The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1902-11-18
DEADLOCK Threatens
entire TERMINAL PLAN

The Great Northern tunnel and
union depot franchise did not come
up Tor final action AZ the meeting of
Tue city council last night. according
70 the program. Late yesterday ar
setneon II was discovered that the
ordinances. through an error. had
not been published the full 10 days
REQUIRED BY the city charter. and for
shsst reason no consideration Of the
measure laat night was possible
Even had the charter pnoVision
been fulfilled. however. Il IL doubt
.ui whther the ordinance would
have beSu finally passed, Ii would
probably have been post poned for
another week. and at the next meet
iuE OF the council a further post
ponement II looked for.
The controversy between the city
anu the Pacific Coast co. over the
Macktntosh strip on King street and
kaHraad avenue. and the vacation of
n%Rfpofn street, In expected to cause
TIE delay, While the fnrt that n
deadlock exists between the clay ana
Pacific Coast Co. has been announe-
ed. many city officials claim few are
aware OF the grave character OF the
hiteh IN the terminal negotiations
IhHt the whole tunnel aud depot
plan In endangered IL the belief Of
some OF the best-informed authors
ties.
Both the city and the Pacific Coast
co. proclaim an intention to stand
upon their asserted rights in the mat
ter. Each claims oWnerHhtp OF the
disputed Macintosh strip. The city
holds that the strip il vital 60 the
success Of the terminal plan. The
coast company holds that IL IL not
A. n result. each side insists that IL
VIII not concede anything until the
matter II finally settled by the
The trial OF the lawsuit, involving
the title to the strip IL set for Dec.
Is. In the superior court tf the
case II tried at that time. and a
speedy decision rendered. the case
VIII be appealed 10 the supreme
court. This will necessarily entail
a delay Of several months.
Calls cer,plete Halt
With the case unsettled. the Pa
effIe Coast Co.'S tracks and other
holdings on Railroad avenue aud
King street will remain a. they are.
According 10 all PARTIES TO this con-
troverEy, this neceasitates q COM
pieta halt In the carrying out of the
tunnel, terminal and depot plans.
IL the tunnel and depot franchise
ordinance II parsed within the next
two weeks. the Great Northern fauai
accept or refuse IL within 80 DAYS. In
compliance with the city charter.
With the clearing Of Railroad avenue
and King STREET OF the paelfle Coast
Cos tracka. m unsettled matter. IL
cannot safely accept the franchise.
according 70 statements Of an official
OF that company.
I'm case the Great Northern does
not accept within 80 days after it's
passage the franchise ordinance be-
comes void. The matter would then
be in the position II was before ans
ordinance relating 20 the tunnel and
depot matter was introduced
II IL the ctty's contention that the
Pacific Coast ca. has no legal title to
the Macintosh strip other than by
occupancy for a nun1rer Of years.
The eompanyss alleged dreet tE'ie 10
this strip BY deeds from David =
Maynard 70 Angus Maekintaeh. and
then to the Columbia a Puget Sound
Railroad Co. 10 denied.
What Records Show
The claim Gm nsade that all the rec.
ortis chow IL a deed for flfth inter
eer to all Of the property In and
around the Maynard plat, from
Maynard 60 Macintosh. flIed IN 1870.
and a later quit-ciafm deed from
Macintosh 20 the Columbia s.
Puget Sound railroad for a consider
alton Of tzs. conveying lots nhutting
on the contested strip. filed tn 1850.
A city ofietal who ha. snventigatsf
the matter. claims that there II rft
an instrument ON file describing yie
Macintosh strip. nor any record Of
taxes being paid on II by the rail-
road coutpang.
The Pacific Coast CO.. on the other
hand. claims that the Mackintosh
strip has nothing 20 do with the tuu-
mel and depot matter. II claims a
direct title 10 the property. but Ia
willing 10 submit the whole matter
to the courts. the decision. no mat
ter what II may be. 10 BE- accepted
without reference TO tire tunnel and
depot matter.
The Pacific Coast Go. insists that
II r. but indirectly connected Win
the terminal plan. offlcials OF the
company claim TO be satisfied with
state that ne a result 81 pressure be-
ing brought 70 bear on them, they
have. TO facilitate matters. agreed %
make changes which. with Improve
mentn CONTEMPLATED. mean an ex.
penditure OF $500. GOO.
Has Done Enough
This. they claim. with the eonees-
sion agreed to by them for the vaca-
tiao OF Dearborn street. r. all that
could be expected Of the Pactife
Coast Co, considering that compare.
tive strength Of that company and
the two ranscontinental railroads.
Alao considering tho public good TO
be derived from both their and the