The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1906-05-16
WEDNESDAY, MAY 1G, 1906.
ABOUT GOULD'S APPLICATION.

David E. Gould has made appli IA
ton to the city council for fran
chise to build and operate an urban
and interurban street railroad. The
city council, on the other hand, has
had previous experiences with fran
chise seekers, and very naturally be-
lieves that it is expected to deal with
this particular application with ex-
IRENE caution. The Herald believes
that Mr. Gould is sincere and serious,
and in no sense a promoter. 1t also
believes that the city council will no.
disregard a very strong public So.
timent and unnecessarily hack this
application to pieces and so COM
pletely disfgure it as to destroy all
confidence that Mr.. Gould now has in
the future of the valley.
OF course, every member of the
council must bear in mind that it is
not fair TO consider Mr.. Gould
freebooter or a hold-up man merely
because he has the capital to go
ahead and supply this valley with
much and long needed street railway
system. Mr.. Gould requires and de-
serves the fair and businesslike CON-
sideration of the council Given
this much, both SIDES should get to-
gether and see what ca" be do-e
toward nourishing this application
for franchise into an actual and
well established movement for the
system
1t is fair to say to Mr.. Gould that,
as an applicant for a very valuable
privilege, he, of course, will consider
it reaonable to get all he can for as
little as ne can. On the other hand,
working in the interests of the city,
the councilmen will be expected to
get from Mr.. Gould all that they can.
The Herald understands that some
men in the council have alrea iy
stated that they believe that The
Gould application is another promo
ton scheme. They are Of this opin-
ion because Mr.. Gould appears to
be willing to forfeit only $4,000. III
Mr.. Gorld is all that he claims to be
he '.ill not be unwilling, we think,
to inc. es sc the amount of the forfeit,
probably to $4,000, if necessary.
Another bone of contention that
has been thought out by members of
the council is that Mr.. Gould asks
for too long time in which to COM
plete the system he has in mind. This
is point that is worthy of careful
consideration. Yakima wants a street
railroad, and wants it just as soon as
it can be built. Mr.. Gould knows,
better than we do, how long it will
take his principals to construct the
system; but it is surely not unreason-
able for the council to ask Mr.. Gould
u do better than four years in the
completion of the road; not asking
too much for him to begin operations
sooner than the franchise provides;
not asking too much for him to agree
20 have two miles of road built in
less than two years time These, we
think. are proper subjects for mutual
consideration between the city coun-
ell on one side, and the applicant
on the other.
In the judgment of the Herald, it
would be unwise, unkind and unfair
for the council to adopt dictatorial
attitude toward Mr.. Gould. We be-
lieve, from the straightforward state
ment ne made to this paper that he is
a reasonable man and expects to ne
gotiate a settlement with the city's
representatives that will be profit
able to him and agreeable to the
city.
BY all means. gentlemen, get to-
gether on fair proposition and let
US have an electric road just as soon
as the work can be completed; one
that will be credit to the city, prof
liable 10 the projectors and perma-
nent improvement that we will all
be proud Of.