The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-08-04
BALLARD RAILROAD PROBLEM.
Council Rejects Seattle & Everett Fran
chise-Ofer to the Lake Shore.

The Ballard council took the question OF rail-
road franchises in hand on Tuesday night and
acted on the applications, after a four months,
struggle. The council adjourned TO Bergs ball,
where a mass meeting OF citizens was held and
addressed by representatives of the different
railroad companies and by citizens The hall
Was packed.
The situation is simply this: Shilshole ave-
nue. is 100 feet wide aud extends from Railroad
avenue on the south, noTthwesterly 70 Broad
way between the mills on the water front and
the city. over this siraet each company is ask
ing for franchise from the city. The Seattle.
Lake Shore & Eastern road ran spur along the
avenue before the town Incorporated, and
BIZ virtue OF this fact claims certain rights there
without a franchise, but ut the same time is
willing TO accept franchise from the city II
satisfactory to itself The station house of this
company is Shiishole avenue. between
and p streets. and its track occupies the middle
oi the street next to the Great Nortberns track.
The station was first built by the West Coast
improvement company, which also graded the
roacbei. The building formerly stood o. the
foot OF First avenue, ard was afterwards moved
by the railroad company to its present site,
where II was considerably enlarged. The Great
Northern has franchise OF thirty feet
along the south and westerly side OF
the avenue, but yet has
been unable TO build station, because the pre-
the Great Northern and suitable sites for sta
ton, is below that OF the Great Northern. max
ing il impossible for the latter company 10
reach the station IL built For three months
the Seattle & Everett Railroad Company mas
been striving 10 obtain franchise of thirty feet
on shilshole avenue from street to Broadway.
As this road. II built, would only go at present
10 Richmond Beach, point two and one half or
three miles north OF Ballard, many of the peo-
pie OF Ballard openly expressed tue opinion tina.
1t was a scheme OF some railroad 10 obtain
greater facilities on the avenue than it now has
or is likely TO obtain from the city.
Attorney John +. Fay spoke for nearly an
hour on behalf OF the Seattle & Everett Railroad
Company, and A. +. Burleigh spoke briefly for
the Northern Pacific, asking for thirty feat
either next to the track OF the Great Northern
or on the north and east side of the avenue.
Judge Thomas Burke on behalf of the Great
Northern, explained a communication which
had been previously read by the city clerk, ask
ing for a thirty-io right-oi-way the north
and easierly side of the avenue for
passenger traffic in addition to the
thirty feet the company already has.
Matthew Daw was the the only citizen who
spoke, and he opposed granting the franchise to
the Seattle 4 Everett railway on ShiIs hohe
avenue
Alter the meeting the council re assembled in
the city hall aud voted upon the franchises as
follows:
The Seattle & Everett franchise was rejected
b. vote OF ) 10 ,
The communication OF the Great Northern
was referred TO the committee OF the whole.
The Seattle, Lake shore 4 Eastern was
granted franchise of niteen fee. next TO the
Great Northern, provided the grade be made To
conform with the Great Northern, the street be
pIanked, paved, or mscadamized between the
tracks and few feet on either eide, and that
TIE company relinQuish all claims. II any, Tor
damages Gralns. ina city for crossing the log
dump of the seattle, Lake shore & Eastern
caused by the building OF the City dock, and
that the company remove its station house
oil the street