The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1909-02-12
IT WANTS A RIGHT OF
WAY SECURED FOR
NOTHING.
What Was Intended for o
Denial Proves Stars
Statements.

niles that Il fatbefed House Bill
III, the Corporation" law intro
duced at Olympia on January ~.
which provides for condemning
street railway riRhtsof.way
through private property and then
making the property owners pay
the costs.
In attempting this denial the Sc
attic Electric company acknowl.
edges the truth Of every charge
made by The Star. IN substance,
that the bill f. a eleyerly designed
scheme 10 permit the corporation
10 obtain right-Of-way through
some OF the most valuable residence
property IN the city-AT THE E2-
PENsE or THE PEOPLE.
The Seattle Electric company is
not back Of the bill, says General
Manager =. r Potter
SHOULD this scheme be con-
summated We MIGHT BE AN
APPLICANT FOR a FRAN
cHisE OVER THE ROUTE
he declares In the next breath.
WHat COuid nc pidtnerl
The Seattle Electric company
may be absolutely correct in claim
ing that the bin was not drawn
in It's offices. II acknowledges I'M
hesitatingly that II would be the
beneficiary Of the act. The Star
never accused the Seattle Electric
company OF "typewritIng" the bill.
This work was doue BY l.. N.
Wheeler. What particular interest
he could have had in Initiating
such a measure on his own account
Is very problematical But. as the
Seattle Electric company Is the
SOLE BENEFICIARY BY THE
ACT, the efforts of the corporation
to disavow paternity Of the bill
seem far-fctched.
penIson Is Not President.
J. NJ. Denison was quoted last
night IN favor OF the bin as "presi-
dent Of the Queen Anne Hin I'm
proyement club Mr. Denison IL
not president OF the Queen Anne
Hin improvement club. He IL pres
ident OF the Queen Anne Better
Car Service club.
J w. Roberts Is president OF the
Queen Anne Hill Improvement club.
he says:
This bill has never been be-
fore our club, and the club has
never been consulted regarding
the measure. II you have cor
rectiy Interpreted the bill, II
10 piece Of vicious legislation.
The people have enough Ieelsi-
mate taxes without being held
up 20 pay for a valuable cor
porstion ri9ht-of-wsy."
The statement credited 10 Mr..
Denison, of the Queen Anne Better
Car Service association. was actual
ly made, but his words were placed
IN false light, and he wants to
be put right with the people Of his
district.
u am In favor Of the bill
only, mind you. on the theory
that the corporation getting the
franchise PAYS BACK TO The
CITY EVERY DOLLAR Ex-
PENDED IN ACQUIRING THE
RiGHT-oF-WAY."
When his attention was called TO
the fac, that THERE WAS NOT A
SINGLE WORD IN THE BILL
LIMITING AT SUCH A THING, Mr..
Denison very promptly and en-
phatically stated that he did not
believe there was a single man on
Queen Anne hill who would con-
slider bin which would give any
corporation a single loophole TO es-
cape condemnation payments
General Manager Potter. OF the
Seattle Electric company:
"Assuredly, the Seattle Elec-
tric company would not pur~
chase by condemnation or other
ways a riehs-of-way for
street In the city Of Seattle. To
any business man such a prop
osltlon is ridiculous. This
company has obtained fran
chlses over streets and avenues
which are the property Of the
public and dedicated 70 public
use. The functions Of a street
car company are necessarily
limited by business reasons 20
the construction and operation
Of street railway lines over
existing thorouahfares."
Mr. Denison and the few people
who voted in favor OF the bill on
the night OF February g AT meet.
ing OF the Queen Anne Better Car
Service club were induced TO sane
ton the measure under what
might politely be termed a misun-
Outstanding.
II Sounded Good.
The bill was clevorly worded II
sounded good" They took IL for
granted that everything was all
right.
They were told that the bill pro-
vided for the condemnation OF
rightof-way for a surface street car
line. THE PROPERTY OWNERS
TO BE REIMBURSED OUT OF
THE GENERAL FUND OF THE
CITY. and the franchise holder TO
pay annually n fixed sum from the
receipts of the line TO reimburse
the city.
Where does the money in the
general fund come from? The
property owners. They are asked
to sell their property aud then pay
themselves with their own money!
As to the franchise holder PAY
ING BACK ANYTHING TO THE
GENERAL FUND, there Is not
single word pertaining 20 such a
payment In the bin.
IL is pretty safe 20 conclude that
the property owners will never get
any money out Of the general fund
for their property. The Aloha st.
extension alone. for which the bill
seems 20 have been especially
drawn. will cost 100000 or more.
Ask any member OF the council
what a brilliant chance there would
be of getting that sum of money
out OF the general fund for any
purpose. The general fund cannot
take care of the ordinary routine
charges against it now.
NnahInRton~--The house committee
tomorrow VIII consider the hin al
rtudg introduced for tho purpose OF
removing the legal obstruction TO
the selection Of tSnoA.