The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-27

Robert Abrams was chairman. Those
on the platform. IN addition to the speak
ors. were Dexter Horton and George Kin
near. In the course Of his opening re-
marks Chairman Abrams invited the
members Of the city council present to
take seats on the platform. the council
having adjourned its regular session for
the special purpose OF attending the mass
meeting. There was no response to the
invitation. The chairman stated that the
meeting was not political one in any
sense OF the word, Notwithstanding an
impression existed that 1t was to be such.
1T il a meeting" said he, for the peo-
pie, by the people and Of the people We
have been very busy making inquiries
about the Northern Pacific, and at the
proper time decided to call a meeting.
The time has arrived, and now the meet
ing IL yours. You must not expect three
old men like Mr.. Kinnear. Dexter Horton
and myself to fight a corporation like
the Northern Pacific Railway Company.
but II you will back us UP we will do our
part"
Chairman Abrams stated that resolu-
tons had been prepared and q. c. Kim
near, ascending the platform, read them
as follows:
Reading of Resolutions.
''whereas, The Northern Pacific Rail-
way Company. has rscently ACQUIRED the
Of the water front Of the city of Seattle
extendinE from point 100 feet north
Of washington street to University street.
and has also acquired the ownership and
avenue and railroad avenue from Yesler
whereas. In addition to what Is known
- the mosquito fleet, consisting of about
thirty-fve vessels. which makes its home
there is accommodated within this same
space annually about rs other steam
and sailing vessels that bring to and
gaze OF not less than 100000 tons of
freight as well as a large number of
:sWhereas, The Northern Pacific Rail-
way Company is proposing to devote this
entire space to the purpose of passenger
and freight depots. with a multiplicity OF
additional tracks, switches. freight sheds,
freight yards, coal bunkers. ETC.; and,
Whereas. The Northern Pacific Rail-
way Company. in order to carry out this
purpose, has caused to be introduced In
the city council several ordinances (now
pending) granting to said company GER
tain new and additional trackage fran.
chises on and over the public streets of
the city, as well as for the vacation of
Western avenue and Marion, Spring and
Seneca streets. for the use Of said railway
Whereas, The passage and approval of
said ordinances, or any of them, would
be great outrage upon the people Of the
city of Seattle, enabling the Northern
Pacific Railway Company to monopolizc
or destroy at will the. best part Of oul
harbor for general use, obstructing our
water front as a. place of business, dan
gerous to life and property; and,
Whereas. No surface crossings by one
railway or another railway, wagonway
or footway should ever be permitted
when the same can possibly be avoided;
now, therefore. be 1t
mass convention assembled, that said or
dinances, and each and all of them, should
be promptly and forever defeated. ana
we hereby pledge ourselves to the uss
Of all honorable means to accomplish
"Resolved, further That we recqgniz.
an old, bitter, malignant and uncom-
promising enemy whose most strenuous
efforts for the past twenty-six years have
city and build up a rival city of its own.
almost the entire water front of which
rival 1t still owns and controls; that no
way Company in the past has been 80
full of danger to the welfare Of this
city as this bold and bare-faced attempt
Northern Pacific Railway Company the
absolute control of the chief and central
gateway of the city's sea-going COM
streets leading to the wharves, in the
commercial heart of the city; and be II
further
meeting be and he. hereby is directed to
city council"
Then while the resolutions were before
the house the speeches were made
City COpncilmen Present.
Judge ]. ]. McGilvra spoke first He said
he felt. along with the citizens of Seattle,
very much gratified that the city council
had adjourned to come to the meeting Con-
tinuing he said in part:
"a foreign corporation never distinguish
ed for its friendliness to Seattle has ac-
quired nearly 1900 feet of the water front.
with the exception of single block, in ali
ten blocks, or about fifteen acres in area,
This property has been surreptitiously pur-
chased. Very few Of the business men
knew that such purchases were being made.
Now the Northern Pacific has come before
the council with five different ordinances In
which they ask the vacation Of Western
avenue for depot purposes, the vacation of
Union, Spring and Seneca streets and for
the privilege of laying FIVE other tracks.
I'VE think there are strong and cogert
one of them should pass. This property
comprises almost all the available passage
ways to and md from , our harbor. and is in the
I'VE have in Seattle a mosquito fleet
which make its home in this water front.
and though called the mosquito fleet, some
City of Topeka, Cottage City and North
Pacific, etc We have TBS vessels running
into this port IN n this MOSQUITO feet, coo
handle annually tons Of freight, 'I To
say nothing of the passengers. The num-
Der Of engines that pass Columbia street
a srssht + cars s @ ns u
year over 100000 foot passengers"
Trnfhc Across Certain Streets.
Judge McGilvra gave similar estimates
for Marion and Madison streets which were,
as a whole. considerable I'm excess OF the
traffic and trsvel on Columbia.
A. ~ .