The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1906-05-09


e. Gould, of Boston. appears to be a
broad minded, careful man, fully
aware of the significance his prospec-
tive investment means for the city
Mr.. Gould talked very freely to a
representative of the Herald, and in
the course of his remarks, he said:
"In making application for fran
chise to build and operate a line OF
street and suburban railroads in this
city the public will naturally be in
terested in learning something of the
plans for the development of such
railroads.
So far as I may be permitted at
this stage of the proceedings | am
perfectly willing to take the public
lnto my confidence.
1t is obvious that in order to build
such lines of railroad it will be neces-
Sary that the terms and conditions of
the franchises to be obtained at the
hands of the city government and
county commissioners should both be
acceptable; as either would be worth
less without the other 1t would
seem to be the consensus of opinion
gaate leturn on the capital invested
withcrl the suburban traffic: ii is
equally true that the suburban traffic
cannot be handled with profit with
out access to the city.
It will be necessary, therefore, in
order to make a line of railway a
success in this place, that the author-
ties of both city and county should
CO. operate together to assist and aid
in every reasonable way the carrying
oat OF such an enterprise.
The capital invested in a public
service corporation will be entitled
10 reasonable return on the invest
ment, doubtless much larger than
will be realized at the outset, or for
several years at least, and when
measured by the returns on almost
every other kind of investment in the
valley, it would seem reasonable to
expect, considering the material bene-
fit it will be to the community collec-
lively and individually. that every
facility should be afforded private
capital to carry out its plans.
l await the pleasure of this com
munity as interpreted through its
chosen representatives with the Ut
most confidence that no obstacle will
be raised or unreasonable conditions
imposed 10 hinder or defeat the car
rying out of the present plans 10 give
North Yakima and its tributary val
leys the best possible street railN y
service.
Those. plans provide for as rapid
an extension of lines into the Yln
as the stage Of the development Of
such valleys and the financial con-
d.tions of the country will permit.
By the latter is meant that a inaE-
c'a panic in the country would neces-
sarils :etard the rapid extension Of
IT, s.'ctem as now planned, but In
this respect the community here
would be affected in no greater de-
gree than would the country general
ly. No such contingency is likely
to arise, but if such condition
should occur, whatever representa-
tons might be made to the contrary,
it would naturally have a tendency
to retard the work to some extent.
Barring such unforeseen con
tingency, it will be the policy of those
interested in this project to build
as rapidly as the business growth of
the country will warrant. and it will
be returns on the investment, in
other words the success of the ini-
ital undertaking. as well as the dis
position of the people to be benefited
on the matter of rights of way, where
it may be necessary to acquire such
rights, that will govern such extern
sions. And that would seem to be
all that is reasonable to require.
Capital profitably employed will
naturally attract additional capital
for similar employment, and WI ,
adequate return it is usually evidence
that no reasonable demand exists .or
such employment. Therefore to UNI
reasonably obstruct or impose oner-
GUS conditions on any company in
tending to build and operate a sys-
tenn of street or suburban railways in
this section will only result in retard-
ing it's development and growth.
The country is at the present time
undergoing wave OF socialism OF
unrest. This is more apparent in
the east than the west. 1t is difficult
to account for considering the pros
porous conditions that obtain every
where. Continued or enlarged upon
to any extent it is bound to retard
the development of the country. and
the west can much less afford to en-
courage such ideas than the east be-
cause of its greater capital require
ments in THE future for necessary d.
velopments.
The offer to put up $4,000 would
safeguard the citys interests, and as
that amount would be forfeited to the
city in case of failure to build the
road, it would seem to answer the
question as to the good faith of the
prospect"
Following is the wording of the