The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-01-31
Council Asked to Grant Street
Railway Franchise.
PROMINENT MEN INTERESTED.


The consolidation Of all Of the street car
lines of EeattIe iatD ane great genera
ays4Em. contrufssd BY oEe Ersss CORPORA
ten backed by millions OF Esstsfn aEffEsa.
win pxobahiy be al accomplished faeI De-
fore the end Of tire present year.
Plans for this consolidation rave been
discussed from time 10 ssns@ for Years bat
uevcr until last night has the city eeea
formally asked TO ratIsy such a scheme oy
granting . franchise for tEs consolidated
System. Thar STRIP was taken hy six rspfe-
sentative business uisn. VINO Fled WIN tue
city council q petition asking fer fran
cnfse Of the character indicated. TIE petit
TONERS are H. G. Henry. If H. Young H.
r. Spencer, e. r. Sweeney. J - Lswman
and II. II. f3ssxs and they announce thai u
" their intention 70 bring abous the eos
soIidatIou as soon as a franchise can be
obtained
The plans for the consolidation have
not yet been sniiy formed. Dsas " the
franchise is granted they Will 5e com
pletea and carried oaf with alt practicable
speed Eastern eaplsaiists. II IN stated.
stand ready 10 advance Oil money needed
provided ii long term franchise Of a IA
yorsblc character can he secured Tire
council took no action upon The petition.
which WAS referred 20 sbs col .sosntioEs
committee for Investigation.
EHerss In the Past
Tfss scheme for the consolidation az all
Of the street cap lines 81 Seattle into
one general system has been fayoFila
one with IDEAL capitalists for nlaay years.
In the boasn days wlaeu ali the stsissss
were newly husEt and promising 8f large
returns In the future. the proposed com
e6li5ation was found ifnprarticaAle on ac-
count az the mutual iealeusies Of tie
co,nuauiea At that time -. i. Denny
spent a small fortune In vain In preparing
10 effect the consolidation.
When the panic OF 1853 came on ais Of
the street car tines were involved In q
narseial difficulties. several uf them went
into lac hands Of receivers. and * WAS
useless 10 consider any plan IF censesI-
datson Hut as soon as times began ~
improve the sehems was revived by
Charles H. Baker. tn. civil engineer. wn9
has since brought about the organization
Of the Snoauaiuase Fails Power Company.
About two years ago Mr. Bakers plans
were so far perfected That tney were
made public. and 1t Was announced that the
consolidation would be surely effected.
Some difficulty vas experienced in the or
gan.xss.en af the consolidated company.
however. and in the end Mr.. Baker ADAM
doned tae kaa.
netter Prospects New.
And now. unce agate the consolidation
echeme has been revived, this time wtils
better prospects of q successful iermitla-
tian than ever before. by the men who last
night applied TO the city council for fran
ch!se over all the streets In the city upon
which street car lines are now being OPP
Grated As yet their plans are uniformed.
hui II In practically s.tsled that they viii
ciaseiy follow those originally proposed by
Mr.. Baker.
The most radical change will probably be
tho entire abandonment OF the expensive
Cabse railway system, except IN those por-
tons OF tke city where The grades forbid
the use OF electric propulsion and the
abolition Of all parallel lines Of track. For
example. IL the consolidation scheme Is
carried oct the Yesisr avenue cable line
VIII probably be almost entirely abandenrd
rs a eania road except for sae portion Dr.
tween Pioneer place and the top Of she
f.fss hill. The sF&rst avenue cable Inc
would probably be abandoned ~ being par
atisiod hs the Sseona avenue electric ro'si.
Tie Madison street <ahse road might be
operated partially BY eseelrielty. and SO on
throughout the list
Trnasfer system Contemplated.
An innovation that would prove i'm
menseiy popular with the travelling public
would he general transfer system. Tne
only system at present in vogue I'm the clss
In on the linton TFuas line and Seattle
Traction Company, and that onls ON their
own ears. \ person living IA North Sc
attic assirans uf visiting Lake W syhsng-
ton must pay fares over al least Two lines
Of railway, which is very expensive. pro-
vidlng he has much Of a family.
Tie following COMPANIES would be az
factea by a consolidation;
Seattle Traction Company. running cars
on Second aSenua North Seattle. Cedar
etfsef. Fremont, Green lake aai Lake
sAfnfef
linton Trunk line. running ears on james
street Broadway Rainier Heights and
SSaila Nasia addition. Lake Washington
and II aeon hill
FROM Street Cattle Railway Company.
drumming cars On Fissf syeuns and Queen.
Anne hls.
Madison street Cable Company running
carr from Western a*euHe - tNs lake
1ssir3 Street q Suburban i.ieciri. une.
running freu Third avenue as.G 5asnsS 81
the university and SsaN@Uaa pask.
Grans Street Eicetrle "a lway RAINING
fron the triangle ass seeand avenue sousa
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