The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-03-25


passengers.
.when wns herU ~ had consexsD
ticns WITH Mayor Moran. Couneliman
DurSe and others and - mapped ouf .
plsn thst think met with khsir approval
Our local counsel. Mr. NitcheII. recsnfiy
prepared m ordinances ard presented il to
had not scted upon r.
president Oakes has stated his peopo-
sifson 20 you desire TO make "a amend
mens. or rather 10 explain more clearly
what be asks. He desires 10 hass An
ordinance passed 70 give the Northern Pa
esfe the westerly twenty-five feet OF Rail-
road avenue spon tie same condition that
the s:xty feet vere given 70 the Seattle 4
Montana. and in addition, 70 give the
Northern Pacific the right and joint occn-
paney to thirty feet Of the avenue covered
py the seattle & Montana franchise. or 70
give the Northern Pacifc the exclusive
right TO fifteen feet additional The ordi-
nance, as prepared By Mr.. Mitchell. asked
for sixty feet the same - the Seattle &
Montana We are content to have the
ordinance amended as suggested.
The question OF widening Railroad Az
enue Is . serious one You probably know
more about thaf than do. but the twenty
years l was here the growth OF the city and
is surroundings convinced me that widen
ing Of Railroad avenue wiz destroy its
utility IS railroad avenue and absolutely
destroy the wharfage rights In front Of it.
The thing TO do Ii. ~ Mr.. Oakes has sug-
the avenue operated and managed by .
terminal company. so organized that any
railroad coming here viii have the same
rights rs the Seattle. Lake Shore d East
ern and the Seattle 4 Monsana now have,
and such ~ the Northern Pacific. by your
good gyaces. hopes 70 obtain. This would
induce railroads TO come here. II you give
exclusive rights to other companies. rail-
roads coming here hereafter viii have TO
pay such tolls - the first corners elect,
only restricted by legislation.
81 desire in this connection that you gen.
tiemen remember that there il q little bit Of
litigation between the city and the water
front property owners relative TO the re-
building OF the Puget Sound Shore road
along the water front. upon franchise
granted under an ordinances passed many
years ago. The territorial Or superior court
passed on the question, on facts presented
by officials now here. The city contended
that there was q contract between the
Puget Sound Shore road and the Columbia
4 Puget Sound railroad and the city, by
which the railroads named were to vaeate
the old righs-of-way and any claims they
might have thereto and move 10 Railroad
avenue. II required to give up our inside
right Of way by virtue of this alleged con-
tract. TASK that the council keep its con-
tract with US and give US facilities in Rail-
road avenue equal TO those We surrender by
that contract. We ask that you keep to the
letter and spirit OF that contract.
1T is n question of us moving ont OF our
old rights secured to the two roads along
the shore, 30 feet vide. by the act of
congress passed March 5. 1875, and moving
to deep water, where il viii be far more ex-
pensive TO maintain and operate our tracks.
Ii is a very serious question to the Northern
Pacific Company, and yet we are willing to
surrender the 30 feet We now have for the
thirty-seven feet on Railroad avenue.
When was here in January / had q
talk with many of the citizens and i think
they all agreed that the old right-of-way
was much more valuable than what the
city proposed TO give in exchange. They
all agreed. too, that the interests of the
railroads concentrated along the harbor
front. ! advised the officials then, here
and at Tacoma, and also President Cakes,
TO move TO Railroad avenue and relinquish
equity. good confidence and fhe letter OF
the contract. II you grant it to others
you are in duty bound TO give
as ample facilities for the transaction oi
business along the harbor front of this city.
TheNorthern Pacific does not ask equal
facilities with the other company, whose
only capital is gall and wind. We do not
promise to come here with q transcouti-
mental line. We arc here with completed
line and are transscting business. 1t is
more than necessary to the company to do
the work and reach the property 1t now
owns and expects 10 acquire at once.
President Cakes is 10 return TUESDAY
night. and expect to leave here Friday,
and we are anxious TO have conclusion
reached before Mr.. Cakes departure: il
not, at least before I leave and while Mr..
kendrick is here, so as TO complete the
necessary arrangements for docks, tracks
and yards. that we may he in position To
properly accommodate the traffic OF this
aourishing and growing city.
II notice also that since my departure on
January IL not only sixty feet have been
given to = paper railway corporation, hu,
a portion of the remainder has been granted
To- another local co porstion. | am happy
to say. however. that gentlemen have GOT
the remainder gentlemen possessed OF
good business sense. men that We would
not he shamed 10 be found in bed with,
and in whom we have perfect confidence.
The twenty-five feet, presume, would be
subject 10 the same terms as the ordinance
granted 10 Messrs. shauhut, Brown &
Ewing. and that we are to have the same
rights that they have.
in conclusion. would say that we ask
exclusive occupancy OF twenty-five feet OF
Railroad avenue. north Of Weller street,
and joint occupancy with Messrs. Shau.
but. Brown aud Ewing over the remainder.
and either an exclusive right over fifteen
feet or joint use over the thirty feet in
addition, the full length of the avenue.
and the gentleman from whom 1 receive
ali my orders. President Cakes. instrucss
me to say that ii any controversy arises
between the seattle & Montana co4npany
and the city, IN reference TO any action the
city may take in the matter of joint use
Of Railroad avenue, the Northern Pacific
viii save the city forever harmless from
damages through litigation with that con-
Germ.
With al these facts before you, gentle
men. il seems 20 me that yoa ought TO be
abe 10 grant the request Of our president. -
Mayer Noran--I would like 10 ask. Mr..
Mcknight. what interest yoa claim in the
OLD rseht-os-wayT
Mr. McNxueht@ft has hsen dstern,iue.i