The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1905-08-03


Jacob Fpifth has cracked the Sc
attic Electric companys whip but
rather than face disgrace and evic-
ton az the next municipal election
those members who are not COM
pletcly entwined by the tenaCles OF
the octopus are anxious 10 break
loose and save their necka
when ]. A. Moere and u. n. GIL
man presented the Withdrawal OF
the franchise To the corporations
committee Wednesday afternoon.
they created the widest scene that
Ia sever occurred at a meeting OF
the present counctlmen.
There wasn't much said. The
solons were too full for uttcrancc,
but they too plainly showed their
surprise. their anger and their
chaKrin.
Rude collapsed entirely. Seeing
defeat at the next municipal elec-
ton staring hlm IN the face. he got
cold feet deserted the Seattle Eiec-
tric company. and announced that
ne Was ready 10 vote for the fran
chiSc lie made a pitiful attempt 10
hay the blame for the hold-up on
Mayor naliinEcr and % square him
SELF. but his fellow members under
stood. Rude has been one Of the
most harefaeed Knockers Of the
franchise.
when u. H. Gilman made his
statement and withdrew from the
roofn the members % the committee
were ~ paraiyEed with ehagrin that
they could not speak. Finally one
Of them succeeded IN asking Mullen
n be had anything To say.
Ne was the reply. not a - -
wordl~
Murphy. after trying 20 show Why
Gilman had not laid out the proper
way 10 reach the people Of Fremont
and Green Lake. slipped from the
roon. his face flushed with anger.
BENJAMIN was 80 ratified that he
KAYE himself away. Hs said he
wouldn't vote for the franchise. or
any other franchise that looked bet
Ter than that % the Seattle Electric
company. lie wasn't going TO allow
the octopus to be placed az a disad-
vantage. no matter what ELSE might
happen. HoNever. Benjamin would
have voted against the franchise IN
all probability. no matter how Il
was fixed up. II has been the re-
port al the city hail for months that
h. never intended 10 vote any other
WY.
Fer the frat time since the fran
chise has been under Consideration.
the committee gave to Gilman.
Moore not being present. due eons.d-
GRAFTON. Seeing too late. into what
a predicameut ttey had que them
selves. they trss-1 10 saussre then-
selves with the pubie. For the last
nine months Moore and eiiiHqn have
been doing the worrying the. cum
cHmen have been holding them ~
and laughing up their sleeves
Wednesday Moore and Gilman
turned the tables There - hardly n
member of the council that has not
n tired expression Thursday. and q
careful investigation would probably
reveal fhe fact that they ala not
sleep much wednesday night
This applies alos 20 Mayor Bal
linger.
Failing BY legitimate argument 20
pull themselves out % the hole. the
committeeman fell 10 making dis
paraging references about Moore.
They insfnuated that he had with
drawn his franchise because the So
attic Electric company bad promised
20 construct on Second avenu past
the Washington hotel the ear lire
which Furth formerly refused "a
build. and which drove Moore into
applying FOR "A franchise.
1T does make me sore. Mullen
finally sueceeded In saying. "fo work
for nine months over a franchise
and then discover that II - cold
blooded bluff
I thought 80 from the moment