The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-03-29
JOINT TRAcKAGE.

Ths 0ner Made by the Seattle =
Mcnsans.
The following communication was sub
mitted to the council last night by the Sc
attic & Montana Railroad Company, and
was referred TO the committee of the whole.
II viii be considered Monday night
GeHtEensem: There seems to have been much
MISREPRESENTATION regarding the purpose fe-
which Railroad avenue was established. -
originally laid out from Yesler avenue to the
north city limita Those familiar with the cir
cumxfances viii remember that Il was laid out
o. solution Of Q controversy existing at that
time about righ;s-ofway into the business part
Of the city between the Seattle. Lake shore 4
Eastern Railway Company and the Bellingham
Bay Railway & Navigation Company, two COM
pauies seeking entrance from the north. Roads
entering from the south did not need such an
avenue. II the purpose was TO afford railroad
companies free right-oi-way through the city
to other points, instead of an enfroacs into IL Tor
terminal purposes, then have always been ser
iousiy mistaken ~ TO the motives Of the city IN
laying out this avenue
Taking into consideration the carefully
guarded conditions of the franchises already
granted to the roads entering from the north,
respecting joint use and occupancy OF their
tracks BY other companies. much OF the talk We
have heard about granting exclusive rights and
and baseless Al m answer to these loose asser-
tons il h only necessary to point to the condi-
tons Of the ordinances themselveA II these
conditions do not OF themselves sufficiently
clear the situation from dificuity. win, on be-
half Of the Seattle & Montana Railway Com
pany. make the following proposition, Wig:
II at any time. In the judgment Of the council.
there 10 need for any other company to reach
any terminals or business north of the freight
yards of this company in South Seattle Tor even
II the purpose is to set out OF the city to the
pany win rent such companies trackage ON the
basis of valuation OF the tracks 30 used and the
payment of . fair proportion Of the interest on
such valuation and the proportion
ate cost Of maintenance We
interpret Section S Of our franchise - giving
other companies the right to force Us to give
them trackase on fair terms. bat it ID not neces-
sasy TO force US. - we are willing to voluntarily
make very liberal arrangements Our tracks
win be laid down for business. and we shall be
glad to take all the business that comes along
1t lower rate than any other company can
build or do it for
The Great Northern railway. of whose system
this company is part. il more largely In the
business OF giving other roads trsekagc and ter
minal facilities than any other company In the
United States. not excepting even the Illinois
Central Although it was the first road built
westwardiy from ss. Paul. and had and stsll has
larger terminal facilities 1t s. Paul and Min
nespolis than the other companies ii has never
been found playing the part OF m obstructionist
or cxtortionist, but has given trackase and ter
minals into those cities to some halfdozen other
rosds on fair and liberal terms-even to the
Northern Pacific 1t has been, and still Is. good
landlord Youn truly,
D. II. GILMAN President