Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1906-10-31
SEATTLE SETTLED
CITY OWNERSHIP
Uniue Campaign of Education Put
ouietus on Scheme to Build New
Street Car System.

Seattle. Washington, one of the liv-
est and most independent towns on
earth, has just settled the municipal
ownership question, after one of the
most exciting campaigns any city ever
mad. The fight was particularly inter
esting in view of the methods utilized
to combat the municipal ownership
idea and because of the fact that the
vote finally cast represented a reversal
of sentiment against an election held
before a complete campaign Of educa-
ton was organized.
Seattle has now. therefore refused
to build an Independent street railway
/ system. 1t already has a very COM
plete traction system, the majority
stock in which is owned by Messrs
Stone and Webster, the Boston CAPT
/ talists who make a speciality of con-
Quoting public service plants through
/ out the country.
The plan submitted to the people
was exceptionally clever. 1t was made
/ up of three elements: Cd A proposed
! system of 20.17 miles Of track to be
| constructed as soon as possible, and to
/ be paid for from an issue of S1,272, 036
/ in bonds; % a trackage of SO miles,
/ to be constructed as soon as practic-
/ able provided the initial system could
! be made to produce a revenue sufic-
/ lent to induce investors to purchase
bonds based on percentage of gross
/ earnings, involving an additional bond
issue of 100000; and Cd subway
and elevated systems at a further cost
of $3.3O7, sO4.
WOULDN'T COST A CENT.
Althogh the people were asked to
authorize bond issues to the amount of
S4,272.0 600, it was only proposed to
/ build at once the 20.17 miles of track
age. Nevertheless elaborate maps,
/ showing the proposed system in its
entirety. including elevated tracks an
| subways, the present building of which
was in no way contemplated, were at
once circulated by the advocates of
municipal ownership. BY such argu-
ments it was sought to show how Sc
attic could acquire this great system
without costing the municipality a
cent"
The municipal ownership forces
We're organized and skiIlfully led. They
held their first meeting. surrounded by
/ representatives of labor unions, and
formed a campaign committee, OF
which Judge W. D. Wood a former
mayor. was made chairman. They be-
gan their campaign at once with much
vigOr and system.
Many conditions favored the side OF
the opposition. Probably more work
ing men of Seattle own their owl
homes that in any other city in tbs
United States. As a result OF this tn,
influence of labor organization is no
as great there as elsewhere. More
over. the city had numerous importan
and insistent needs stTaining her fin
I anciaI resources. Her debt already
reached the constitutional limit. The
values We're about TO be raised fully 81
per cent, thus providing a greatly aug
mented borrowing capacity, but evel
this would only furnish a fund barrel.
sufficient for carrying out necessar.
improvements including the enlarge
ment of water supply, paving, sewe
extension. and other improvements.
SEATTLES PRESENT STREET
RAILROADS.
Another factor which favored TIT
opposition was that half dozen years
ago Seattle was served by no less thai
thirteen separate street car lines. mos
of them operated by receivers. TIL
Seattle Electric Company the majorit
of stock in which was owned by Ston
& Webster, consolidated these lines