The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-05-14
ONLY ONE COMPANY.
Ex-Mayor Moran Discusses the
Terminal Problem.
AGAINST SEPARATE FRANCHISES
ne Poiats Out the City's Opportunity to
Force . Settlement-Viadue and
CPossings Nuisance.

question generally in this city. and will be
found well worth reading. Mr.. Moran's
services to the city at a crisis in its history
forced him to study the problem Of rail-
road terminals, and now that the subject
is again up for discussion by the public his
contribution will throw timely light
upon it.:
To THE EDITOR: II 10 not very generally
known b. the citizens OF this city. and espe-
cially manufacturers In the southern part. that
the city government has under confederation q
proposition to construc: viaduct on CONNER
cial street the railway tracks at their cross
ing on King street This is worthy OF more
than passing notice, principally for the reason
that this will bs the first structure OF its kin
ever erected in this city, and it further brings
10 our minds ths whole problem Of railroad
tracks, terminal companies. aad rights-of-w
over public streets OF the cty--a subject much
talked OF when Railroad avenue was widened
and extended in 1889 and ls9o-and it Is a mat
ter which deserves the most earnest considera-
ton now.
A viaduct in . public street OF densely
populated city is nuisance, AID is
only tolerated under certain conditions ~ the
lesser OF two evils. q railroad crossing on the
gradcline Of q public street being generally con-
sidered the greater. They are 10th undesirable
and 1t is important that we have IS few as
possible in this city. TO any person at all
familiar with the topography OF this CITY it
will appear that the amount of Land or level
surface available for manufacturing and the
heavy trade and traffic 10 very limited. there
being practically none north of the point
where it 10 proposed to construct our frat
viaduct That tho railroads rcal;z, this
fact 10 known by the location Of all their termi-
nal grounds on the tide lands in the south end.
where they will have the necessary room
{nPf cou afvuc finn NJ ha, HSYr "a
tracks for cars. and where by the facilities
offered by that splendid thorough!are, Railroad
avenue. they can reach the manu- factories and
docSs on what will be tho best portion OF the
ha,oor OF Eiiiot,s bay. How all this may DO
accomplished with the least inconvenience aud
cost TO the manufacturer, farmer. merchant
and ship owner has been the problem which
each succeeding city government since 1887
has tried TO solve. and little Roadway appears to
have been made since the widening aud exien-
sion OF Railroad avenue in 1850. At that time the
plan was 20 use Railroad avenue simply as a
: horoughfAre for railroads aud as a means of
their passing through the city north and south
and thus connecting the two entrance gates to
the city Tor railroads. Also there was laid out
Railroad avenue west which makes curyc in
westerly direction aud follows the mcander-
ings up deep water to West Seattle 1t was over
this route that the Union Pacific proposed to
enter the city. by way OF . shore line from Ia
coma
The important part OF tho plan 1t that time
was the formation of terminal company by
the consolidation OF all the rights
oi-way in the city and the location
and construction OF terminal facilities.
to consist Of. first. union depot. where pas
sengers could BE- transferred from or TO any
train under one roof: second. fregh. ware
houses. storage tracks for cars ana the other
necessities for railroads. The plan was tina: ali
railroads entering the city would deliver their
cars 10 the engines OF the terminal company at
o. within the city limits. After such delivery
the terminal company should handle all traffic
within the city. receive and deliver freight do
3 all switching and attend TO all matters relating
10 traffic. This plan was not original with us
Ii has been adopted IN large number of the
principal cities OF the country as being
the only way in which such business
can be conducted with dispatch aud economy
IL was admitted by the railroad officials at that
tine that IL Was the solution of the railroad ter.
INITIAL problem in this CITY, and the only trouble
seemed To be that the various roads could not
agree among themselves on n rlaa and the
amount OF their respective interest in such a
company. This plan. IL carried out. woui. con.
soit1ats all the business IN one district OF the
city, and lessen the number o! irack, aud c-nss-
inss. "a well rs offer better facilities at les or
cost To the shipper aid railroad company
While the pan for tie formation OF the ter.
m'nai company was never carried ont, no ser.-
ons mistakes have been made IN the granting of
rights of-way for railroads over or along rub, c
streets % ,ae ciiy ~ 20 the present time but Il;
IS nov time TIA, definite noliey should be
adopted in this matter 4 rishi-of-wsy over a
street IN asrarsely populated part OF tho city,
Or over the tide lands At the pIesen, time, viii,
with the growth OF the city IN TIE future be-
cone nuisance. and 10 protect life and prop
eEiy q viafGct will have 10 be constructed This
can all hc avoided Ii The o.lgsga. plan OF cos.-
solida'lon Is carried out, an! there is no reason
why Il should no: he done. seattle il bssrcr
thar any railroad. aud. wai.c We aon't waa, TO
discourage any roa: troa, entering the ety. tie
question a. to what IS hes, for tae greater NUM-
be. IN inscrcs, should have FIST consideration
This VIII DO benefit alike - the raj road ard
ihe CITY. Ii - only the individual greed OF the
various roads TIA, prevents the carving eat OF
'A.s plan, aud II the city government Will pit,
IS foot dawn Grrniy and say.
2hesc shaii lse 40 more r.shts-oi.wny granted
ox,r or along tae pabllc streets II .al. civ ,u.
IA sGeG company Is formed
The railroad interests VIII sc, together very
quickly sna agFsc on riaa, rs they have done
al other cities. To hring shis abou. le; tie city
sftFrrNat declare ih.s as t,s policy and lay!.e
tA@ ditereS; roads 10 sppoiu, an engineer 10 ae,
III COB junction VITA the city engineer: 10, III =
commission select = suitable cite and ax-ee on
ihe fs%n AMI extoat a. TIE facilities re,us-es.
fer eose yt@ss - cone After this - agreed 20
aS sac eng necrs let ihom rppor; 20 the city
council ana eace Tor all vAca,e an. dedicate ths
paa''e streets OF the eisy for tais purpose
II sas private ownership of railroad tracks
aAa f'ssss "'-~ay ever the paas.e strseis
- tSss sAsf IS Continued the city
viii h' completely kri1gronsa with use.
.sss tf&sSs, s.aisEs and ses SHEDS. and q:
every stfeef tf9s>lEsE - pgosec. lie .n1 mon
sFIs, there @}tl &c sa3ues fer the cuhlte In
eiiaaA over. sa.ca Wts ts ussi ~ the r.i,rcas.
company IS Fros 10 a ear atfa
ssaAa wa.s Il appears 90 &c small item q,
present, the question ~ swss-hlce rAsrxs, e,s,r
private ia - - * he&vy Tax On tAe manu-
asstGstaS aud S9H3 ASEesa} tascrcs.s ns the e3ts
sssd EGaSss tAeY s-a p-0,e,;e. new .arn
eAssSes n tie fa;ure vA be ths tgr..
iss po4ai IL sAiprsax 1, q. from ,Ai. e!ty
eas sa"l'i L sAt3.es from @uy f~s!at GA Esii.
f@%a SSSaae StiAsa tie cats limits - aRs ri.
vase s~iscA - @oc. Tor san rot n exceed :
&As "Fi'sF saoSs ~ Instances where tssse an.
swe AcF%fASS eAaFss. nes gAaaa icy s. nsea "a.
tSis a~fttf% oFes Distance Cs sess than 81
as@%.s 1H't excessive essrge = tie resgls "A
}@S4ylsass os aersF&o % sl-ssss ;ssek. ans tue
fwsttiflns exfSass wAsea attends ire sesyssu. a
( ysss easinss sa3 e-ts. Is c.@h os ,hs sexersl
Fvs&s, when TIE sa7g - css.!s 10 bette. &a4
/ e@s@j~sr E~es'eff@se sS .isr.e eaaarany. A. i,
! rsagase~l
&z34sSs1 aySaas - necessary evil wss.a I;
cares - ss~ss.@! tocs-.YeG4e-ee a. tie p-ssA2i