The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-04-17
NO MORE RAMS HORN.
Compromise Between Railroads
and Property Owners.
THIRTY ALONG THE AVENUE
The Details Agreed Upon Between the
Parties and the Matter Placed
Before the Council
THlRTyFEErAloNo THE AVENUE

The long struggle over the famous rams
horn right-of-1sy between Issler avenue
and Union street has 81 last been AMIGA
bly, settled. Much time and . great deal
Of mooney has 5een expended in litigation
over the question. with results fayorsng
the Oregon improvement Company and
Northern Pacific Railroad Company.
which claimed the righs 10 run two tracks
up the alley back Of the Colnan block
The properly owners between Yesler are
rue and Union street. where the rams
horn again joined Railroad avenue.
felt taat their property between the RAM
horn rignt-of-wav and Railroad avenue
would be greatly damaged By the placing
Of tracks on the former, ard st last entered
into negotiations with the railroad COM
panies looking 10 compromise Whereby
the rams horn right-of-way could be trans
fs-red 70 Railroad avenue and the old
curvinz route s5.ndoned. The various
parties IN interest IN these negotiations
sere the Columbia & Puget Sound Rail-
road Company and the Northern Pacific
Railroad Company. which jointly owned
the rams horn righi-os-way; the Seattle.
Lake Shore Il Eastern Railroad Company.
whose tracks run along the eastern side OF
Railroad avenue. giving it access 10 the
warehouses ana its own grounds on that
side OF the tracks, aud the property owners
who owned the land between Front street
and the bay. The proposition made by
the latter and finally accepted by the rail-
road companies Is embraced IN proposed
ordinance which ~.s fled with the city
clerk yesterday, to be submitted to the city
council.
This ordinance amends section Of ordi-
nance 2s2 entitled IAN ordinance grant
ing the right to the Oregon & Transconsi-
mental Railroad Company and Columbia
Il Puget Sound Railroad Company and TO
authorize said companies 10 construct,
maintain and operate single or double
track railroad along the water front OF the
city Of Seattle" approved March "A. lsse.
as amended by ordinance No. Ash Ii
grants these railroad companies the right
to lay two tracks occupying . space not
exceeding thirty feet wide along the east
evn side OF Railroad avenue, provided ali
injury TO private property 70 be taken or
damaged shall be first compensated for by
law. In order TO claim the bench; Of the
amendment the railroad companies men,
toned shall within ninety days of its pass
age file an acceptance of its terms. together
with an absolute and permanent surrender
and reGgui.hment O; ali right, privilege
and franchise 10 operate railroad upon
all that part of the Old rams horn rignt-of-
way between Washington and Union
streets.
By the agreement of which this ordi-
nance is the result the property owners
donate strip twenty-five feet wide from
the east side of Railroad avenue. which,
with the esghs-foot sidewalk reserved. is 10
be granted 10 the Columbia 4 Page: Sound
Railroad Company and the Northern Pa
cific Company IN lieu of the rams horn
riehs-of-wav. In consideration of this
these companies relinquish all claim 70
all of the old rams horn right-of-way be-
tween Washington and Union streets.
which In large measure reveris TO the prop
erty owners cedlng the twenty-five feet or
Railroad avenue. On account OF this ar
rangement putting the Lake Shore tracks
in the center Of Railroad avenue and de-
priving il Of the advantages Is possessed OF
being alongside o. the warehouses
As well AZ cutting 1t Oft from its depot
grounds. as we'll as taking away thirty
feet OF the same. that road had TO be CON-
pensated in some way for the loss of
these advantages. First. an arrangement
was made between shst road and the
otner two roads which were 10
re placed between il and the
east side Of Railroad avenue for JOINT
srackage agreement. so that its access TO
property along the avenue would be in no
wise diminished. For the loss of the
thirty feet from the west side of It's rsssen
ger depot grounds i; demanded $1,000
The building Of thu new tracks along
Railroad avenue would also necessissse the
removal OF the Seattle Coal and Iron Com
pany's coal elevator. and this ~ouId have
30 re paid for. This will cost only few
hundred dollars All these various ar
ransemenis and considerations have been
agreed 10 hy the railroad companies and
the property owners. and al o! the latter
have pas deeds in escrow to the twenty
two feet along Railroad avenue except NJ.
Lsnders. who owns the athleiie club prop
erty back 10 the hay, sixty feet wide lie
has not vet agreed 20 donate the twenty
two-foot strip asked for.
tn: there i. another party in interest.
and ihai is the city. Those who are back
OF the present pan say the city's interest
lies n the fact that by the Strengthening
on; OF tie rams aorn IL will avoid the ex-
AN<sSs % ave So WIZ ~t*Sst&A
10 the hay. inc,u4ing the destruction of
the siadnet on University street, and the
Gains against the city from property osn-
srs vi o oua4E houses according 10 the for
raer grades. Il Is claimed that this would
cost the city several Thousand dollars. and
therefore tie city will ne asked 80 contrib
ut@ about SSona toward etfecting the
changes sought ~ this ordinance. Iais
IS tae Supposed cost Of cornpensating The
Lake Shore company for tns loss 81 s1lrtv
feet % rs cspos grounds, for the removal
Of TIE coal elevator and euassrs, sad for
the securing OF M. Isn3ers tsenty-two
.eet T4s railroad companies Kill stand
'Ec EXPENSE Of relocating and building lAe.r
tracks or ths new righl-ot-~av-
Iaas. Il tae agreement Re carried ogi,
he 'racSs nos running east OF sae LaSe
shore sspos sl.l se done asay Nita, Wes:
street w1s &c opened clear 70 feslsg ave
que sa1 the lake shore depot sla become
aalo1 aspot FOR snas roaa, the Northern
Pscsac aa3 the Cosa1bi& & Fage1 SQUAD
roads.