The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-04-14
TO SETTLE 1T TODAY.
CITY COUNCIL WHISTLES WITH
THE RAILROAD FRANCHISES.
C~nfennfaI Mil. Company anxious
to Have the Matter of Transport
fatfon Facilities Arranged 50
Construction Of the Sew Mil May
BE snmen~ed-Another Meeting
20 BE Held at 10 n m. To-day.

The TRANSFORMATION question. or which
hinges the building of the noar nil on
the tide fats il not yet settied- Tire cor
porafi0us committee Of the city council
and others interested were In coueuifa-
tlcu for about two hours yesterday after
noon. ard after much debate adjourned
without action until this morning az 10
O'Clock. IL was the understanding that
the matter should be cedalteiy settled to-
day, the proposition having apparently
siftsd down 10 q point where action =
possible.
II Thomson. Of the Centennial Mills
Company. Of Spokane. who Is one o. those
chiefly interested 81 the construction Of
the mill. was present n the council cham
bcr and addressed the meeting. tie urged
the necessity of haste. as he wished TO
commence building as soon as possible.
lie stated his understa nding with the
railroad companies. which had assured
him. he said. that no difficulty would be
experienced IL arranging transportation
facilities. Mr. Th0msen's presence was
ar additional stimulus 70 the corporations
committee. and more disposition 70 rush
matters to definite conclusion was
shown. both by he council and the rail-
road men.
There were present the following out
eiders. each representing some interest
IA the matter: Judge Thomas Burke.
John Leary. Eugene Semple. Harold Pres
ton. D. +. Uurie. W. X. Forrest. A. VI.
Brookes. Alfred Battle Donald Mckenzie
city officials Mayor w. -. Wood. City
Engineer Thomson, Superintendent OF
Streets Little. Cogncilmen Rude. Near
die Hnrd. Gilson, Navtn. Chapman and
Crichton. Neither the Northern Pacific
nor the Seattle * International were rep
Resented.
Judge Burke suggested an arrangement
which he thought would meet the ap-
prevail OF the railroads He thought there
should be a track for the Great Northern,
a track for the Northern Pacific, and an
other track for the common use OF all
railroads. II this were granted ne under
took 20 say for the Great Northern that
It's track would be built as soon as the
mill. These tracks should be as near the
western margin OF the street as possible
lie also made the point that the franchise
should extend beyond the east margin OF
the east waterway TO the canal waterway
The space available for manufacturing
space as far along as the site chosen by
the mill people was very well covered. he
said. by the mills and foundries already
there. Any manufacture wishing TO
come here In the future would have to To-
cate below the east waterway, and then
Tn order 10 get railroad facilities there
would be the same fight with the city
council for an extension. The tide flats
were yaiueIess without railroads. he said.
Donald Mckenzie has spoken several
times before the committee against the
running OF through trains on Whatcom
avenue, claiming that the property hold
ers felt II would inJure the business value
or the avenue. John Leary also repre-
seDting tide land owners spoke IN an OBJ
posite manner yesterday He was opposed
20 giving anything 10 the Northern Pa
ciilc. he said. but rather than lose the
mill. In the construction OF which he was
Interested both as a property owner and
as citizen, he should be willing 10 allow
franchise clear through 10 the city
limits on the south. III IL were necessary
To have through trains In order 10 get the
mill, be was In favor OF taking the
through trains.
Harold Preston suggested several
changes In the ordinance as drawn up by
the corporations committee. He thought II
would expedite matters 20 reduce the time
allowed Tor the acceptance OF the fran
chsse from ninety 10 ten or fifteen days.
and allow that IL could be accepted by any
one or All Of the companies named.
Councilman Navin was on the floor as
often as possible and made several
speeches. OF which the following Is a
Hampie
Human nature il human nature tho
same the world over. Selfshness nre-
dominates. The railroads want the earth
fenced aud ! don't blame them. IA do
the sa're thing IL | were IN their places
or course, We want 10 get this thing
through as soon as possible. but We don't
want TO grant franchise from now tiu
doom's day. Corporations are always
trying" etc
Chapman made the clearest and most
pointed speech on the matter that VS.
delivered. lie spoke Of the points that
had been made by the railroad men and
suggested that they be noted In the
franchise. They wanted the right .of-vyav
extended 20 the canal waterway. thew
wanted separate track each for tho
Great Northern and the Northern Pacific
and they wanted a franchise unlimited
as 90 time. These points should be Serrc-
gated from the mass Of talk ans the con-
mitte@ should consider them and decide
Just what was 20 be granted IL the
two could not then agree a compromises
should be effected as soon as possible
These remarks led 20 clearer under
standing and. after McArdle and erich.
ton had tnterfected a nttle more hard
sense into the discussion. t. was decided
90 adjourn until this morning al fa
o'clock. With the understanding that some