The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1904-11-26

ne ptAh NINhNAtA " - = AA"vi'
10 erect the new city hall on the
old university grounds was carefully
considered by the special commit
tee Of the council to which Il had
been referred last night AZ the
suggestion Of Councilman Murphy
and OF Mir Moore himself further
discussion was delayed until after
the special election Of December s.
Nearly every member 90 the coun-
ell and City Comptroller Riplinger
were present With Mr. Moore they
figured on the proposition for an
hour and half. assuring them
selves that the plan was one Of
great value and worthy % still fur
Their attention. Mr. Moore early dis
sipated any feeling which some OF
the members might have had that
the real estate man was proposing
his scheme from purely personal
motives. or In order TO knock out
The proposed bond issues and most
OF the members left the meeting
considerably more impressed with
the wisdom OF Mr. MOore's plan
than they had been before
Mr. Moore proved couelusively
that be was not trying 20 make rev
enue out Of the municipality lie
even offered 20 relinqulsh his lease
hold on a block Of the grounds 60
that the city could deal directly
with
THE UNIVERSITY REGENTS.
from whom he secured the lease o.
rsassHasf NafN
giving the municipality a chance 70
drive a better bargain with the re
gents than e could through him
self. He further showed his good
faith BY suggesting that II struck
him a. being also a good plan Tor
the city 20 eliminate the university
grounds proposition. adopting the
scheme that has always been adj
vooated by President GIN % erect
n $500 900 building on the present
site. deriving the required funds
from the sale o. property already
owned by the city
I would like % state 20 the mem-
bera o. the council. he said that
do not intend 20 urge this plan
Of mine. II Il does not meet your
approval should you turn me down
cold. I will have no complaint 10
make want you 20 make the
best bargain you can for the city
/ realize that my motive In sug-
Eesting the plan 20 you n largely a
selfish one while I DO not intend
20 derive any revenue from the city
hall itself. I figure that It's location
IN the university grounds viii 20
increase the value ~ the rest % the
property that I have leased there
that Il will pay me.
1t struck me however. that the
city. a. well as myself might profit
ably make such n deal While I
would like % see the city hall 90 up
there. I am not set on the matter.
One point which I think II would
be veil for you 20 bear IN mind ia
considering my scheme Is that at
the expiration Of the 5O-year lease
OF the grounds. any city hall you
might now erect would
HAVE To BE ABANDONED"
Mr.. Moore admitted that as far
rs the plan for him 70 borrow the
money 70 build the hall for the city
was concerned Il was not a good
one. II the taxpayers felt that they
could bear. a. the present time. the
burden Of paying interest on a bond
issue Of their own. This was true
for the reason that the city could
borrow money cheaper than he
could.
The offer d Mr. Moore TO release
IT NJ
40 that the city could deal directly
with the university regents. struck
the city fathers ~ being a particu-
larry good feature % the PROPOSE
ton. BY that means the city might
be able 70 secure a better deal from
the university regents than could
Mr. Moore because the municipality
IL but a part of the state. II al
ready pays nearly One-f0urth Of the
taxes Of the common Uealth
Many Of the cOuucllmen thought
that the city would be able TO Sc
cure not only a cheaper rental. but
might obtain an option 20 buy the
property from the state at the eI-
plration Of a certain term. Part Of
the university grounds we're sold by
the state several years ago az an
addition 20 the federal building site.
The figuring which the commit
tee vas able 20 DO last night. how
ever. showed that the
CITY COULD BETTER AFFORD
% erect a building on grounds
leased on the university grounds
than Il could afford % build on the
irregular block now occupied by the
city ball An important considera-
ton In this respect Is that the city
BY building on the old site would
be deprived Of several thousands OF