The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-06-04
ADVOCATE CITY OWNERSHIP
yer H TaTther Extenslon 81
Pseseas stSeet halfway CAasssrs-
Giasgssv.s EuanDls - cited

UnAer the auspices OF the so-caiied COM
nittea Il one hundred q largely assenaAd
n2ss meeting was held al the Armory i1st
nsehs to oppose the granting 81 . forty
year consolidated street railway franchise
and to aS1fate the question Of municipal
owne1ahik Of these and other paoisc aiii.-
tAx.
nx-Mayer W. d. wood presided. beiEg
called To the chair ~ J. w. Goodwin,
prersdent Of the COMMITTEES. The speakers
o. the evening were Richard Winsor. Hen
~ W. Stein, A. r. Eufwsal. Evsseu
0ulth. q. N. Hodsdon ana c1arke Dasss.
Mr. Wood also made 4 brief speech upon
taking the chair. TIE speakers we're given
. strict time Hmis Of sftsca minutes.
For the most part the srcakers treated
the sa,b3ects under discussion tsfnperatsiy
and without much Indulgence ia ants-cor-
perxti0n argument. MIR. Winsor. who is a
Populisf Of rhe extreme type. raped the
0hyl0chs 0f Wall street on the head light
II. ard Mr.. Stein. who IL also q we'll
known Peoples party man, alluded to the
s.niug -haited baaditti Of the nineteenth
century and taers5y evoked wild Ap-
piauye from the Populissic portion OF tae
alt1teuce
Mr. Smiths speech WAS hy far the most
1noughtfuI Of the evening. His opening re-
SHARKS caught the crowd and he had the
audience with him throughput his time.
which he devoted principally TO the discus
sion Of the Glasgow experiment In munich
pal ownership Of street railways, giving
Interesting statistics and comparisons.
Chairman Wood opened the meeting By
stating that every speaker wac would DC
called upon would hs responsible tor his
own utferanees and that there would De
no politics In the discussion. He then an
nouneed his own views on the subject OF
municipal ownership. 1t was plan
which. "a he said. no had only come 10
embrace after several years Of considera-
ton which had satisfied him Of its complete
practicahatfy.
In the case OF the city Of Seattle. he
who were already tied up by street rail-
way franchises having an average life Of
efxteen years. to consent 10 beanx tied up
for forty yeaxs longer. In view q the in
creasing popular demand for municipal
ownership OF street railways. II had been
frEued that the lines Of Seattle were a
4ublous Investment bat he was prepared
10 say that there had nevar been q time
Within the last decade. even In the period
Of greatest financial depression, when they
had not paid more than their legitimate
He MAS satisfied that consolidation
would pay. and while he did not believe
rtshts. he believed the city could make
the consolidation pay also. Anyhow. he
was rot In favor of tina extension Of any
street railway franchise. even for single
year. or In any manner, and believed that
II q consolidation franchise were granted
Il should be drawn In such a way as TO
oner the least possible obstacle to mu-
nic1pal ownership when II should come.
N he was sure il would come within
very few years.
Judge winsor compared the scene before
him with the scenes the same hall had
witnessed in 1886. when the hight for ml.
nieipAi ownership OF the Cedar river w1ter
system was begun. In the even moro Inn
he'd the people would again win. Munich
pal ownership. he said, did not mean an
lncrease Of Bonded Indebtedness, but mere.
: private corporation was anxious TO do
Tor Its own profit. He believed in the
city making the proAt. II had been OBJ
Gy the foundation for . Tammany Hail in
Seattle. A. for himself. he would prefer
the evil of Tamm9ny Hall government
able street car service that now prevailed
He pointed out the fact that the city
charter absolutely forbade the extension
Of any franchise until within three years
OF ~ expiration. Unasr this provision.
he said. the city council had no power
to grant an extension under the gutse of
q consolidation franchise. thereby doing
Indirectly what could not legally be done
Directly. lie wxs in favor or granting the
street railways an opportunity 10 live up
20 their franchises and II they could not
do 20. OF taking them under municipal
control. paying fair price for them.
EAT the same time" he concluded. I'VE
gay ,nat rss one crop of blood shall shy
Mr.. wineor made several sarcastic re-
marie ceneerning the al;esed robbery of
the Seattle street car companies In th>
past ~ receivers appointed by Tho Federal
court and by receivers attorneys.
Calls Them Freebooter.
Mr.. Stein began by lamensins ,he fact
that the people were compelled 10 Assem-
ole IN mass msstinS TO prevent the city
u,Aintain. He then proceeded TO amrlify
The point 81 IN. alleged silegali;y NJ the
Franchise extension made by Judge winsor.
chhc as tending 10 difyerentiat. the peo-
pis Into classes ana ended ny declaring
that the city Of Seattle Was greater and
sIscre able 10 own and epera,. tss swn
street railways than amy coordination ~
fIeefs>ctcrs saat might raise IFS head
Mr., ~lrwell said he would not attempt
eNenp, the experiment Of gaunlcipai avn
A{ship. but that he WAS aaslsvsshly opros-
81 % the extension OF any existing stree
railway franchises ana believed such ac-
ton against The city charter lie object
ei 20 the proposed consolidation even
thouxa seme OF - promoters were his hest
esss should always be made sshserslent TO
the interests 81 the public
Mr.. Smith. who Il a well known Pro-
msa', ,nn,a sss.a hy saying Y have TO
purpase 81 threwin. ecia water or q we,
blanket upon this municipal ownership
pfepsrtsn. shengh tn 'srne past have
been referred TO ga something az a cad
water man. The crowd laughed heartily
ard inen MF Smith sad "a substance;
ia Is admitted that hath the haunted ,a7-
tss ard Tire uas.c service copper atian mus,
borrow money - tnaugar~se atsd maintain
Us railway system, There is no question
that sAe municipality cen barrow rnauey
al lower rate - interest than an sndl
vtaraa or private cssrgsss alton sa the same
eecuFtfs. Il the consolidated railway sass.
raaies can borrow Tn@rey at Ter cent
this sxiy can ksst IL az = lower rate Of a.
premium Ev~sy one knows this - lie
tN@ fact
The railway corporal fSnT mus. ray
taxes. the c&tN Wasala BE- egszans Tee
railway Company sntsss paw. nns only ais n
81 interest os sts bonds bat dividends su
fs ~ssck, fhss stfs weNAs have na sFee h
on which 10 aSsrn dividends TIE ss4tsFa \
corporation wssssgA p. required ~ s.s asaste
fseFvetsssg@ fer shs city. Tfz4e esergAssa.
ttcnx tnvaTtatsiv eSsnaBsf w4tA employees E,
THE sesets9esst 81 YsaHase service sa4s Ices AZ