The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-07-08

council refused 70 do.
August 8. 1856. President Winter. who
Was then on hts first trip over the North
ern Pacific, met the city council together
with W. A. Underwood. chief counsel for
Receiver Burieigh. At that meeting Mr..
Underwood stated that the Northern Pa
ciffc asked the council to yacate Marion
street 80 that /, could secure site for q
passenger depot: this he said. was the
sole desire Of the Northern Pacific.
Mr.. Winter. after scauiescing in what
Mr. Underwood had said. made state
ment Of which the following Is the SUBJ
stance:
Mr.. winters Promise.
at IL the desire of the Northern Pa
cshc to acquire the two blocks ma med, and
the vacation Of Marion street Our object
L. solely the construction Of passenger
depot, and the property would be OF no
value 10 US otherwise
1T win be observed" said Councilman
j. a. James yesterday. when shown
copy Of the Post-Intsiligencer OF August
s. isss. IN which the above interview APP
peared, that Mr.. Winter said nothing
about a union depot for Seattle. lie asked
the city TO give the Northern Pacific Raii-
way Company. without consideration, six
ty feet of ground running between West
ern and Railroad avenues 50 that mis- COM
pany might construct a passenger station
commensurate with the volume and tmpor-
lance OF the bussness transacted by the
Northern Pacific at this place.
Now. this ground, IL II had been pur-
chased from private individual. would
have cost the company. at the price II paid
for the two adjoining blocks. approximately
$4,000. The city believed In the represen-
ta;ions made by President Winter. l had
Inn Pm him. fa-
leyed that any representations he made
at that time would be carried out 10 the
letter. My experience with Mr.. Winter,
when he was manager OF the Chicago x
Northwestern system In Minnesota, was
that ne was slow 10 make premises, but
that when he agreed to do anything he
would carry 1t out TO the letter
1T IS useless. however. to speculate on
what Mr.. Winter would have done in re-
gard to passenger depot in Seattle had
he remained al the head OF the Northern
Pacific. Mr.. Mellen succeeded him some
thing like year ago. The new president
comes to Seattle. He meets the city coun-
Gil after We had become weary of waiting
for the Northern Pacific to redeem its
promise made nearly two years ago. Mr..
Meilen tells us that he il figuring on bring
ing the several railroads entering Seattle
together for the construction of a union
passenger station. He had succeeded In
accomplishing practically nothing as yet
In this enterprise. The city should wait.
Large bodies move slowly. This was the
substance of his statement.
Now, when Mr. Winter made his deal
with the city, there was nothing said as to
the formation of a terminal company. The
Northern Pacific obtained from the city
valuable concession on the strength Of
the promise made by It's preslden. that a
passenger station would be built here. Two
years have passed away. People leaving
trains arriving here step into public
street without even a single over them,
and in all kinds Of weather. The North
ern Pacific has built no depot. Mr.. Mel
len says In effect that he is awaiting the
formation Of terminal company.
''In the meantime. cities which do not
supply his road with as much business as
emanates from Seattle are favored with
commodious depots. Their travellers are
sheltered from the elements.
THE Northern Pacific has not vet closed
Marion street BY the erection Of a build
ing. IL had right TO do. The council
proposes to repeal the ordinance vacating
the street. This can and should be done
before IL Is too late
Union station q Necessity.
Seattle has grown to such a big city
that 10 talk OF one OF the railroads enter
ing here building an independent station
IL utter folly" said well-known railroad
man yesterday. THE time has come when
the railroads here must act IN concert. and
act quitkly. Seattle is no longer a way
station. The commerce OF the Sound Is
conferred here So is the jobbing trade os
the Northwest. Travel over the various
lines between the Sound and the East and
South and North emanates largely from
Seattle.
The difficulty In providing a union
passenger station lies in this fact: il would
be useless TO build depot sufficient 10
take care OF the business as Il il now. for
there would be no room for future growth
or traffic. On the other hand 10 build In
anticipation of what the business may be
ten or twenty years from now involves an
expenditure and yearly expense which
would make The enterprise unrcmunera-
tive, at leas, for Il long period
The railroads. with the assistance of
the city. should acquire large grounds IN
some suitable location. having In mind the
ultimate erection OK a union poSsenger
station large enough for many wears vet
Ia come- These grounds should be we'll
located ana extensive. They can ne had
easy enough. better nov perhaps than
ever again. buildings should ne erected
sufficiently large to take care Of he trav-
ct, say, for I'VE years Yet 10 come TIL.
grounds should be laid out In an.icipation
or Il growth for city of l500,1 or nj $50
people. u would only be necessary. how
ever. for lhe railroads 10 hu.id such a pas
seiger depc; az We need now nr as Ne will
need say, for i've years 20 come
The opinion among business n.o rs IN
The probable outcome Of ;he conference be-
tween the couneilm.n ana Mr. Mtlien Is
that good VII come of e. n Is. asserted
that ANY enterprises which tina Northern
Pacific has IN view i'm this section are
based on business p ncip pies exclusively
Sentiment o. Mr. Mellens plute II 10
asserted, does not enter into The matter
One member of the council expressed IN.
prevailing sentiment Yesterday when Ia
said: The Nor;heT1 Pacific viii have
some respect for Seattle now |. viii be
inclined 80 he Just 81 this city Nj M..lan
| Will probably entertain the Saue defer
eu"e FOR Setitle tAat "A farmers 10y has
/ for She business end az mule. after as
hate experience here