The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-02-07
CROSSINGS TORN Up.
Decisive Step Taken in the
Railroad Controversy.
Tng D. /. co. WEARY or WAITING



ssss Crsssisgs wsrs Renewed
what he Paroles say.
The rsrhs~og-way contest along tbss
xafsr front between the Great Northern
road ssss1 the Oregon Improvement Com
many. better knows as the crossings
1ix.st. has had another chapter added 10
ia history BY the resumption OF active
nos.iiitles and ne tearing up OF khe
track OF the Great Northern railroad
where ii erosssz tise Epsin line OF the
Northern Pacific and Columbia d PaEef
6ourd On Railroad avenue. al the foot OF
Waztfrsstnn street The attack had been
carefully plannsxI TIRE day before. the at
xuost secrecy dad been maintained. and
sefen SUPERINTENDENT l.. q. Smith, Of the
marrow gauge road. 5,us tn an appearance
~ break OF day, about s.is yesterday
rsornsnx. with sixteen men armed with
4he necessary impiesnsfsss OF warfare for
saamoiIsising tracks, they fosrd clear
field fur their operations and not an en-
envy in sight. A few water frpfat ioung-
ers wondered NJ the unusual activity OF
the men 80 early pat 10 work. and IL was
not until q late hour that the first OBJ
3eetor 10 the ussseunut hove In sight III
me bury form Of w Craig. the road
master OF tho Great Northern. BF that
time. ho~eyer. the various crossings
1aoksa as Ii d smaii-siz~d cyclone had
screwed liz way along the track for q
dix.ance OF about leo feet, ripping up
piank.ny, rails and frogs generally. and
scattering them Ia all directions TIE
misehsef vas done and the road Was
blocked.
Tar g. Ms Vain Protest.
Roaamasser Craig had recelves word
from some faithful runner ard took In
4sle situation al gianse. but saw thai
single handed ~ was poweriess. He al
tempted to fad pus who was In charge Of
the gang. hat VAS thHarrssi az every turn
He then hunted Up Officer Kelly .and
with his assistance located Mr.. Smith as
sisr responsible party. Craig inquired OF
SMITH shcna be was working for. bu. was
given ffe classical reply that II was none
0f his business Craig protested 10
6snitfs against The arbitrary work OF the
men. bat the only effeet IL had was to
cause Smith to give his mes, more urgent
orders 10 proceed and finish the work
This they did. taking cut In quick success
eiun total OF sixteen frogs ard several
lengths OF rails. After the work Of de-
nolilion the xnain track 81 the Northern
Pacific and the Columbia & Puget
Sound had new rails inserted IN the gaps
left hy tine crossings. so that by
o'clock trains on those roads passed over
them. The gang was then put TO work
fepianking the wharf between the tracks.
and In the afternoon all the material torn
ur by tho invaders Was loaded on board
y Great Northern hex car standing by
and the car locked.
The Exesssmens Dies Down.
1ae operations Of the men attracted n
crowd Of people all day. ard as rnmors
were rife that the Great Northern read
WAS eauipplnx gang OF men To cane
deem prepared 70 relay the crossings and
do some ''sluxgangs beside. the runsors
Had the effect Of maintaining a mild ssx-
cisement that kept several hundred nssn
hovering around the seease ready TO fiy il
the hight should result In he use OF fire
arms. The rumors werv false. however.
essd TIE few special officers detailed 20
look after the matter had very quiet
tinae Of IL and the day ended as ii began.
with peace and good order prevailing, but
with the Great Northern shorn Of four or
Its Ecsslnss
The several parties Ia Interest on both
SIDES If the controversy were seen by a
reporter of .he acknowledgement su, all
were more or less resicent about express
ibs themselves on tie sshject. l.. T.
Smith. WHO superintendent the work. de-
tailed the facts as already given When
questioned rs to his authority ne answer
cd that he Was acting under Instructions
from both the Northern Pacific and the
Oregon Improvement Company. He fur
Ippf stated thai the removal OF shn cross
tugs eoasa rot Al present cripple the Great
Sctihefn from The fact that the taking
up OF the crossings was only some four az
five hundred feet from the present ter
misiai Of the Great Northern tracks.
AIR. Smith said he had received no fur
theE instructions far tearing NJ, other
crossings and ns could not say whether
any mere ssteh work was contemplated
". Craig. the roadsnasser OF the Great
Sosshern. said he AID AZ ~ coald under
the circumstances ami entered his protest
as legal measure. fl was might againSs
rlghs. ana he supposed the courts would
settle ihe auessson.
Ihe scarce 90 the Troubie.
Judge Thomas burke. the attorney Cor
abe Great Northern Company. when seen
81 connection with the matter. said:
Briefly IL Is the result OF dispute
arising over the terms Of an agreement Of
settlement ~ the crossing controversy.
The regotiattans Tor The settlement have
been carried on targety az ST. Paul ana
q misunderstanding between she CON-
fxsnieS g-arslsag these negotiations has lea
30 the setioa ~ she oregon Improvement
company Ia tearing AZ the tracks, We
have teieSrarhei the particulars to head
quarters Ia 81. PAM. bus have not ys; re-
essvea reply. we shall take no actiaa
until sueh weed Il received
Late isSs evening Jutge Burke sasa he
had nss yct heard from 81, Paul.
The a. ,. gampanS's Position.
c. j. Smith. general saauaSer 81 the
ogeEos Improvement Company. Nlsea
ssea last eyeaing said
"Aeous two years ara she Great NoTsh>
eea rad hreughs suss for ecsisaesr1na slea 81
she rlxas-og- way between Washington and
Kits@ streets. Their suit was successful
81 taa Superior caaTt and they prS-ceessNs
20 iay tracks over cur rigAt-.sF-way. The
eass wss carried 30 ire supreme court
and wss reversed saaaf one ard a natk
years $50, Since shat ssrne they have
esea tresrasSers on our property We
have allowed sf1akr tracks 20 remain. how
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