Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-06-13
FRANCHISE CONFERENCE
Joint Meeting of the Committees
of New Whatcom and
Fairhaven Councils
Representatives of Both Street
Railway Companies Pres
ent at the Meeting
Bellingham Bay Co. Wants
Front Street and Gives
Nothing in Return

A meeting Of the street committee OF
New Whatcom and the judiciary OF the
Fairhaven council was called TO order at
1880 last evening by Councilman f. J.
Kinghorn, who briefly stated the object OF
the meeting, namely: An adjustment OF
street railway franchises. Those present
were Councilmen Smmonds, Quacken-
bush and Fisher, OF the committee on
streets OF New Whatcom; Councllmen
Kinghorn, Aubery aud Darling, OF the
judiciary committee Of Falrhaven;
Messrs. Colonel NJ. c. Thum and James
A. Kerr, OF the Fairhaven Electric Rail-
way company; Messrs. Stenger, McKeller
and Dorr, of the Bellingham Bay Electric
Railway company.
Councilman Kinghorn acted as chair
man aud called upon Colonel Thum TO
make some statement pertaining TO the
route asked for by his line. The colonel
objected to the claiming Of Front street by
the other line.
Mr.. Dorr. the representative OF the
Belingham Bay Electric street railway,
| when called upon TO express himself asked
! that his company be allowed to continue
| on Front street until some suitable point
| is reached TO branch of. Mr.. Dorr further
| tnOugnI III WOulO Dt more pTOuldDlt u lno
tracks were two blocks apart.
| James A. Kerr, attorney for the Fair
haven company, thought that the other
line already had two Of the principal
business streets on the other side, and, N
granted Front street, they would practi-
cally have the main line, and while OBJ
jectlng 20 the other line having Front
, street, Mr. Kerr thought that some way
could be found for an amicable adjust
ment of the route OF the two lines.
Councilman Darling thought that the
question had assumed a different form,
being that Colonel Thum had meanwhile
changed his route and was In favor OF
. granting equal privileges TO both com
! panies.
Chairman Kingdom said that Colonel
IThum and his associates had changed his
route from Garden to Elk street
7 Mr.. Kerr arose and stated the reason OF
the change was on the ground that the
, other company desired the most available
! streets in the city OF Falrhayen, including
D the entire water front. On those grounds
/ the change OF route was based
I Chairman Kinghorn asked OF Mr. Kerr
1 whether he thought Front street Wide
enough for both companies. Mr.. Kerr
A stated his company was willing TO give
1 them a track II they would reciprocate by
! another track on Elk street.
! Attorney Dorr demonstrated that the
ascent from Elk street TO the upper street
for his company as MAPPED out by Colonel
Thum would be an impossible one for an
electric line. While, on the other hand,
for the Fairhaven line coming the other
way II would be a gradual ascent
Councilman Simmonds-Has Colonel
. Thum the exclusive franchise OF Front
a street?
Councilman Klnghorn-No, sir. The
z council has no power TO grant exclusive
Simmonds- is more fortunate than
= our case.
y Kinghorn-Has the Bellingham Bay
!, electric road an exclusive franchise on
, ! Elk street?
\ Mr.. Dorr-Yes, sir.
Il Kinghorn-Is there not a state law pro-
y , hblting exclusive franchises?
u Dorr-Not that know Of.
q Kerr believe that II Is impossible for
u the Fairhaven company to reach Garden
street. and II the other company does not
relinquish we are forced 10 abandon our
line and may as well give them the entire
water front and Eleventh street and such
n others they may ask for. We ought u
certainly have part Of the water front as
the other company has the choicest route
y I'm New Whatcom.
IN Simmonds-I think IL would be accept
: able for our company To take Fourteenth
y street into the city OF Falrhaven.
r Dorr-We will leave Front street al
AZ Fourteenth and let Col. Thum's line leave
+, Front street at the same point. II thi'
>" committee will grant us our franchise WI
T. will come over any accessible route, ant
le we will pledge ourselves TO run through
I'd cars within ninety days at the rate OF /
at five cent fare for through trip.
IN Kerr-How much OF your through far
he will you give us for what you ask la ou
= city?
s. Kinghorn-I think It advisable for tn
rs representatives OF both companies u
- come 70 a satisfactory agreement an'
e. then lay the matter before the two cit
re councils We propose TO have car lin
ct between these two cities, and that befor
By long.
n. Onackcnbush-I think IL would be- 4
lie order 10 ad djourn aud let the council settl
D. the matter at some near date in th
ns future.
ng Kerr-will you concede US anything o
he Elk streeR
n. Dorr-I do not see where we can. DO
mt understand that this company, II Above
his Front street, will build up 10 th
ric boundary
irs Kerr-That Is what we asserted.
,es KinQhorn--This would have I'm its con
Die sequence double fare, which we are TRY
ew ing TO avoid.
by the representatives OF the two companle
nd and It was evident that no satlsfactor
w. understanding could be reached. III
ed meeting adjourned without making
ir- definite settlement OF the matter at issu
red one fact made evident at the meetin
IL was. that while the Bellngham Bay con
be pany was anxious and willing TO use pa
he Of Front street. IL would not allow an
lly part of Elk street to be used by the cou
or petng company. The spirit OF reel procil
ian was not very evident, and the franchl'
wo question Is far from being settled.
ern A FATAL ACCIDENT
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