Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1913-05-09
LEMON.FOSHAY WIN
FIGHT TO FURNISH
POWER IN OLYMPIA
Council, in Unexpected Coup
Passes Amended Franchise
Wednesday Night.
ELECTION NOT TO BE HELD.
Grantees Must Operate Steam
Heating Plant in Connection
With Power Station.


In a coup which caught their oppon-
ents wholly by surprise, the Lemon
Foshay forces presented further
amended franchise to the city council
Wednesday night, limiting them sole
ly to the furnishing of electric power,
and obtained it's passage without dis
senting vote, Councilman Elwell being
excused on the final rollcall and Coun-
Gilman Taylor being absent. At the
same time a resolution calling off the
advisory election previously scheduled
for May 10 was passed.
What attitude Mayor Mottman will
take on the amended franchise is not
definitely known, though he Is reported
to view 1t favorably. The passage of
the ordinance marks the close Of sew
eral months fight by Wilbur B. Fos-
hay, northwest manager of the North
western Electric company of Portland,
to gain an entrance into the local field,
a fight in which he was recently Joined
by Millard Lemon, one Of the progress
sive business men of Olympia.
A large factor In the passage of the
ordinance was the desire on the part
of some of the councilmen not to em-
broil the citizens of Olympia In heat
ed franchise fight. which seemed GER
tain to arise during the last days OF
the campaign prior to the advisory
election May 10. The ordinance as
passed, limited solely as it is to the
sale of power, is compromise effected
forces, requires that a steamheating
by the council with the Lemon-Foshay
plant must be operated in conjunction,
provides that the franchise can never
be assigned to the Olympia Light &
Power company, and in other particu-
lars meets objections that had been
raised by some of the councilmen.
While not offering them full and
free entry in the light and power field
in Olympia as the ordinance which was
to have been voted on May 19 would
have done II passed, the Lemon-Foshay
people expressed themselves at the
close Of the meeting as being highly
satisfied with the outcome. The gen
eral opinion on the streets, also. seem
ed to be that It was happy solution
of the fight, though the supporters OF
the Olympia Light & Power company
were sometimes heated in their obser-
vations concerning the coup d etat OF
their opponents.
The result is not inconsiderabie
personal victory for Councilman
George H. Funk. who has borne the
brunt of the electric franchise night
since its inception early last fall. aided
recently by Councilman r. H. Leupke'
II any credit is to be given 1t should go
to these two and particularly Council
man Funk.
The passage OF the ordinance follow
ed parliamentary play by Councilman
Funk. At the last regular council
meeting, prior to the special meeting
in which it was decided to place the
franchise before the people, the coun'
Gil had voted to lay It over indefinitely
on Elwell's motion. Funk, who had vot-
ed with the majority then. served
notice that he would move to recon.
slider that vote at the next meeting
A motion to reconsider the vote by
which the ordinance had been indefin'
itely postponed was made by FUNK
Wednesday night and carried with
Councilman Elwell opposing. Funk
then moved that Elwell's motion 10
postpone indefinitely be laid on the
table and this also carried, the enect
being to leave the ordinance on second
reading.
Councilman Leupke then offered the
amended ordinance and. after 1t had
been read, moved that the amendment
be accepted and then the second read
ing be considered the third and the
franchise placed on final passage. THIS
was done, the roll call showing Coun-
cilmen Funk, Leupke. Wertheim'
Powe and Yauger voting in favor OF IT,
Councilman Elwell being excused nj
his own request by Mayor Mottman.
Immediately thereafter the resolu'
ton directing the city clerk to call on
the Nav 10 e1ectiOn uOOn receipt OF q