The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-17

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or these there has been no public COM
plant against the first, either as to tracks,
equipment or service during the ten years
of it's existence. The second Is now being
thoroughly rebuilt with standard gauge
tracks. as fast as men and money can do
the work. regardless of the disadvantages
of work during a rainy season. The third
and fourth deserve all your comment as
to poor equipment and bad service. The
fifth, comprising the main system Of the
city, and including more than one-third
of the mileage proposed to be consolidat-
ed has with the exception of the Fremont
line and occasional lapses on the Cedar
street branch, given a fair public service,
and under the spur Of public censure and
private interest has within the past year
practically rebuilt its entire system. As a
whole there is today no public complaint
against the service of the Seattle Traction
Company. OF the sixth, the less said the
better. Its tracks are wrecks, its equip
ment wretched and its management has
been monstrous. yet in justice 1t can fairly
be said that during the past six months
the service has been fairly efficient--em-
inently so when we consider the conditions
under which 1t Is operated.
Hence we see that the plea of poor
tracks and service at the most applies to
only about one-third of the mileage pro-
posed to be consolidated. Is 1t necessary
to sacrifice the rights and prosperity Of
the next generation by granting thirty
five-year franchise in order to remedy
the defects Of the Ballard, University
and First avenue lines? little investi-
cation and thought proves the contrary.
You say there can be no Improvement
without new capital, and the new capital
cannot be had without a new franchise.
Why then. pray, did the new owners of
49,. E~~~~
rebuild that system Immediately upon ac-
quirement. and why are the same people
today rebuilding the Union Trunk line sys-
tenn, spending many thousands of dollars
upon line whose franchise will expire
within fifteen years? Have the people
any reason to doubt that-especially with
a strong public prod--they will proceed
to do likewise on the other lines which
they are said to have also acquired. But,
fortunately. the people are not left to
depend upon the willing enterprise of
public service corporations to provide
good equipment and service The exist
ing franchises. which are the contracts
between the people of Seattle and the
owners of these various lines will pro-
tect the rights of the people when they
are properly enforced. Here are pro-
visions from the Third street UNIVERSITY
franchise, which, with slight variations,
may be found in all others concerned:
"All such poles and wires and all appli-
anc,s connected Herewith, and the ma
terial and construction of the roadbed,
shall be built in the most approved mode
=" and both the material and work
manship thereof shall be of the best kind
and quality, and all thereof shall be SUBJ
Of eaps said ID c aty''sa' " '"s common 'oane'i
1.-THE cars used on said railway shall
be of proper construction and equipment
for the safety: comfort and convenience
Of passengers.
Truly those who plead the existing poor
tracks and equipment and service as a
reason for a new thirty-five-year fran
chise do protest too much" Every one
of these franchise corporations, or the
present trust owners of all of them. is
bound by contract to give the people of
Seattle an efficient public service on solid
tracks, with safe and comfortable equip
ment. If they will not live up to their
contract the people have their plain rem
edy. To use their own present incapac-
ity and inefficiency as an argument for
privilege and profit to private corpora
lions Is an insult to the intelligence of the
people. as well as an attack upon their re-
sources, Every piece of poor track, ev-
cry broken-down car, every instance Of
inefficient service is an argument not for
an extension of franchise. but for a dis
play Of municipal backbone"
Second--A few words as to the fran
chises which you say cannot be taken
from them" Here again an investigation
proves that many OF your facts are
rys--