The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1904-05-14
WE'VE GOT The FRANCHISE
ALL SHOT To PIECES NOW"

/ W = fNAAEHA HN AfNt EAHt NAAH - - ~
| CONCESSIONS. because we've already
got the franchise ali shot 20 pieces"
In this language Councilman Null
len epitomized the dolnRn OF the cor
porationn committee az it's meeting
| yesterday afternoon. when its meiu-
| bern, finding that they could not
bluff out the American Improve
ment company by proposing prohib-
/ tive clauses aud delaying action r.
naiiy showed Willingness to coin
promise matters somewhat and agree
upon 81 franchise that would be
suitable 20 the committee.
The franchise as It now STANDS -
not satisfactory 30 the officers OF
the American Improvement COM
| pany, aud whether they wili accept
| IL remains TO be seen. However. BY
the time the corporations committee
| reports back TO the council that body
may agree 20 strike out the more OBJ
| tectlonabie features agreed upon by
tho committee.
II 30 happens that the eounciimen
| who have been most antagoniatie 10
giving away a franchise by means
OF which the people OF the city can
set cheap gas are members OF the
corporations comittee. Counciimen
Murphy. Cole ana Criohton have al
ready stated their desire 20 grant
| the franchise ar II originally stood.
aud others. Who have not had an ep-
portunity to officially consider the
/ matter. are known to be similarly
disposed. There Ia hardly a doubt
but that the franchise az II now
stands could he passed Immediately
/ by the council.
/ However. the corporations commit
/ tee viii have ore more opportunity
/ for dissection. The document must
be drawn up In proper form ana
/ when n il again considered the more
| antAsoulatie members Of the COM
mlttee may take advantage u the
/ opportunity 20 inject other oblec-
/ tlonnblc features.
The salient features Of the fran
chiNe. as agreed upon b. the cefa-
mittse yesterday afternoon. are the
| following.
The price charged will be 81 for
/ illuminating gas and - cents for
/ fuel gas for the fret 10 years. Dur
Ing the next 10 years n Aill be re-
/ aueed % % cents and IS ceats te"
speetlye ely and ~ the snd Of that
period IL vii be reduced 60 70 cents
/ for Illuminating gas aud - CENTS
I for fuel gas ass 70 be furnished
the city will be given from the be-
ginning for SO cents and viii he re-
| dueed IN proportion 70 the other re-
ductions
The city reserves the riEhtto pur-
chase the plant ard mains AZ the sx-
piraiiou Of Is years a. an appraised
value.
The plant 10 forfeited to the city
~ u lies Idle for sir months. Nj
merops other provisions provide for
Isa forfeiture 20 the city II the plant
~ not operutcd properly. OF r eoid
60 a competing company.
The company must put up within
60 days after the passage Of the or
dinance 81 90 OF government bonds
and so 600 81 surety bonds 20 insure
the construction and operation OF
the plant
The franchise expires Ia 20 years.
The company must be AT work In
every ward In the city laying mains
within 50 DAYS after the granting Of
the franchise Il must Law % miles
% mains By December. 1905. ard
erect plant with a capacity Of
I I 900 900 cubic feet daily within 90
days from the time those % miles
are completed the company r. COM
PEELED 20 furnish gas 90 any house
owner or tenant upon the written
application Of not less than 10 other
persons living IN 20 acres Of eontig-
uous territory and within a radius
OF half q mile.
AM person ovrrcharRcd IN allowed
to collect from the company upon
proving It. 10 times the amount Of
the ovcreharEe.
The gas must be Of eE-ca ndie pow
er and a gnn inspector will be APP
pointed TO see that II IL.
These provisions were agreed upon
after several hours of discussion and
after Judge Roger s. Greepe. repre-
senting the American Improvement
company. had scored the committee
for proposing the many outrageous
amendments that were planned out
IN secret meetings OF the commit
tee.
| From the beginning the feature OF
the matter that has puzzled and
| dumfounded the committee most r.
the willingness of the company. SO
unusual In most corporations. TO
submit 20 any reasonable restric-
tionp. At the meeting yesterday af-
lternoon the company made still more
concessions To show its good faith
and the members 81 the committee
concluded 10 give up the attempt TO
stay the matter further.
Councilman Rude and Mullen
seemed to take a ficndish delight I'm
| jumping on the franchise and insist
ing on the unjust provisions that the
committee had proposed. For n
while q looked az though Rude
might break blood vessel as he
vigorously assailed the granting OF
any concessions that would give the
company a fair show.
lie denounced the methods Of cor
porations and the giving away Of
| franohises-n speech which would
have sounded very good had not he
with other members OF the commit
tee. bat few hours before defended
the Seattle Electric company against
the charges made against its service
by President GIL and Madroua
Heights citizens.
The compsny's representatives had