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

Can Seattle afford to try any costly
anA uncertain experimental Where
has the municipal Ownership OF street
railways been tried? who II compe-
teut TO say from experience or observa-
tion what the results would be. even
assuming that al conditions are appar-
entity favorable? How can II be said
tAAt ~ more or less pertinent prece-
dens Of Glasgow In Scotland II = guidey
Do results In the oft-quoted example
- Detroit. Mich, . rich and thriving
city. Justify Imitation By struggling.
undeveloped and debt ridden munich
pality like Seattle? In point Of fact.
the Michigan city has not yet acquired
IT. railway liacs. and nothing can be
said q - the success or failure Of IN
enterprise undertaken as an expert
ment and with full knowledge on the
part Of the entire public that 1t Ii only
IN experiment. The exact history Of the
Detroit project viii no doubt be found
interesting just at this time, Il has
been obtained by the Post -Intelligen-
Ger from the Detroit Journal. which Is
friendly to the project:
Gov. HAsen q. F4ngree In the chairman
Of the muntcipai Ownership commission
picked ~ the city council Of Detroit TO
purchase an the street railway lines In
Dstfelt and turn them over to the city.
Thofe h some doubt about the ccnsifti-
ticmalfsy Of the law under which he was
appointed. but thu question II now In the
RtAte supreme court and no one can pre-
dict the Issue. The commission Of which
he II the head has arrived az a eatlssac-
tory underut anding with r. r. Wilson and
Tom l.. Johnson. the principal stockhoad
ers and owners al all the limos In the city.
There lines cost To hay about SO 600.
They have never declared . cen; of divi
dend on the stock.
''Thc average life OF the various fran
chises Is seventeen years. A COMMITTEES
OF experts appointed by the committee.
have appraised all the property owned by
the lines. and their appraisal with the
eeetmatad value II the earnings during the
u&e Of the franchise. amounts TO over 8I5.-
eooySoe. Under the Mcleod law. by which
che ccusmlasion n acting. II IL not proposed
thai she city exrend cash Tor the purchase
Of these roads. The terms OF purchase are
these:
The city is to give the presen, owners
pr cent. bonds amounting to SIS sa Oea
these bonds TO he guaranteed by fran
chto FOR thirty years In case the city
de@Gits on the payment of interest or
oe11rea to return the roads TO the present
owners. White the owners at sres Insisted
that the rate of fare on the roads sneu, a
not be less than six tickets for a quarter.
and that all paving between ana ,mtneds-
atslg outside the tracks should he done by
the city and that they sheuia hav. . for
ty-sessn-year franchise ~ security yet the
commiWlon has succeeded In inducing .he
cwncre 10 withdraw from these claims and
- aAtisAed with the simple security tran.
chiee and per cent. bonds whlch means
cent fares and universal stesvt- aaH fran
chiscs. There arc only two paints that
now interfere with the agreemen between
the commission and the cisy council The
nrst h In relafson TO sas eanssstas ioaaisty
Of the law under which the commission is
acting and the question II new IL sae
hands 81 thc supreme cenrt; sn. the ques-
zion az 20 whether or nor me whole
proposition shall hr suhgnistss 10 the psss-
PIE for a popular vote hescss. il h decided
Al present the .>oani zsis.t seaeres to he a.,
top l. fs backed he a majority of the
ccsnmoa council, bas needs "a twa.shfgas
vote W NSIss me W&steF NEEaNES 8afe3Ht
sutnnss~soa to the electors al large TIRE
commission hela meeting senigsts sMars-
day. AMI mas seporf snai,y go the eoencs.
tonesrcw. An asng~s apea the Decision
OF the supreme eeuet"
II appears then. that the whole
scher,e IL of aoussfa. canssisusianasity y.
ana II snay be defeated by the courts
II h further ohyinas that the method Il
purchase has asen BY negotiation and
not by condemnation. and that Detroit
has paid. or WITH pay. a fancy Price fos
the properties Il has determined. under
the leadership st cov. rSngree. 10 sc.
calre. Perhaps Detroit can afford &
Indulge 70 the unusual saxmry II sats-
niespsl ownership hwt Aos,& it follow
that Seattle sars The Michigan ssss-
trcrcsls has population ef sss. a>a. as.
sessea valuation AZ all taxable property
~: 90 go. tax rate ~ ls ssasfs sna
bonded asss Of tssasssss s-asse has
. population Of .s.sae. assessed valua.