The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1909-01-27
AN INTERESTING SUIT
FILED IN SUPERIOR
COURT.
Asks That the Interurban
Be Declared a
Nuisance.

Charging that the Puget
Sound Electric railway ie op.
Grating lts interurhen cars IN
aide the city limits without the
authority Of = franchise, and
alleging IN substance that the
cooperation 10 daily permitted
20 disregard provisions OF the
city charter. W. y. Crawford,
Of the Seattle. Renson q south
ern, today filed a suit In the
superior court. asking that the
operation Of the eomnRry'a cars
within the corporate limits be
aeelared a nuisance.
The suit Is the outcome ~ an
fnfereating situation. City officials
acknowledge that the Stone 4 Web.
ster people. controlling the inter.
urhxn as well IA the local service
0f the Seattle Electric company.
have no franchise for the internrhan
line. and A. v. nouillon. supcrln.
tendent % public utilities. has re.
QncAtcd the railway people TO ap.
ply for franchise.
Laugh al City Officials.
They have ignored these requests
and continne operating their cars
Either the city officials cannot en-
force the law. Il il contended. or
the made to.ordsF street car trust
from the Hub City is above the
law
The original iutevurban franchise
was granted BY the cssy council 60
parties who were later bought out
by Stone 4 Webster The new
owners did not like the restrictive
character Of the franchise and
Jacob Fursh and " NJ. Young. both
trustees OF the Seattle Electric Co
also a Stone q Webster corpora
sion. applied for franchise north
on First av 5. from Spokane av. IN
1892 the southern city llmitA
% Some Juggling.
This franchise was granted and
In lieu Of actually building a rail
road lire. the grantees were per.
mlgted 60 acquire existing lines THE
tnterurbau tracks, Tho franchise
was then decided 20 the Seattle
Electric Co. and the iufcFnFhan
franchise Was surrendered 70 the
city.
Also. the fnternfban then con.
trmetpd with the Seattle Electric
Co. 10 use the tracks included in
the new franchise--thc same tracks
and same spikes. by the say. that
hal aiWaYs been used The inter.
urban never missed a trip of one
Of itn trains OF delayed the haul
OF q single pound OF freight
The old franchise. which vas
given up. provided for 4 cash fare
not exceeding five cents within the
cify limita II also made provisions
for the payment to the eity Of :.
4. and { per cent Of 20 per cent
~ the Erosa income for she first
10, second ~ and remaining years
Of the franchise. respectively. II
also provided that Whenever the
cIfy boundaries wera moved the
same restrictions should apply
City and Public Jobbsd.
The new franchise fownsd b. the
Seattle Electric Col can best be
described a. a typical Seattle Elec
trio franchise
This meant that the city was
given just a. little as possible
and the company acquired just
~ many rights a. could pcs
xibly be acquired. u was saw
ING - 10 the corporation - Of
thousands Of dollars annually
In percentages Of income given
the city alone. And people ilv-
ing in the southern city limits,
unless they buy book Of corn
mutation tickets. are compelled
10 pay io-eent cash fare.
Also. under the Furth.YOung
franchise there "a no common user
clause permitting other companies
h come into the city over First
~. s.. one Of the essential canyon
Az. p. one % the essential canyon
say u 10 . Nuisance.
Today the internrban lines IN
the stone 4 Webster monopoly are
permitted TO operate In this city
without a franchise. according 20
the parties 10 this suit. They are
alloRed 20 stand their trains on
Occidental av. and on Yealer way.
in violation OF the city ordinances,
and they have a freight depot on
First av. 8 and operate a freight
carrying business without author
ity.
The Seattle. Rentnn a Southern
complains that the company com
mlts a nuisance IN crossing les
tracks al First av. s. and Occi.
dental av.. without any franchise
rights. and asks that the court take
necessary steps % have Il abated.