The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-09-26
BACK TO COMMITTEE.
Wire-Burying Ordinance Sent
to Its Makers.
THEY EXCEEDED THEIR POWERS.
Aldermen Hear Protests From Elec-
trio Companies, Which say Iney
Can't AFFORD the Expense.

N A
Of nuttins the electric light, street car ana
telephone wires underground. The COM
rrittee 10 which the matter had been re-
ferred. reported IN favor OF an ordinance
recurring all wires within certain denneo
limits 10 be placed underground WITHIN
ninety days but the discovery was MADE
that according TO the minutes the COM
naittee had been instructed TO report mere
ly on the matter of apportionment OF poles
along the streets and. having reported an
ordinance. had exceeded its instructions.
Accordingly the matter was referred back
TO IT,
Nevertheless, the aldermen discussed the
merits OF the change proposed by the or
drnance and extended the privileges or
the floor 10 the representatives of the in
terested companies. 4. NJ. Brookes stated
that his company, the Third Street & Sub
urban would be represented by Frederick
Bausman. Mr.. Bausman said:
Third street Company Objects.
1.-THE company appears here 10 record
an objection to what il considers hasty
step II is asked without warning either
to abandon it's plant or TO make an invest
ment recurring the expenditure or q
large sum of money. The Third Street A.
Suburban company after passing through
the depression OF three disastrous years,
will be required by the ordinance 10 deal
with an unknown quantity. one that is
not within the grasp of finance. ana II III
ia required to meet the conditions or the
ordinance there is only one course open;
It will be forced to go out of business.
We are willing TO rent from the city por-
tions of a conduit to he built at the citys
expense. but IL compelled to put in con-
duit ourselves. at a ruinous inquire, that
would end our business as hght-pro-
ducer There have been hard tunes IN
Seattle. and II is generally conceded that
interests here should stand together. You
are asking of us something we are not
prepared for. and something that we cam
not bear.
I'VE invite the members Of the council
to inspect the books of the company. ana
we are willing to meet you IN conference
on this subject. Il think l am safe in say
ing that in the United States no city or
the size of this. or of 100000 inhabitants,
has ever forced such a measure upon the
companies. In large cities the companies
can afford TO build sub-ways ana con-
Quits. for there in the. space OF single
block there are often as many nghts as
I'm the whole city of Seattle. ami IL IL a
very different thing. BY insistinS on the
ordinance. you require something ttat
may not benefit you and will greatly IN
jure u.s."
Mr.. Bausman further emphasized the
contention that Seattle was not ready for
the underground wires. and said that to
Suburban would throw IL out of the field
and create a monopoly by leaving all the
business to its competitor
Committee Exceeded Its Powers.
Sweeney here called for the report of the
committee and after Ii had been read he
raised the objection indicated above. that
the committee had overstepped its bounds
by reporting the ordinance. He declared
that the paving contracts had been too
"a al n admit of consideration at
that time of the underground system, be-
cause by ordering the wires placed under
ground the council would lay itself liable
to actions for damages for interfering
with the contractors. The special commit
tee. to which the matter had been referred.
had been instructed by the board TO APP
portion six poles to the block. and il had
no right to go further
The committee was composedfof Jordan.
Miller, elise and Brewer, and each had
been unaware that the board had so in
structed them: but an examination of the
minutes sustained the position taken by
Sweeney. Lovejoy moved that the ordi-
nance be re-referred, with instructions
that the committee act In accordance with
the previous instructions. The motion
was seconded. The aldermen then spent
some time in trying TO find where they
were at Miller and Brewer favored the
committees report saying they wanted TO
act on an ordinance the delegates could
pass.
Cannot Afford Burial Expenses.
The discussion was continued by ]. ".
Grambs, manager OF the Third Street &
Suburban, who emphasized the statement
made by Mr.. Bausman. The company.
MIR Grambs said, would not comply with
the ordinance, If passed, because of sheer
inability to do so. 1t would be cut of
from a section where II realized IS per
cent. of its proceeds He made state
ment of the liabilities and earnings of the
company, and said that II was carrying
all It could bear. The stockholders were
principally Seattle people. and were not
able to put up the money that would be
required under the ordinance. He men,
toned Boston as a city that had shown
consideration TO the companies by allow
ing them six years in which to expert
ment and put down a system that would
be permanent. but any system forced up
on the companies now would be a make
shift "If the ordinance is passed" con-
Guided Mr.. Grambs. 'ft means that the
field will be left open 10 our competitor
for We will not bury the wires in the dis
trict indicated, but will go out Of the
business"
An Estimate for Interment.
r. c. Kilbourne. OF the Union Electric
Company. said:
MIR. Grsmbs need not be afraid that
we would have a monopoly OF the light
ing business. because We would not have
money enough TO put the wires under
ground ! have made ar honest estimate
OF the cost Of such an undertaking. and
find that 70 put in one Edison three-wire
circuit would require between IS and 81
per foot A total OF eighteen wires would
have 10 be buried and the entire cost FOR
the Mon Electric Company would be up
ward Of 10000 in a district carrying
only about thirty-Ave lights
Sweeney said he would Ike TO see the
council act Nudiciously for the benefit o,
the city The companies had prevented
any Interference with their wires previous
" and that had led 70 the ''balling-up"
o. the question. Tie said
You cannot pat the conduit in and
make tho Tnanhoies within the time alluf-
ted for the contract. ~ YOU do. you VII
do something 20 the detrinent % the com
nanIes the property owners and the pa
irons ~ the lights. cannot see the ius-
tee o. forcing conduit AZ this time when
3 foundation has not been determined. ara
when the board - nuhife works IS not !-
~eede6-"
Iortsn spoke again On reply % Sweeney.
saving fhat the tactics employed were e,-i-
IDENTITY fcr the purpose o. procuring a de-
Law It Was misfortune rat times wee
- hard but the present was the tine for
doing whatever ought % he done
CITY ErEineer Thomson vas called On %
give aEures as 20 the probable cost OF put
trE the wires UNDERGROUND tie ha4 n-e-
KIrustv made an estimate that tubing with
oar wires could 30 pat ia FOR s. a foot
hs4t ~ thought that tte fFures az afr
ETb1urnr FOR the completed work Nth