Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1909-12-09

The blanket franchise, granting
Eldrtdge Wheeler (his heirs and as
signS, although they are not men,
tioEed) right of way over every
road in Chehalis county, was passed
lat the melting of the misrepresanta-
tives of the cOunty-called county
commissioners-last Monday. 1t was
a foregone conclusion. The Abel pro-
mOter of this scheme never broached
it until everything, and everybody
necessary was fixed"
The scheme was exposed in the
Herald OF November 30, by the SIM
pie publication of the franchise, COM
ment being deemed unnecessary. This
called attention to the matter in all
parts of the county, and in the brief
time intervening it was discussed at
large. Almost all were OF opinion
that no such scheme would be passed
by any board of county commission
ers, and were inclined to treat the
matter lightly, but not all. The Ell
ma Commercial club at its regular
meeting after the exposure in the
Herald, saw trouble ahead and pass
ed the following resolutions:
"Whereas; The Elma Commercial
club, while appreciating the benefits
which follow development by trolley
lines and heartily welcoming to this
section any new line which will give
better, cheaper and more convenient
means OF communication and. trans
portation, objects to giving up large
portion of the county highways to
any corporation for the use Of trolley
or railway right of way. The roads
belong to the people, and should be
preserved fr their use, without sub
jecting them to the inconvenience
and dangers that would follow the
running of trolley or railway lines
along such highways and over the
bridges thereon. Therefore, be it
Resolved, That this Commercial
club earnestly protests against the
granting of any such franchise as is
asked for, or giving up the public
highways to the use Of any corpora
tion."
No doubt similar action would
have been taken in the Grays Har-
Dor cities, but for the craftiness of
the promoter. 1t is now known that
prominent men in all cities in the
country--from Westport to Summit
cation-paid for by the promoter
was not made in the Montesano vi
dette, the county official paper, but
in the Grays Harbor News, worthy
journal, but with no pretentionS to
any extensive circulation outside OF
Hoquiam. That all this was deliber-
ate and Abel attempt to stiffle pub
licity, was evident on its face.
Consider the franchise for a mom-
ent, and then think of the concessions
made for it's passage. AS originally
framed, the franchise was perpetual,
and set no time for anything. When
the commissioners met, Monday, Ed
ridge Wheeler, the grantee, appeared
by his attorney, w. II. Abel, the Abe
Reuf of the Chehalis county bar and
it's politics, Mr. Wheeler naivly re-
marking that while Mr. Abel was
not his usual attorney he had en-
ployed him on this occasion from poll
cy." The only persons appearing IN
opposition was j. d. Crary, manager
of the Grays Harbor Railway & Light
Goa building, not promoting con-
cenr-and his attorney, j. B. Bridges,
and County Attorney w. E. Camp
bell.
The attention of the commissioners
was call to the glaring wrong the
granting of the franchise would per-
petrate upon the people Of Chehalis
county; to the fact that the county
was just beginning to have roads
at all, and to make a free gift OF
them to anybody was not only un-
lust but unlawful, and requested that
the grantee be required to at least
show what was his backing for an
undertaking requiring millions of
dollars. This request was met by
by Mr.. Abel with the reply that they
would not do so, as such information
would be taken advantage of by op-
psition builders He finally agreed
to admit the commissioners into his
confidence in executive session. This
farce was gone through with, against
the protest of w. E. Campbell, coun-
ty attorney, and the legal adviser OF
the board of commissioners. and re-
suited in the passage Of the franchise
with certain concessions that were
really required to make 1T Legally
the votes of Commissioners Arland
and Davis, Commissioner Hopkins
voting against it. And there the mat
stands.
What it Means
The franchise, as originally draft
ed and published was perpetual!