The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-06-05


u . wen enough for Seattle to have
lofty aims. and try to be foremost In
oil enterprises tor tina benefit Of the
city. But there h = limit. beyond which
prudent and thoughtful citizenship will
not permit tho municipality 10 60. The
pubatc can do some things for itself. but
there are other things u ID wiser to
turn over TO private corporations or in
dit3duais under reasonable restric-
tidps. pr3perg Imposed and honestly
suGprceA -~rns city of Seattle at this
ti4se has no business to embark on any
more than doubtful scheme like the mu-
nseapai Sanership OF It's street railroads
It has too many other important things
TO do. invneving large expense. and ua-
escapahes ffo1n their very nature. The
commoneAt necessities-arid the public
operation of street railway lines 10 noe
one Of them-were long either wholly
IGNORED or inadeauateiy attended to by
the corporation through it, constituted
euahorttias because OF the general pov-
erty. The city needs and must have
sewers. Il needs and must have paved
streets. II needs and must have pure
and abundant supply Of water. and II
now mating large outlay o. money to
provide II. II needs and must have q
bstter equipped IRE department. II
should and win improve and enlarge
~ park system. 1t needa more
lights and better lights, and Il
can secure them when II feels finan-
srversi companies engaged In the light
Ing business within It's limits. 1t might
easily have happened. during the recent
hard times. because OF the great
llnancia: distress Of the municipality. II
u had owned it's own lighting system.
that We should have had no lights at all.
or at least very few. AZ II was. we got
what We had to have and could pay for.
Sewers. street iights. parks. water. all
cost money. and a great deaf OF II. and
for that reason the city has not built
enough sewers or streets. has gotten
along with as little lighting as possible.
and has not expended much money in
Improving It's old water system. or until
nov undertaken TO 80 out Ia Cedar river
for its supply.
With all these imperative ohiiga-
items. present Ut prospective. hang
Ing OVER Seattle. is I, wise TO in-
wife bankruptcy by committing th.
city % further enormous sxpen-
diture because Of mere fancy that IL
IL splendid thing so own its own street
railroads The rea, -Intelligencsr has
heard Of no siagrant abuses or nasitlous
offenses against the general wvifase
committed ty THE present owners Of
these unrsosssshs~ railroads which make
II apparent that II ~ safe to repces
these utilities TIA longer in their hands
complaint. ar any complaint at All, tia.
their charges uickcl q passenger are
exorhisant The eniy grievances have
arisen I'm sanse Instances concerning
dilsalaation os the ears. neg,sc, os
the roadheas and in.reauency and
irregtlarl,y 80 serssce snt essutd
the city have doae any better. or as
wellr Has as management Of lis water
service. fer instance. given wuaranty
that all ,he needs snd desires Of It's "a
srvns @oula be promptly and sufficient
~ hooked afgsrs
The practical difficulties Is the way
of acquiring evan ershap ~ The street.
railroads. seesa X IN sacsssf lie aeserrzasss-
cd 10 Re advisable. are alass serious az.
must oe considered hefere the s,assse
undertakes sse project They ns~S. ac,
he discussed new II IL sngass to ASK
how tire roads are ss he secured in fare
90 rresen, laws ana existing tran
chsses. and sow they are &c BE rass sar,