The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-08-09

Vigorous Objection 10 the Rail-
rad Avenue Plan.
The Seattle Kssd Has the Inside
Trsek-Advantagss cf tAs New
Prspesatasr.

Ii seems likely that the Railroad
avenue scheme has entirely fsiled-
Mr.. H. L. Yesier. claimant Of the
tide lands At the foot OF the avenue
which hears his name. tried 70 defeat
the project by refusing ~ coneede
right-oi-wav, bat 1t Is not his obstrne-
tioa Of the thoronghfare thai threat
ems to lead to its abandonment
When the Puget Sound Shore and
Columbia & Puget Sound railroads
agreed to give up their old rigbs-of-
way north as Iesier avenue. which
followed q wave line regardless OF the
streets. il was with the understanding
that they were 10 he given equally
good facilities for business on Rail-
road avenue. Later they learned that
the Seattle. Lake Shore & Eastern
railway holds franchise 10 run q
track on the east. or laadvard side OIL
what is now Raiiroasi avenue. ~
warehouses line that side of the ave-
nue.. and as the outer boundary OF the
street will never he so built up. II =
plain that freight business mast be
done from track near The east side.
The Seattle. Lake Shore & Eastern Is
master of the situation. aud does LOT
propose to LET the other companies
share the track. The best terms II
offers Is q switching rate OF - Per car
bat it refuses 70 make psrpetuai
agreement to handle cars at this rate
| The two older railroads are very
much disinciined TO go On Railroad
avenue and take the outer edge or
middle of the trestle. They have eli
the water front they want now. Bat
their Old right-of-way csnnot be useu,
for the city has raised the grades OF
| the cross streets, while the franchise
/ of the companies provides That TIE
| tracks shall be level with the wharyeS.
| The former owners of the right ot-w J
also stipulated in the deeds that the
tracks should be level with the
wharyes. So the railroads are shut
out.
A new solution of the problem Is
proposed by the Puget Sound Shore
and the Columbia & Puget Sound rail
roads. Ii is TO use West street north
of Iesler avenue. The property-owFr
ers were yesterday consulted III reg 81
to the matter, and all expressed ssit
I've want 10 occupy orr old tracks. :
said Mr.. II. w. Mcneil. manager 81
the Columbia & Puget Sound road, q
Posr-iSrELLrGENcKR reporter, "a d
so does the Seattle, Lake Shore &
Eastern. The road that has the in
side track on Railroad avenue Is go
ing to do the business with the ware
houses, and we don't propose
1 40 1t3 rfrhf of y
to which we have perfec'
is eheapIy maintained, unless We gel
something in return. West street il
sixty-six feet wide, and all the room
we want is sixteen feet In the middle
leaving driveways on both sides. The
old route is good eno1gh Tor us, bal
the property owners would like ie
have the blocks Strengthened. By
giving Us a West stree ranch. q
three railroads will serve three lines o.
warehouses; on Railroad avenue thfet
railroads would serve one line d
warehouses. The three roads will b.
able to make switching arrangements
SO that each may reach any warehouse
on either street
The cost of construction o, trach
on Railroad AVENUES 30, 000 per mile
! AT the east line of the avenue sixty
five foot-piles are required At the ives
line they must oe nearly it~ feet long
and the teredoes bore them fall o
holes In twelve To fifteen msnths
However. We agreed 10 the expense
provided we were given facilities 10
doing business
The question OF location OF tai
4 4
some future time enter the city ha
: nothing to do with the ease. and ma,
be settled when such contingenc,
arises