Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1906-06-11
A "HASTY" SCHEME
AN EFFORT TO Obtain VALUABLE
FRANCHISE FROM CITY.
The "Hastv Messenger Service Co."
HvpnOtizeS COunCilmen Anderson
and Hife. The City TO Give Rights
Over all Streets, Alleys and High.
way for "Nit."

One OF the surprises at the city council
meeting last Wednesday evening was
the report of the street committee, >igned
by Councilmen Hite and Anderson, re.
commenting that the "IIasty" Messen-
ger service franchise be passed. To the
credit of the council, be it said, that
Messrs. Hite and Anderson were sat up.
on by refusal to act upon their recon-
mendation.
Aberdeen today is feeling the results
of over "Hasty" franchises and grants OF
what belongs to the public, and one OF
the most serious problems that now con-
fronts the city is how to exact better
telephone service under the terms of
what was considered eight" franchise
given but few years ago. This fran.
chise, (see ordinance No. l54, page SO, of
City Ordinances is so loose that we are
now confronted with the alternative f
begging that company for better service
or granting a new franchise that will
compel most OF us to maintain two
chise is so worded as to create its forfeit.
ure unless "it shall be built and con-
structed within three (3) months, and
that not less than twelve telephones be
in operation in the city within II
months"
When Ed. G. Finch, few years later,
applied for franchise to cover few
streets with tracks and poles, he was,
very properly met with the statement
that the city realized the benefits to be
derived fiom his contemplated improve.
ment, but, to prevent the tieing up OF
the streets in the interest of what might
be a stock iobbing scheme, not only
required that the line must be built
within certain time-eIse the franchise
forfeited-but compelled him to put
$4,000 in the bank payable to the city in
case he failed to make good.
This proceeding was but what ordinary
business judgment would dictate, and
this paper has no hesitancy in saying
that were this "Hasty" proposition one
that covered property owned by them.
the committee report would prob ibly
have been different.
In brief, the "Hasty" franchise pro.
poses to tie up the city for 25 years, Civ
ing it the use of al. streets and alleys
and other highways, for the purpose OF
"a Messenger Service" There is not
word, syllable or line in the ordinance
that either discloses the names of this
concern; its purpose or gives any evil
dence OF intention whatever, and the
only construction that can be placed up
on the report OF Councilmcn Anderson
and Hite is that they have been hypno.
tized, no one doubling their honesty OF
purpose on the council.
The HERALD dsikes very much to ap.
pear in the character of knocker, and
will here and now agree to support this
"Hasty" ordinance, if upon showing
that it is being granted to responsible
persons for useful purpose, and if such
careful precautions are taken as was
done in the electric road franchise. Who
ever is behind this blind ordinance should
be compelled to show up; clause in.
serted working forfeiture in case of
failure to build, and a cash forfeit de.
manded for faithful performance. The
highways of Aberdeen belong to its peo-
pie; they are not gifts to be bestowed by
councilmen.