The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-09-16

With weeks spent in the discus
sion of the bridge question, the
city council last night found that
one of the chief issues in the
whole problem, the proportion OF
the cost of new bridges to be
borne by the street railway COM
panies, is as yet wholly unsolved.
The matter was brought to the
attention of the council by the
reading of the bridge committees
report favoring the taxing of the
car companies with one third of the
cost of the bridges and permitting
them to pay interest on such pro-
portionate share instead of paying
it as a lump sum into the treas
ury.
Decided opposition to this meth
cd of settlement with the car COM
panies developed, particularly
among the citizens present, who
seemed to think it would be much
preferable to reduce the amount of
bonds to be issued by getting cash
from the street railways.
The feeling was very manifest
among members of the council that
a complete understanding should
be had with the car companies be-
fore any more city bridges are
built. 1t was agreed also that both
companies should be treated alike
and that whatever was exacted of
one should also be required of the
other. The councilmen seemed i'm
pressed with the necessity of hav-
ing the car companies pay third
of the cost of the bridges, and
more If it could be secured.
Along this line new phase of
the question presented itself,
namely the extent to which the life
of company's franchise on GER
tain street should be considered
in calculating the company's pro-
portionate share of the cost of the
bridge on such street. 1t was sug-
gested that this matter could be
remedied by an extension of the
time of franchises about to ex-
pire SO as to enable the council
to exact the full proportion of the
cost of, the bridge on such street
at the time of the completion Of
the work. Another plan suggested
was to pro rats the cost according
to the life of the franchise and
such proportion of the cost OF
bridge construction as was not col
lected at the time of the compile
ton of the bridge to be collected
when the company asks for re-
newal Of its franchise.
The only tangible proposition so
far submitted is an offer of the
Washington Water Power Co. to
pay s20,700 on the cost of the new
bridge at Howard street. The
company labored under the I'M
preston that this bridge would
cost around $4,000 when 1t made
this offer. In order to see If the
otiii puSihNSS tHS
corporation counsel, on motion of
Mr.. Dalke, was instructed to accept
the offer of the w. w. p. Coun.
Gilman Baldwin seemed to have a
doubt as to the company now
standing by it's offer, especially
since the council has talked of
one third share of the cost of
bridges for the car companies. The
contract price of the Howard street
bridge Is $4,000. r
Councilmen Baldwin and Os-
trander urged the closing of con-
tracts with the companies before
any bridge contracts are awarded.
Mr.. Baldwin favored treating both
companies alike and said he did
not think 1t fair to compel the w.
w. P. to pay nearly half the cost
of the Howard street bridge and
letting the Traction Co. down with
their offer of $4,000 ON Olive
street.
Mr.. Ostrander spoke against the
deferred payment plan of settling
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