Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1893-07-07
: . Unfortunate Delay,


''' '..-.-' i.'nt.trt"rir~ yet To- arise
it..' ha-" "'h tie Northern Pacific
- -'.''i lu' u','ct 81 the Interview
'"- =" De defense Of what NAV he
rrm,d tn O!ty Councils scheme
liz trAc kas", and is confined alno>,
exclusively II charge Of disingenu
"urn"-- ON the part OF those taxpayers
Who have protested against that plan.
In" Mayer j. undoubtedly night in his
statement that the protest should
Aa'" h''n presented long ago, if all
t'' statements made by it are true.
AMI II VIZ Unfair to those vested with
authority to wait action until plan
Wa adopt i, bids invited and tender.
submitted in good faith. before a single,
Protestant placed himself on record
II may he true that there was many
expressions OF popular disapproval
ana that 1t would have been difficult
To- find anvhody outside the Council
Chanlhcr who favored the trestle plan
Ui connection, but unless the popular
murmur was loud enough to pene-
tratc thick walls, it was not likely to
admonlsh any representative OF q duty
he owed Ia his constituents wishes.
Although the fact that protest had
been nunerOusly signed and was as
suddenly suppressed by the party who
had been delegated to obtain sigma
lures, might have been personally
known TO some OF the Councilmen, it
was not for them to demand an ex-
PLANTATION OF an act which might de-
feat their personal objects and very
sanguine wishes. The fact remains in
justification OF a course that is now
shown to be exceedingly unpopular
that the Council were shut off by de-
sign and sharp-practice OF some out
slider 1--WE presume) from true knowl-
edge of the policy best suited to the
peoples present needs and their ability
TO carry it into execution. Those who
protested too late are given to under
stand, by the interview, that their OBJ.
jections might have been effective, had
they Leen made in time. This is
probable, and for making that point
VS. score one tally for the Mayor.
He is not so fortunate, however, in
his assumption that debt owed by
the people of municipality is any
the less burdensome, because it may
not all be classified as q " city" debt.
The protestants were amply justified
in adding to the ascertained city in
debtedness a reasonable pro rata of
their county and school levy, to arrive
at just realization of how deeply
their property is to be mortgaged for
the public service. Technicalities may
serve to strengthen the rivets to the
collar about the peoples necks, but it
will not raise an ounce from the bur
dens on their shoulders. They may
serve to establish a credit with the
Shylock bond-brokers, but they will
pay neither interest when demanded,
nor the principal when due. What
does it matter to the taxpayer, when
his nose is on the grindstone, if il is
held there by purely "city," or by
county and school Indebtedness?
1t is very natural when haunted by
the nightmare of excessive debt, that
the taxpayer should object to squan-
dering money for an expensive i'm
provement that will be neither as ef-
fective nor as permanent as one which
it is shown would cost much less and
be of acknowledged utility and lasting
value.
1t may be that the City Council has
secured from the railroad company
some assurance that the track will be
laid and operated on the trestle when
completed. In fact we must assume
that they have such guaranty, for it
would be folly to construct such an ex-
pensive roadway without q definite
pledge that it will meet the require
ments OF the company without per-
petual charge for switching and a
guaranty by the city that the piling
shall be renewed at such intervals as
the ravages of the toredo may endan-
ger its safety.
The data and arguments placed
before the City Council by the engi-
neers and attorneys for the company,
when it was negotiating for right-of-
way under Seventh street, against a
route that would pass around the wa
ter-front, will never be forgotten by
those who heard them. They showed
to the satisfaction of all, that to oper-
ate the main line on piling immersed
in salt water was altogether imprac-
tical, and should such a route be de.
manded by extraordinary circumstan-
ces and justified by traffic, nothing less
than an earth embankment would be
adopted for the roadway.
Olympia's experience in wharf
building should afford some knowledge
that results from dearly bought expe.
rience. Long wharf, built six years
ago, is now worthless for freight and
passenger teams and has been the past
two years, and no repairs less than alb
solute reconstruction will restore it to
its former usefulness. 1t was, when
new, too light for a railroad track, bu,
no matter how secure had been ite
bracing, Gaping and beams, the lower
part OF the piles would have been
honey-combed in two years, go as t.
have made it unfit for railway trains
The same process of rapid destruction
will apply to the railroad trestle, nor
has human knowledge yet been able to
supply any protection.
While the writer would not place
any obstruction to the plan adopted
for the simple reason that it is now too