The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1899-06-01
A POLL OF THE
COUNCIL
On the Questions of a Forty Year Fran.
chise and the Municipal Owner
ship of Street Railways
in This City.

Councilman Leonard piiier u not
IN favor Of a 90 year franchise beiu.
granted. lie says. me question IL
a hard one 10 solve just now There
are other things which at pres~ni de-
mand the attention OF the authors-
tses In the frat place the clty has
NOT new the means for taking care
81 the railroads. Ie< Is yearN slip
By, and al the end VI that time II
the finances u che clly afs In a con
ditiea 10 warrant such a proceeding.
then - there be municipal owner
ship"
Councilman Iioutrr Hlti. Fussomst.
saye. 4 am most ssuurudiy in favor
u municipal ownership u the e.reei
fAiIways al Seattle, / look IT q ln
shi@ way: Ne are as well situated IN
ss-aksie 90 opesa;s street railways az
= any city Ia TIE world. Is has
be~n stated that che railway com
pafssea o. pssfait. Aich.. have sfgsr-
- - AFt~A1 wv - 49, ~ @-fAANH
u the city ava not take possession
NJ the iines. n fares could BE- re-
aaead from 90 - cents here. Il
would mean tbs saving Of ssa.e.e per
yeAF. or o.. GO 90 within th. NJ ~ %
years. Under fns present syss~n the
xroes secetpfe per year have been
about tieo.oso which. TAKEN on che
average IF the nexs 20 years. y osild
be st.eoo Cos. The esty has great
facilities IN the way q water power.
and for thas 4sasen ccal1 furnish
utiEene With hsht. heat and pswsf.~
coaneilman = n. Muidnon. Repgh.
lican. sas asked for his views re-
sartlus municipal ownership and 20
year franchsne~s he would not 81.
press an opialou upon either avhJcct.
but ntatrd thai he VAS immersed In
thought Both are Important auea-
t.ofsz nov, fneru - than the Cedar
river water question he remarked.
4 understand that therw u petit
tsgn being circulated In SEATTLE v hich
defnAn6s that AN election shall BE-
heid ~ sstsis the question Of NUM-
espai ownership. and the men who
are eircuiafsnw n expect 20 secure the
names of 70 per cent. % the voters
of seattle. thinh n weuid be safe
to say ths~~ VIII be uothsnx done by
council regarding the street. railway
question unsti the people have had q
voice on the subject"
'If 81 could b~ h~eaghs sbcut. 1
would favor municipal ownsrrhip.+
said counctinsn Rfn~hsrt. Republic.
an. hui At pr~~suf I cannot SO how
ue can eecure o. The first thinE
necessary n for the city To Do vs.
own lighting have sIway- ben
in favor % city iixhs plant. One
thing against municipal ownership
~ any sort. ~ the Tendency 60 poiit.
leal tolsssry. but as soon as w~ have
adequate e4vii eervire restrictions.
the dsmeulty will ee avoided. 4
think W Year, So the extreme length
n tim. for which a franchise 10 Tssr-
uliAssbls. No committee could get q
longer onr through council Any
franchise grained VIII probably con
tain provision for mnniclpai own
srzhip xhensvsf the city wishes u. .
Yes viii favor municipal owner
ship when the city can afford the
expense" waa the answer Of Coun.
Gilman Taylor. Republican. bur 10
not think we can undertake the pur.
chase Of the ruaas nov. The old
franchises. running frpsn IL 10 Is
years would have 10 be bought up.
THE Corporations committee should
not be In a hurry 20 consider a fran
enlHe bsfoFe the sentiment 81 the