The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1899-06-28
The Views of Fran.
ChiSe People.
WANT FORTY YEARS OK NOTHING
street Railway conseiidstion Pro.
Iect % Discussed ~ oas
who Is Posted.

According 10 r. ~ Perkins. the
legal adviser 81 the Eastern capt
talisIs who are trying 60 consolidate
and thus control nearly all of the
street railway lines here, the scheme
viii probably fail II torty-year
franchise ~ not granted.
Mr. Perkinp has been In Seattle
about three months a guest At tho
Butler. lie says the proposed con
solldatIon IL by no means an aSnuf'
ed fact. The hitch In the
scheme occurred when the city
was asked TO grant Nf. Perkins
company a to-year franchise,
The application for this franchise
xas made b. jacob Furfh and J u,
I.awman of this city. who acted for
the Eastern men. II wall b. femsm-
bered that after !, vas made II was
asitassd that the city should get pos
sssxlon Of all TIE line. aud operate
them The matter came up IN the
city council. aud was "aheixei" In
order. Il arpears 20 get an expires
sion 81 public opinion.
Many people protested. ana are
protesting. against the granting "
tn-ysar franchise TO the EaHtsrs
men. They argued that Seattle
would, ia time. es a very larse city,
and that In granting the franchise.
tbs city waa simply giving away NIL
lions
This morning u vas rumorea an
the street that certain uscdircasl1ns
in the terms ~ this franchise asked
by the Eastern capitalists had been
proposed
This Funur wa. % the ssTeet that
Mr. Perkins would submit a propb.
stioa to the city eoapcli 10 pay.
instead OF 2 per cent. of tf,e Eruss
earnings. an ameunt equal to nearly
5 per cent This percent &ee. II WAS
stated. was 10 h~ made on klnd
II a sliding scale. starting at per
cent the FIRST year and Increasing
every ave years until an average "a
per cent. OF tbs gross earnings 81
the road would 60 into the city
treasury.
The report further stated that
Mr.. Dwight Robinson. a prominent
engineer % Boston. hsa arrived IN
the city with the authority TO make
the above mentioned notifications
In the terms % the franchise.
A star reported called nn SIR Per-
klnH and Mr.. Robinson AZ the Hotel
butler tfsle morning. 10 ascertata n
there was any truth 10 the report.
Mr. Robinson. who was aret Nsen.
stated that he was Himpiy an en-
gineer employed By the Easiern
capitalists a. look over ths situation
here and report on u. lie knew
no hing OF the proposed connoiiaA.
fion other than that sgeh a schema
was on foot. Having no connection
with the company except as an en-
pi1ye. he was not In a position 70
say anything.
Mr. Perkins. Who says he 10 here
looking Up the iaxai status Of the
present companies. stated IN most
emphstis terms that he knew Of no
notifications In the terms Of the
franchise asked by his company.
N any report 10 In circulation. /"
he said. that We propose 60 pay ar
average % rer cent - the gross
earnings should consolidation hs
effected. ~ il absolutely without
foundation. We could not possibly
pay more than : per cent Of the
gross earnir.ar. and could accept no
franchise saeeptins one for forty
years"
Mr. Perkins stated that arrange
ments for the purchase of ali thc
atreet-ear lines a. the city Nith the
exception Of the Grant street line
running south. fhe Yesler Rvenus
line and the Rain srr beach line. had
been made by the Eastern capital
ists he represented
Everything IL in trcadiness. said
Mr.. Perkins. for tive consolidation
q the line referred a.. and all We
are waiting Tor now v the granting
q the to-year franchisss We pro-
pose to establish Tree transfer
system all over the city. and to
greatly improve the ser vice on Ger.
tain lines.
There II at present an agitation
Tor municipal ownership, - thu
strcet-car system here. Well. al
though the city has taken no nc
ton In the matter OF our aplh cation
for a franchise. We hope for some
definite answer soon.
Il am In a position 10 pay thae
we can accept nothing but n 40
year franchise. The money IL rs.edy
for the purchase OF the dtrey, MT
lines. SIR. Robinson IL simply Ia re
TO look over the situation.