The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-06-07
COUNCIL KILLS RESOLUTION.


Continued from Page One.
decided to allow each side one hours time
and half an hour each 70 close.
Prof J. Alien omi;h. Of the state uni.
verxity. opened the arguments by address.
tnx the council In bshalf Of municipal ewn.
erAaip He quoted largely from statistical
works. published BY the Johns Hopkins
university. and BY other weii-knovn inssj.
tuaiosas- He talked for several minutes Ia
favor OF municipal ownership Of public nth
HES ~ principss. Figures relative to
the operation OF gas plants Throughout
England and the United States were cited.
the purpose being TO show that on q fair
basis Of cost. production and capital stock,
municipal ownership OF lighting plants re.
suited in cheaper gas than thar by private
ownership.
fair capitalization per thousand fest Of
gas produced annually was S2.s0. but, the
speaker said, In many Of the cities Of this
country the capitalization reached a. high
~ - per thousand feet OF annual prs6-
vet He declared that the consumers Of
gas paid dividends on this excessive cap
itaIixation-
Prof. Smith read from pamphlet by W.
r. Hopkins. the economic writer, relative
to the street railways of Cleveland. O. In
that city the main system OF $50 miles was
capitalized at - 000.0ee with q bonded
debt Of n, 00e.oo additional The lines could
be duplicated for $7.00e0o0 The net earn
ings Of the system Ia 1885 were g. l06.OO0, or
~ per cent. on ~. M0.ooe. Fares could,
with municipal ownership. be greatly re.
duced. and the people profit thereby, ar
gued Prof. Smith.
The value OF the railways at 81. Louia
AZ placed by the officers. he said, was ST..
$500 whereas they could be duplicated
for $s,4ls.so. The stock and bonds of the
ST. Louis roads. he said. reading from sta
tistical works. was four times the cost OF
them.
RAILWAYS OF CHICAGO.
The speaker quoted extensively from the
statistical reports OF the labor depart.
ments OF Illinois and Missouri. In Chi
cage. he said, the market value OF the as
miles OF street railway WAS estimated at
81, COO 90, while the estimated cost was but
Sn.O0A0O- This. he argued. showed that
the council had made a gift to the rail-
way owners OF 90. 90 BY way Of fran
chises and privileges
From text book published by the Jonns
Hopkins university Prof Smith read the
statement that the railways Of Pniladel
phia are capitalized at 81. 900. whereas
the cost OF construction and equipment
was hut tssooc,ooo. The Union Traction
Company. Of that city, he said, paid ST.
$4,000 annually for the ssc OF the fran
~ ~ Av A.
consolidation.
DIR. Titus followed Prof. Smith. He de-
c,ared tho counctlmen would throw them
selves open To suspicion II they refused to
submit the question Of municipal owner
ship to the people. He claimed that the
roads In the consolidation earned $3.50 90
last year.
ON ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS IL your author
iiy for that statement?
Titus-I gave II the other night.
C;Ili--You did net. Who n ity
1T is an eminent authority. but I can
not Just say now and the speaker
stopped.
There was a ripple OF laughter at Titus
confusion He closed BY appealing to the
council not to permit what be said was
the robbery OF the people
J. 8. Goldsmith. president Of the Sehwa
hachsr Company was the firs, speaker
against the Navin resolution. He made a
strong. husness-like talk. II speak for
the merchants Of tho city, he said
Taxes are greater In Seattle than in
many cities on the Coast They are ex-
cesslve and burden on the commerce add
trade of the city. 60 which she owes her
prominent position. by city ownership OF
tho street railway lines In meant mose
debt, more taxes AMI more burdens FOR
tas merchants and manufacturing indus
tries. ] protest against n. The working.
men Of the city don't care whether they
ray or cents. They want capita! In
vested here that VIII employ them and
fay them was~s' tApplaase.l
jacob Fursh spoke next ~ know VIA,
the railway lines Of the city have earned +"
he sasd. "Evsry one bur two have failed
10 earn their operating expenses These,
two were Kept oas es the courts because
the stockholders went down. In their mock
cts and paid their assessments The CITY
could nas manage fhe lines ANY ynaye
economically than the private eon,ranies
BY consolidation. ths MANAGEMENT ras,f,
be made less expensive. But arTniy lie
nese that as rule. private management ss
saeh Institutions Is cheaper TRAN thar by .
municipal corporation"
poNWoarH's TELLING SPEECH.
/ George Den~orih made one az tAs tai.
| inx spseSAss Of the evening. ~ wsess
/ fraas TO standpoint % = man who walks
/ essag 70 iva hsecss fe car liza feas times
/ every Asv." ne said III Is condition ana
nss q sh$ssy that eesssrants nsr. TIE ses.-
/ gie wso have organised the o0as ssssiass,,
/ gFesnisA ~ sStsnaens. waala rather ride
! thirty 90 ssFgy years nassr private uwn.
/ sfsssp shan wa1s slehs aloess every cav
/ seF nftee@ years waiting far sas city g
/ hasAs. TIE Tvas5astaa declares asssn<;
/ grating sDy Franchise wealA Ike so
Ask = iss ceuHcsl sas prey@fes sn ises,