The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-11-25
MIDNIGHT WORK.
The Cable Railway Occupies
Two Streets.
COLLISION BETWEEN FORCES.
The Electric Railway Protects Its
Rights to an Indispensable
Curve-An Armistiee-

certain amendments bad been made 30 the
original ordinance granting Ar. J. ".
Tborauson and his associates franchise
,rfyfieges along certain streets of Seattle,
rss innocent enough booking in itself bu,
II vas the fruitful source Of an episode
tb.. for a while created great excitement,
about 2 o'clock yesterday morning, and
the Absorbing topic OF conversation on the
streets during the day.
xIpEIGHT woRE.
when Nr. Thompson gained his original
franchise for cable road from Mn street
into Front; turning at unicn into second
sua thence along out 20 Depot, be found
thst he would be met with difficulty IN the
construction OF bis road along that portion
Of second street between Union and Pine
already occupied By the nam road and
switch Of the Seattle street Railway com
many. now vested IN the Seattle Electric
Motor and Power company. Negotiations
failed 10 secure an amicabse arrangement
by which both companies would operate
the sznne line along that single block Of
second street before the street railway
.urns off in its two branches
east and west into Pike There
fore Mr. Thompson quietly caused
an ordinance 70 be prepared granting him
an additional franchise along Front from
Union 20 Pine and thence mp 70 Second
street. snd also from Froat 10 Second stree.
siong Pike. The proposed ordinance had
previously been submitted TO the indi-
yfduai consideration OF the members of
the con neil, aud when il was brought up
for their action at their meeting Friday
pight they Immediately passed IT by a
unanimous vote. Ia anticipation OF favor
able action By the council, Mr.. Thompson
had gotten In readiness force Of 20 work
men. and IS soon as the ordinance was
signed by the mayor they were
set 10 work tearing up the street
planking and digging n trench along
The new route for the cable road on
both Pike and Front streets, paFalleiIng
the street railway for two blocks on both
streets The men worked steadily through
the night, and when morning arrived they
had made crest progress upon the trenen.
These immediate measures were taken BY
Mr. Thompson. IL IL understood, 10 head
OF any anticipated attempt at obstruction
OF the new line By the street railway. He
expected TO get 80 far along with the work
Of construction by morning that any en-
deayor AT prevention by the street railway
company would prove futile
a
The street-failway company, however,
looked on matters little differently. They
considered that II was in some way an at
tempt 10 take ''snap Judgment on them
and do injury to their interests. II had
been intended TO begin operations that
morning on the improved carve at the
corner OF Second and Pike, and 50 force
of men was set 10 work there. and they
commenced TO dig up the street Just inside
the present westerly turn. Aud there is
where the trouble began. The Thompson
crowd supposed the street railway had be-
run to construct q trench to intercept
them aud prevent their crossing the rail-
vay, and the strcetrailway crowd sup
posed that the Thompson crowd intended
10 cross the track without any regard for
their rights, privileges or interests.
The railway men had laid on two or
three ties of their curve. spiked down one
rail, asd were getting ready to place the
other, when Mr.. Thompson ordered his
men to tear up the new
track OF the railway. The men
advanced and attempted 10 pull up
the rail-, aud the street railway men resist
ed. Pulling, pushing. growing aud a little
swearing enaied, the street railway force
sitting down on the rails aud holding onto
them like grim death, aid the oppos
ing force making attempts that under less
serious circumstances would have ap-
peared laughAbie. 10 Dust them from thelf
sitting position by pulling mp the rails.
After some minutes OF the sinFu' ~ contest
Chief OF Police Mitchell appeared upon
the scene and ordered the men TO desist
which they readily did. The dispute had
been between the two forces good .humor.
cd, and had attracted a great crowd. but II
IL had continued few minutes longer the
result might have been bloody row
subsequently representatives Of the rival
roads came together and agreed upon AZ
armisfice until their respective attorneys
Mesers. struve. usines and McMickeu, for
the cable road. and Messrs. Burke and ilal
Ter for the street railway, could adjust the
difficulty.
JUDGE BuRxK's STATEMENT.
A reporter called upon Judge Burke al
his Office last evening 90 ascertain what
position the street railway intended TO take
in the trouble. and obtained from him the
following plain statement;
II might as well begin. said Judge
Burke, -'by reeiting the history of the Seat.
tie street railway enterprise, In 1884,
when Seattle was In the dumps as 4,
were. and with a very dark outlook for
business party of Boston capitalists was
prevailed npon 20 construct the present
Seattle street railway. in connection with
several citizens Of this city. The road was
finished, equipped and operated At q
dead loss for three years, when the in
rreAslng business aud activity of the city
placed IL upon footing where
IL began to pay expenses. Then
IL was that IL was decided 10 further i'm
prove the road. and from the Seattle street
railway, with one or two other companies
holding street franchises. was formed the
l.
ny. This corporation, whose principal
hseken were Mr.. r. III, OssoOd, represent
ing the HastOn capitalists. and several Sc
attic eiiixens. foremost IT whom were Dr.
X. Z. Kilbonrnc and Mr. L. H. Griffith, ar.
ranged for the construction aud operation
Of an electric street railway. along the liue
OF thr old track. OF the latest and most ap-
proved pattern. This enterprise necessi-
lated an additional outlay OF $75.Ooo. bat
these mcn proposed 90 expcnd IL and be-
gan the construction OF the railway That
was a legitimate business enterprise. and
worthy the support and announcement Of
all the people OF Seattle.
"Now We come To the present difficulty
The city council last Friday night passed
an ordinance that was In the highest de-
gree unwise and inprovident. II was an
extraordinary thing for council 20 take
up aud pass IN a single night an ordinance
granting q company franchise that gave
occupancy % three parallel streets Sach
action should never have been taken ex-
cept on the most mature consider
G'on, sad upon notice OF The
application Of the cable road
for its additional franchise. II is neither
g0od private nor pab'ic policy 20 attempt
TO pull down and destroy ENTERPRISES that
have operated here when the outlook FOR
the town was nnpromising. aud TO hamper
y IN It's operation, and IN give Others power
detrimental 20 it, tuiercsfs. when the city
Is on the Heod-tide Of prosp erity. The
men Interested ia ire seattle Electric
Motor and Power company and the
smong those Who have stood up aud fought
Tor Seattle through eyil aud good report
and have sjaked what money they have on
us PsospcCS, and have not hcsitated 70
Put thvtr capital Ia interests calculated
Tor the upbuiidiug ~ ihc City. Every prin-
slfse o. justice aud fair PLAY and respect
set the rights 81 property Is VIC
sted by such improyident action IS
tne city council VAS guilty Of Fri
GAY night There It's abundant
lvoin nerc fur the construction Of street
5always and all otaeF enterprises without
DESTROYING og interfering wlth the rights
ard Interests - those VI have grown gp
$50 setyei us ia the past II We cannot
se1 capital here Without actsnE uuiuStiv
And dis-vsPcCtfuliy towards Tue eapiial
which has helped Us 10 Cur present pros-
pefitN, then thtre muSf ~ sNmethlug
nsons ia our management I believe on
ne contrary That We can. and that the
aisatst Interests - tsy city and its present
selsFe can ee best promoted by giving
"a pay o. al aud by respecting the riehls
snc Interests % The yersous aud enter.
come
.oar intention j. 70 inaaguyA,e in seattle