1894-08-31-sc-p4-stevens-county-petition-against-lapray-bridge
August 31, 1894 Spokane Daily Chronicle Page 4:
STEVENS COUNTY KICKS
'/'Citizens Demand That the Award of Contract For the Building of the Lapray Pridge Be Rescinded.
WILL GO TO LAW OVER IT
Stevens County Contractors Propose to Have a Chance At the Job.
Chewelah, Wash, Aug, 31,—The action of the board of county commissioners of Stevens county, in co-operating with the board of county commissioners of Spokane county, in the letting of the contract for the joint construction of the Lapray bridge over the Spokane river on a line between the two counties, has stirred up the ire of the population of this section of the country to a pitch that is more easily explained by the following petition now in circulation, and which is being signed almost unanimously:
To the Honorable Board of County Commissioners, Stevens County, Washington. Gentlemen:—We, the undersigned taxpayers of Stevens county, Washington, do most respectfully represent, that
Whereas—The respective boards of county commissioners of Stevens and Spokane counties, did, in the City of Spokane, in joint session on Aug. 28, 1894, let the contract for the construction of the Lapray bridge, to be built over the Spokane river on the line between the two counties, for the contract price and sum of $2,974, and
Whereas—The said contract was let upon the motion of the said board of county commissioners without first submitting the proposition for bids to Stevens county contractors by advertising in the usual way in Stevens county, and
Whereas—The population of Stevens county is less than 7,000 people and that of Spokane county is more than 40,000 people; and the assessed valuation of property of Stevens county is about $2,000,000, while the assessed valuation of Spokane county is reputed to be not less than $38,000,000, and
Whereas—The expense of the said structure, according to the agreement between the said boards of commissioners is to be equally divided between and shared by both counties alike, and
Whereas— There is a very small portion of the territory in Stevens county to be accommodated and benefited by said bridge, and
Whereas—The board of county commissioners have either allowed themselves to be duped and led about by designing persons, or else they have exercised an absolute lack of judgment and a species of indifference to the citizens and taxpayers of Stevens county that merits the censure of all good citizens, and considering it an unwarranted and culpable invasion upon the rights of the citizens of Stevens county,
Therefore—We respectfully request and demand that the award of said contract be rescinded, and that the whole matter be resubmitted, and in such a way as will insure proper publicity alike to the citizens of both Spokane and Stevens county.
Dated at Chewelah, Stevens county, Wasb, Aug. 30, 1804.
It is claimed that the successful bidders furnished the plans and specifications to the county auditor of Stevens county over two weeks ago, and that there was plenty of time for the submission of the proposition to build the bridge to the people of Stevens county by advertising in the local papers, Why this was not done is not sufficiently explained by the interested members of the board, They submit as their excuse that they had not time in which to give notice, but this can not be the case, since the notice was given in Spokane papers after it had been settled upon that the contract would be let. This is the excuse of the chairman of the board. Mr. Hilts says that the plans and specifications were not on file in Stevens county at the time the advertisement was settled upon, but the auditor’s office will not bear out this assertion for the reason that the plans were on file on the 19th day of August.
When pressed for a plausible excuse for their action in not giving the Stevens county contractors a chance at the job, Chairman McEvers is reported as saying that there was no use for the Stevens county contractors to hope to successfully compete with Spokane contractors, There is no question about the bridge being a very urgent necessity, and the citizens of Stevens county are probably as anxious to see it built at an early date as are the people of Spokane county, but the Stevens county people are contending for a fair shake, and propose to have it, even if they have to resort to the courts for relief,
