The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1907-07-25
tcontInued)

imposes Webtlake.
To the opening Of Wcntlako boule.
ward IN particular the Seattle Flee.
trio company offered very material
opposition. That thorouehfaro as
proposed affected the prosperity on
which ita tifth ay. car barns were
opened. the effect Of opening Il be.
Ing to increase the value Of that
property by fully quarter OF a
million dollars. But despite this
Tact the company refused TO loln
Ia the petition FOR opening the
street. roalated IN court the action
10 condemn and waa awarded dam.
ages running into tens OF Thousands
OF dollara This dog in the Manager
policy naturally aroused some little
illteelink among tho owners Of
Other property ON the street. who.
aa result. we're assenaed 90 pay
the Seattle Electric company
claim. Aud when the company
stepped up TO the city council Il
ask the exclusive privilege Tor m
years OF operating street cars over
the thoroughfare there was nat
uralls some little resentment oi
The eompany'a aelflahneas as well
az OF ita grasping policy OF priv
loge seeking.
The original opposition 10 grant
ing the franchises asked for by tho
company on those two Ktreetn tool
the form ~ demand that The
franchises contain fnIl common
user provisions permitting their use
BY the city or BY other future
grantees on terms Of equitable fair
ness. hut az this proposed to with
hold from the applicant the mon
opoiy privilege which IL sought. IL
fought vigorously for It's original
demands. even 10 the issuance hy
President Furth Of q declaration
that the compsny would ACCEPT
nothing short Of an exclusive frnn
chise.
Some Fireworks.
This declaration touched off The
fireworks 81 siumbering eltixenship
throughout the city and brought ou
such an uprising OF popular iudiN
nation That tho city council
though friendly 10 the COMPANY
did not dare 20 grant the franchise
as asked for by the company. The
eommon.uHef clause proposed was
introduced IN the council AZ an
amendment By Councilman William
Murphy. and became known IN the
fight - the Murphy amendment
Frightened by the storm Of popular
Indignation. the council finally
adopted the Murphy amendment
after which u passed the franchise
ordinance. But, making good Pres
ident Furth'a bluff Of a few weeks
previous. the company declined %
accept tho franchlse. thereby q.
clarinKs IN effect. that II would haze
exclusive franchises or none.
This additional piece OF lnan
ience served only 70 fan the flames
81 popular Indignation and
while this Indignation was NJ ita
hoiKht the writer ~ this narrative
circulated. aud secured the sigma
lures Of a score 81 prominent cts
Gems TO a call for a public meeting
IA ChTiatenaen'H hair. Ia the Arcade
building. for the purpose ~ as
cuaalng the aignaiiau aud tAkine
such setion as appeared necessary
That meeting vas attended %
about SOC persons. and. after DIS
cuasinE the subject at aone length
u resolved itself into a Munirlnai
Ownership league. with Judge W
y Wood a. president and Homer
NJ. Hlii as secretary.
Not Originally Political
As originally organized this
league vas not political IN its pug
poses. being designed merely to pro
tcct Il possible. tho exploitation
81 those two and other canon
route" thorouKhfarca from cxclu
gi4e franchise exploitation To this
end q charter amendment was
drafted providing that thereafter
no exclusive street railway fran
chises should be granted over
canon routes" This Amendment
was introduced IN the council by
Councilman Murphy aud promptly
mutllated By the corporation
henchmeu IN that body into the
apology for a substitute which was
submitted and adopted at the last
city election The league also o..
ufioncd tho council 20 submit 90
vote of the people a proposal TO
construct a municipal street rail-.
way system. This petition also was
rejected.
Beaten. spurned and Inundated
before the city council. the league
held another Indignation session
and resolved 20 20 into politics aud
make stili another effort 10 redeem
the city from the Seattle Electric
company's arrogant domination.
Prior 10 this a little group Of "a.
Dor union men had Organized them
selves into n WorkinEmen'a League
for Municipal Ownership aud ~
augurated campaign under the
direction ~ a committee Consisting
of 3 W. Harmon. Frank Cottorlli
and James Murphy. Negotiations
were opened between these two
organizations which led TO the hold.
ing Of an independent municipal
ownership mass convention Ia the
Labor Temple VA January, 1906.
which convention nominated VIII
liam Hickman Moore for mayor and
fun ticket Of other candidates.
Judge Moore'e nomination was the
outcome Of n strenuous contest. in
which Matthew Dow, the contract.
or. figured as his chief rival candi
date. Judge Moore winning tho
nomination by five votes In bal
lot IN which three votes we're cast
for him fraudulently under the
very eye and 90 the certain knowl.
edge Of the writer. But az no time
had Judge Moore taken ans active
part IN the cAtest. and bis nom.
inallon. once n had been made.
inspired a popular following which
Immediately threatened 10 upset
the calculations OF the plumber
buud
~aLlsst Nrr . Ta~a.a.tm