The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-02-06
OPTION ISSUE
O|TCHES CITY
COMMISSION
HUNTINGTON, HOW EVE r,
FINDS TIME TO SPRING
PLAN TO lENGTHEN AND
STRENGTHEN w. w. p. CO.
FRANCHISES.

The civic commission having in
hand the question of the revision
of the city charter last night dis
cussed street railway franchises,
park finances and then badly split
on the local option question, which
was brought before the meeting in
the form of a resolution by R. In
singer expressing the commission
belief that the city should be left
to make its own regulations in the
matter of controlling the liquor
traffic. The resolution called upon
the Spokane county delegation to
the legislature to oppose the
county unit and to stand for a bill
that will give cities of the first
class a right to vote wet or dry.
der which this question could be
easily handled, so far as the city is
concerned, was never mentioned.
The introduction of the resolu-
ton was bitterly opposed as tend
ing to disrupt the commission and
array against it the people who
were contendine for the county
unit in the local option fight After
over an hour of heated discussion,
led by Corporation Counsel L. r.
Hamblen as opposed to the resolu-
ton, and R. Insinger defending it,
the resolution was amended to ex-
press the will of the majority of
the commission as endorsing the
city unit. and adopted by the fol-
lowing vote:
Aver. Insinger, Fred Baldwin,
Robert L. Dalke, John Gray, E. D.
Olmstead, ]. M. Geraghty, J. c.
Ralston, Frank T. Post.
Mol r. Hamblen, B. r. Os-
trander, c. w Mohr, Judge w. A.
Huneke, w. D. Vincent, Peter Mel
son.
F. H. Walker, who had partici-
pated in all the preceding ballots
70 kill the resolution. refused to
vote on the final ballot on the
ground that he considered the
question out of place and did not
propose to embroil labor in dis
pute over his attitude.
Three efforts were made to ad-
journ before the final vote was
taken, but all three motions were
voted down. Mr.. Hamblen tried to
amend the resolution to make it
read straight endorsement of the
county unit local option, but this
was defeated, IL to 8. 1t was ruled
by the chair that the introduction
of the resolution was germane, for
the reason that the commission
had at the preceding meeting
adopted a bill urging action by the
legislature in favor of a nonparti-
san primary.
d. L. Huntington Of the Wash
ington Water Power Co addressed
the commission at some length in
favor of so year street railway
franchises instead of % years, as
at present, with a provision requir-
ing the city or the successor of the
company in such franchise to buy
the property of the company at an
appraised valuation. which pro-
vision does not exist at present. In
return for these concessions asked
from the city, Huntington could
not say what the company would
do as compensation.
Mr.. Hamblen asked if such an
amendment were passed if the
company wanted to convert all of
its short time franchises into long
time ones.
Huntington said he supposed
this was the plan, although the w.
w. p. was well satisfied with some
of the franchises it already pos
sessed. Mr.. Huntington, as usual.
asked everything and conceded
nothing.
Waldo G. Paine of the Traction
Go. endorsed the stand of Mr..
huntington. and said it was hard
to get capital for city street rail
way enterprises at this time. when
the company nj the expiration of