The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-04-07
Local Street Railways Will Soon
Be Managed BY One Company.
SO SAY WELL INFORMED MEN.
Claim That = single Management
Will He the salvation of the Roads
and the Transfer System VIII fe
the salvation Of the People
Many Employe. Would Likely He
Let out-What Railway Men Say.


! A consolidation OF ali the street railway
/ lines Of Seattle Is gigantic enterprise.
| Yet this very thing will probably be
! brough; about within the next year, il
| the surmises Of the men who are inter-
/ ested in stree. railways In Seattle prove
| to be well founded. Several influences ara
now al work 10 bring about a consolida-
ton under one ownership OF all the rail-
way properties In the city. The effort
/ Is being encouraged by men who have
| money invested in the lines. and II is
believed win ultimately be successful.
| Consolidation OF the Seattle stree: rail-
| way lines has been talked OF for three
| years past. II has been the dream of
| some men who have seen a possible OPP
portunity to float a great big enterprise
and make some money oat of 1t. Several
! spasmodic efforts have already been made
| to bring il about. The stree, railway men
Of the city have agreed time and again
that consolidation offers the one solution
| Of the difficulties that have to be met
by the various lines OF the city.
/ Just now the situation In street rail-
| way matters Is most Interesting. More
! by those who hope to be able to handle
the proposition. 1t Is In some respects a
| struggle for existence. as, OF course, every
| general manager in the city wants 10
| have his friends iE power with the new
company which Is to absorb all the old
! lines.
! The railway men say that consolidation
VIII not only be the salvation OF the
roads. but that by the introduction OF
| the transfer system the people Of Seat
! tie will be able to ride all over town for
one fare. and the infiiction OF having to
| pay three or four fares in going from one
| OF the cable lines to the territory ira
! versed by one Of the electric roads will
| be done away with.
| The plans for consolidation are talked
| OF. The first is 10 bring the roads togeth-
| er and organize a committee which shah
form new company. 1t Is proposed that
/ each read shall turn over It's property
| and franchise to the new company and
| receive In payment therefor certain
amount of stock and bonds. the price
paid for the road to be fixed by the CON-
mttee.
Inv FttVho pldHs diIu one WHICH apnar~
emily finds more favor with owners OF
railway securities than any other, Ia for
the companies to sell on; for spot cash
10 the new company which would be
organized for the purpose OF absorbing
ali Of the lines.
They Cost rs.OOO.OOO.
Yesterday Observation-Disclosures reporter
was Informed by man who Is believed
to De thoroughly posted on street railway
matters in Seattle. that the railroads OF
the city cost the men who built them
Aooo.00 or course, these figures must
be considered In connection with cond.-
tons when the roads were built. The con-
struction OF street railway lines was be-
gun in Seattle when the Yesier avenue
line was built In 1855 The following two
years lines were built in every direction.
The building impetus that followed the
great IRE OF June, 1859. was responsible
Tor the construction OF miles OF track.
part OF which has not pad operating ex-
pensss during the last few years Prices
for labor and material during the Years
when the roads OF Seattle were built were
the highest known In the history OF the
state. The roads could probably bs built
today for little over one-haif OF the cos,
OF the Iines
II believe that for spot cash the local
DO willing to sell out for much less than
their interests cost them" said a we'll
known street railway operator YESTERDAY.
They would almost be satisfied with
half OF the money they originally put into
the properties. and would he willing. In
my opinion, TO waive the interest on their
investments for the past few years"
Consolidation VIII work In two days. ac-
cording 10 the street railway men. First.
II WIZ cause heavy reduction in the num-
Der OF employees In the general offices ana
power houses. and the aboisshmen, OF the
heads OF departments, supersntendenss.
ETC. Secondly. a system OF transfers. with
some new construction and the reorgaufza-
ton OF schedules Will be part OF any con-
soisdation system.
There was a time In Seattle when seven
power houses were at work with as many
general superintenfen,s managers and
with full compliments OF engines and
dynanaos. supplying the railroads Of the
city with power. II ia contended on The
part OF the railway men that one power
house can do this work aa vel az five or
ak. II is asserted by men who are prae
teal tnas the operating expenses OF the
lines cou.d be reduced very largely II, This
manner.
With a central plant ana central M.
flee from which 20 handle the enormous
system cf street railways cenfenlvlataa In
dismissal ~ several gentlemen who are
DOW drawing good sa.aries a. general
Managers Heads of departments v,o,,jc
so next and then would esorne a rsa,,r.so,,
I'm the NUMBER 81 engineers clerks and me.
chsnics. II Is probable that a new r.vsr
house would have 20 be built. s,r,p1,sd
with machinery Of sufficient power n
handle al OF the lines. Under conxoiaa.
ton. too. II would be necessary TO retain
but one FIRM OF attorneys. while M u-es
ens every separate road In the city has ia
own firm Of .egai advisers.
Busines. Proposition.
THE reduction In the number O. men
employed would. OF course be unplea~sa.
for the employees. from The general man.
ayers down. said another stree, railway
magnaie. "Bus this IL business promo
sifion. I am ready 10 go to the Klonafks
whichever this consolidation IN brought
about | know that the companies wifi
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