H. B. Doust, clerk. 1903-O. A. Fechter, mayor. J. C. Brooker, clerk. 1904-O. A. Fechter, mayor. J. C. Brooker, clerk. 1905-Walter J. Reed, mayor. J. C. Brooker, clerk.
1906-O. A. Fechter, mayor.
J. C. Brooker, clerk. 1907-Henry H. Lombard, mayor. J. C. Brooker, clerk.
1908-Philip M. Armbruster, mayor.
J. C. Brooker, clerk.
1909-Philip M. Armbruster, mayor.
J. C. Brooker, clerk.
1910-In this year there was a special contest for mayor between the business men's party and the socialists. The result was :
H. H. Schott, business men's ticket, 841.
S. H. Patterson, socialist, 373.
J. C. Brooker, clerk.
1911-This was a year of special interest. There was a vote on issuance of bonds to the amount of $50,000, for a sewerage system. Affirmative, 348.
Negative, 138.
In this year also the commission charter was submitted and the vote was :
Affirmative, 963. Negative, 148.
On September 9, 1911, the first election under the commission form of government was held. It is of interest to preserve here the tabulated results of that election. They were as follows:
For mayor: A. J. Splawn, 2,364; Pat Mullins, 1,380.
For commissioners: J. C. Brooker, 1,847; Simeon Dupree, 937; Wilbur Crocker, 1,860; William H. Redman, 2,645.
The total registered vote was 4,574, and the vote cast was 3,767.
In the election of December 8, 1914, the results were these :
For mayor: J. F. Barton, 2,547 ; W. F. Buck, 1,725.
For commissioners: F. P. Baker, 2,061; Harry Coonse, 2,288; Wilbur Crocker, 2,137; J. T. Foster, 1,827.
R. V. Hooper was appointed clerk.
1917-In the election of December 3, 1917, the results were as follows :
For mayor: Forrest H. Sweet, 1,273; B. F. McCurdy. 1,242.
For commissioners: H. F. Marble, 1,484; W. D. McNair, 1,904; W. W. Doty, 1,384.
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SOME SPECIAL CAMPAIGNS
Most municipal elections in Yakima have been comparatively peaceful, but on a few occasions there have been high feelings. The election of 1903 seems to have been one of those.
The files of the press furnish some data on that election which will prob- ably excite more smiles than frowns in the retrospect, and hence we deem it safe to insert here home forecasts from the "Democrat" of November 7th of that year as to the forthcoming election.
The Yakima Democrat, November 7, 1903 :
THE CITY CAMPAIGN.
MUNICIPAL POLITICS WARMING UP-EARLY CONVENTIONS TO BE HELD AND Two TICKETS TO BE PLACED IN THE FIELD.
It begins to look as though the municipal campaign, now on, will prove to be the warmest thing of its kind that ever happened before it draws to a close on election day, December 8, which will decide the matter.
Never before in the history of North Yakima, has so much interest been shown in a city campaign as is evidenced this year and with election day still a month in the future.
Already two conventions have been called to nominate candidates for the different city offices to be filled. The first open move tor the calling of a convention was made evident Thursday of last week by the appearance sud- denly of hand bills signed by "a committee" announcing that primaries would be held in the three wards of this city the evening of November 5, to select delegates to a nominating convention to be held November 12. With the appearance of the anonymous hand bills local politicians at once began to evince an interest in the campaign and the question was asked perhaps a thousand times, "Who is doing this?" No one apparently was able to answer this question until Henry Lombard was approached. Like the distinguished Father of his Country, the genial Lombard would not lie, neither would he equivocate, as politicians sometimes do. On the other hand he was quite frank and was willing to take the newspaper men into his confidence and make a clean breast of it. He stated that the movement originated with a few busi- ness men who had determined to take a keen interest in the coming municipal election, not that they desired the honors or emoluments of office for them- selves, but for the general good of the city. Questioned as to the frame-up of the new combination for city offices, Mr. Lombard had nothing to give out except to admit that those in the movement had signified their preference for H. B. Riggs for the office of city attorney. It is said that Mr. Lombard's associates in planning the campaign are Alexander Miller, A. B. Weed, E. B. Moore and Rev. H. M. Bartlett. The name of Phil A. Ditter was also con- nected with the movement, but that gentleman asserts that he is taking no part in city politics.
On Wednesday of this week another hand-bill was circulated on the streets signed by "many citizens," announcing that on Tuesday evening,
UTAH-IDAHO SUGAR COMPANY'S PLANT, YAKIMA
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November 10th, a public mass meeting would be held at the city hall to place in nomination a set of candidates for the city offices. So that it is evident that there will be two full tickets in the field and that there will soon be things a-doing.
The city offices to be filled at the coming election are as follows: Mayor, clerk, attorney, treasurer, health officer and five councilmen, one at large, two from the first ward, one from the second ward and one from the third ward, the ont-going councilmen being Keck at large, Moran and Harrison from the first ward, Wyman from the second ward, and Liggett from the third; Fisher of the second and Switzer of the third ward, will hold over for another year.
The candidates most freely mentioned for nomination on the so-called business men's ticket are O. A. Fechter, W. B. Dudley and Frank Horsley for mayor; R. K. Nichols and George S. Vance for clerk; H. B. Riggs and L. O. Meigs for attorney, and F. G. Drew for health officer.
For councilmen, H. K. Sinclair, W. I. Lince and F. C. Hall are talked of in the first ward, W. B. Dudley, A. B. Weed, Alex. Miller, and U. F. Dietman in the second ward, while Robert Scott and W. M. Watt are mentioned for the place in the third.
In the aggregation presumed to favor the nomination of a citizens' ticket, a forecast as to probable nominees would be rather difficult to make. Except for the nomination for city attorney there are not, as yet, many candidates in evidence. Mayor Shaw, it is understood, while not actively seeking a renomi- nation, is not averse to holding down the mayorship for another term in case a majority of his fellow citizens desire him to do so. Councilman Wyman is also spoken of in connection with the office of mayor as is also Miles Cannon and Ira P. Englehart. For clerk, the present incumbent, H. B. Doust, seems to have no opposition as it is generally assumed that "grandpa" is a hard man to go up against. For city attorney, Vestal Snyder, the present incumbent, has no desire to enter the race for his official shoes. W. M. Thompson, I. M. Krutz, Charles E. Forsyth and J. O. Cull are all mentioned for the place. The contest for the nomination promises to be interesting.
For health officer on the citizens' ticket, Dr. P. Frank is the only candi- date mentioned. For treasurer, C. S. Donovan, the present efficient incumbent, will probably have no opposition for the nomination, as Mr. Donovan is gen- erally regarded as a good vote getter and a hard man to beat.
For councilmen, Harry Moran and R. N. Harrison are talked of as their own successors in the first ward as is also Frank Sinclair for one of the vacant places.
In the second ward, Councilman Wyman in case he is not nominated for mayor, will doubtless be asked to run again, although he is known to be averse to serving another term on the council. C. C. Case and H. D. Winchester are also mentioned for councilmen for that ward. In the third, where Councilman Liggett retires, no candidates are as yet in evidence. Mr. Liggett's friends desire that he should stand for the place again, but he is said to be unwilling to do so.
The primaries were held Thursday night in the three wards of this city with a fair attendance. The following gentlemen were elected delegates to the
(28)
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city convention to be held November 12th: First ward, H. K. Sinclair, E. O. Kelso, J. A. Kleis, P. Y. Heckman, J. T. Haines, George F. McAulay, Wm. Rand, J. A. Leach.
Second ward, H. H. Lombard, George Donald, Daniel Sinclair, H. D. Winchester, W. A. Bell, W. M. Watt, James Greene, J. H. Fraser, A. B. Weed.
Third ward, Robert Scott, Walter J. Reed, W. J. Aumiller, B. L. Bull, C. H. Hinman, H. V. Holden.
The election occurred on December 8th, and in the issue of December 12th, the Democrat reports and comments thus :
IT WAS A LANDSLIDE.
THE MUNICIPAL ELECTION IN THIS CITY TUESDAY RESULTS IN PRONOUNCED
DEFEAT FOR THE CITIZENS' TICKET-WHO WAS THE JONAH ?
The biggest surprise in the history of municipal politics in North Yakima followed in the wake of the voting in this city last Tuesday. It was a good deal of a surprise to everybody, the victors as well as the vanquished. It was a snow storm, a blizzard, a landslide and an earthquake all combined. And yet there was hardly a ripple on the surface. Everything was quiet and serene. The people for once seem to have taken the advice of the Yakima Republic by simply keeping their mouths shut and voting. The silent voter did the work
The People's ticket won out all along the line except for the single office of treasurer, where C. R. Donovan, the present incumbent of that office, defeated John W. Sindall, the People's candidate, by a majority of 112 votes. That Mr. Donovan was elected at all under such circumstances, is evidence that he is a vote getter and that the people are satisfied that he is the right man in the right place. It should be remembered too that a good man was pitted against him in the race.
Oscar A. Fechter was for the sixth time elected mayor, though not con- secutively, securing a majority of 182 over W. J. Wyman. Mr. Fechter car- ried all three wards of the city and the size of his majority surprised everybody. The biggest surprise of the day, however, was in the defeat of H. B. Doust, who since January, 1897, has filled the office of city clerk. "Grandpa" Doust was beaten by 59 votes by J. C. Brooker. Mr. Doust had been regarded as "invincible"; otherwise he might have been pulled through.
For attorney James O. Cull defeated William M. Thompson by a majority of 190 votes, Mr. Cull carrying all three wards. The defeated aspirant took his defeat good naturedly, as did all the losers in fact, and lost no time in congratulating his successful opponent.
For health officer Dr. Carver defeated Dr. Frank by a majority of 301, which is exactly the same score that D. M. Rand made against R. N. Harrison in the contest for councilman from the first ward. It is difficult to understand why Dr. Frank should have been pelted so severely by the voters in view of the splendid record made by him during the several years that he acted as health officer of this city. But the verdict is heavily against him, just the same.
For councilman at large L. L. Thorp defeated Frank D. Clemmer, citizens' nominee, by 129. For long term councilman from the first ward, H. K. Sinclair
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defeated Harry Moran by 217, while as before noted, D. M. Rand defeated R. N. Harrison by 301. For councilman from the second ward, W. B. Dudley won out over C. C. Case, the citizens' candidate, by 224, while B. F. Bull of the third ward defeated A. N. Short by 141 votes.
The next city council will therefore consist of the five people's candidates elected Tuesday in addition to the two holdover members elected last year on the citizens' ticket, namely, Thomas R. Fisher from the second ward and A. F. Switzer from the third ward.
EDITORIAL
A number of very good men went down to defeat at the municipal election held in this city last Tuesday. We have heard, as yet, no good reason advanced why these men should have been turned down so relentlessly except that the community was for the time being in a wrathful frame of mind, the majority of the voters being determined to make a decided change in the personnel of the city government.
The cause of this local upheaval is due almost entirely to the dissatisfac- tion on the part of the people with one single act of the present city council, to wit: the extension of the Yakima Water, Light & Power Company's fran- chise for a period of twenty-five years.
Under all the circumstances the extension of this franchise was not the monstrous crime that the people of this city have been led to believe. Where the mistake was made was that the council did not invite the public, especially the taxpayers of the city, to take part in the discussion and accept a share of responsibility in this important matter. The editor of this paper both publicly and privately urged that this course be taken by the city administration, but it was not, and the result is disaster.
As a matter of fact this city is a good deal better off under the provisions of the new franchise than it was under the old. It can control the corporation better, will be given an improved service and will save a considerable amount of money under the new ordinances.
In common fairness the council took into consideration too the company's side of the question. This corporation although it has been in existence for a period of fourteen years has never yet declared a dividend. The net earnings of the system, for what years there have been any net earnings, have been put back into the system in the way of improvements and extensions and even then it has been found necessary to borrow a considerable sum of money in the effort to keep up with the growth of this widely scattered town.
None of these things, however, were mentioned by the people's party in the demagogic appeal made for votes. A corporation can always be pictured as a hungry monster seeking whom it may devour and it seems to have been done in this case. There were but two men on the citizen's ticket who voted to pass the franchise ordinances, whether good or bad. The other candidates on the ticket, however, with the exception of the nominee for treasurer, were likewise slaughtered at the polls although they had no more to do with the
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passage of the ordinances than so many citizens of the old town. The result shows a lack of discrimination on the part of the voters.
The new regime will soon be ushered in. The DEMOCRAT trusts that the new administration will act for the best interest of the city and its people. We are inclined to believe that promises have been made that the mayor and council will find hard to fulfill, but they are entitled to a fair chance and so far as this paper is concerned they will have it.
Perhaps the question which excited most interest in the whole history of the municipality was that vital one of water.
On August 23, 1906, an address to the voters of the city was given by the "Municipal Ownership Committee" which contains so much valuable matter bearing on the existing conditions of the time that, despite the length of this chapter, we include it here.
To the Voters of North Yakima-A Plain Statement of Facts Regarding the City Water Question-Numerous Reasons Why the People Should Decide in Favor of Municipal Ownership of the Water Works at the Special Election August 28th, 1906.
Fellow Citizens: At the city election, held in December last, municipal ownership of the city's water supply was made distinctly an issue of the cam- paign and as a result the voters of this city at the polls, by a decisive majority, declared their belief in that principle, electing to office the candidates standing upon the municipal ownership platform and pledged to use their best endeavors to carry the same into effect.
The mayor and a majority of the council have thus far made good their pledge to the people. After canvassing the subject carefully and viewing the matter from every standpoint, the city government has called a special election to be held Tuesday, August 28th. The purpose of this special election is to submit the question of whether or not the council shall begin condemnation pro- ceedings against the present water plant of the Northwest Light & Water Com- pany with the view to municipal ownership of the system. Under the law it will require a three-fifths majority of the voters in the affirmative to carry the proposition.
There is absolutely no question of the city's financial ability to purchase the water plant of the N. W. L. & W. Company providing that such property can be secured at anything like its real value, a fact which must be established through legal proceedings.
The valuation of all taxable property in the city, according to the assess- ment roll for 1906, is approximately $4,500,000. These figures will doubtless be lowered somewhat, but not much, by the board of equalization now in ses- sion. Upon the basis of a $4,500,000 assessment the city has the legal right to float special water bonds to the extent of five per cent. of that sum, or $225,000. These bonds, or the principal thereof, it should be remembered, would consti-
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tute a lien against the water plant and not against the city proper. The city, however, would be required to guarantee the interest on the water bonds.
Competent engineers estimate the value of the present water plant at $119,000. The city council has increased this estimate to $145,000. The plant was assessed this year for $82,340. This amount, however, is exclusive of the company's franchise and also its water right. Under condemnation proceed- ings the purchase price for the system would be computed by a jury and passed by the court.
The water service given by the Northwest Light & Water Company is in a number of ways most unsatisfactory. We maintain that its charges are uni- formly too high; that owing to the existence of numerous "dead ends" the system is an unsanitary one. No effort has been made to install either a filter or a settling basin which are vitally necessary parts of a complete system. Neither has the system kept pace with the rapid and constant growth of the city.
We believe that North Yakima has, or should have, a bright future and that at the expiration of another ten-year period it should have a population of 30,000 people. We should bear in mind, however, that an efficient water service, or the lack of it, will have, much to do with our future-growth and- prosperity. In order to realize our ambition in the matter of growth North Yakima must be made a city of beautiful homes and a healthy city in which to live. The old saying that "water is life," particularly applies to this senii-arid region.
The present franchise of the N. W. L. & W. Company has twenty-eight years in which to run. It is a jug-handled instrument that was foisted upon the people by a past city administration of which better things were expected. This franchise protects and fosters the interests of the water company, but affords virtually no protection to its patrons. It is a masterpiece of injustice, inequality and false pretenses.
If we are forced to live under it until its expiration the people of North Yakima will have paid for a water system ten times over and will still have none.
The need of better fire protection for the city is evident to every observing citizen. Recent fires have shown the inadequacy of the present system in this important respect. There is no encouragement for capital to erect costly build- ings here until this serious defect has been remedied.
Owing to the hostility of the daily papers of this city towards the local application of the principle of municipal ownership this committee finds it necessary to lay the facts before the voters in this manner, for the columns of the dailies are open only to their friends.
We candidly submit these facts to the people, believing that the qualified voters of the city will render a just verdict in the case at the polls on Tuesday, August 28th.
Remember, that you can not vote on this important proposition unless you are registered and that the registration books will close August 17th. If you are not registered GO AND REGISTER NOW.
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In connection with this question we submit the following points for the voter's consideration :
The public health requires municipal ownership of the water supply.
The city demands better fire protection. Municipal ownership will supply that need largely by supplying new hydrants for the residence districts as well as· an increased pressure.
The rapid growth of North Yakima is in itself an argument for public ownership of the water system. The city is growing in every direction and the necessity for immediate extension of the system is urgent. The present company is not sufficiently responsive in this respect.
-- Municipal ownership of the water supply would prove a splendid advertise- ment for the city. We are behind a majority of cities of our size and proni- inence in this respect. Strangers and possible investors frequently remind us of this fact. Corporation control of a city's water system is not in conformity with the spirit of the age in which we live.
i .. The "dead ends" of the present system are in the highest sense unsanitary and constitute a menace to the health of many of our people. Under municipal ownership the present plant would immediately be converted into a thoroughly circulating system.
The minimum monthly cost of water for a five-room house or less, should not exceed fifty cents. The present rate is one dollar. Municipal ownership should, and doubtless would, mean a considerable saving to every home owner in the city.
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