The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1917-07-17
LEONARD WRITES TO The STAR
ne. Traction Company Franchise Scrap of Paper


aud other officials that II has al.
ways received from tho public a..
self. and we ar. going TO do this
so that the service. which tn. pub
lie expects and han the riEht to OK
peci. may not he impaired.
A, W. LEONARD.
EDITORS NOTE: The Star
prints the letter OF President
Leonard. OF the traction company.
In full. lie has stated his case
well--as well NJ tho traction com
pany'w case can be stated. lie In
almost convincing, even when he
says that the city refused tn take
money from the company. His
words arc smooth. bu, what OF tho
facts'
To any thinking man. u must
appear absurd that the city won't
take money 1, ~ entitled to under
the franchise Mr.. Leonard would
have Va believe what Is unbcliry-
able. The fact that Oh. city does
not take money ofnr.d by the
traction company Ia sufficient proof
that the company II not offering
vhz, the franchise provides. Thsrs
In q string attached 10 Leonard's
offer. II Is hcdged about with re-
strictions which the city naturally
cannot accept
And tho fact remains. too. as n
= -. ..x1 II.
own letter. that the company has
not been paying the paving costs
u Is obligated TO pay under tho
franchise. The city has had To go
TO court TO collect this money. and
the judicial process being motor
iousiy slow. the company has been
holding on to this cash for quito n
long spell.
II the company had not en-
barked upon an anarchistie cam
pAiEn to pay nothing under the
franchise that II can dodge. how
could there be any dispute as TO
the payment OF the 2 per cent gross
rcccipts9 Until the courts declare
that Il need not pay Il. II Is bound
under the franchise. and tho
money should be given the city
without attaching n number OF re.
strictions. The same goes for tho
paving.
The company has petitions 10 be
relieved from these payments be-
fore the public service commission.
but until n ruling Ia given In It's
favor. Il must. ~ II IL not an an.
archistlc concern. remain bound by
tho franchise.
Mr.. Leonard harks back to the
time the municipal light plant was
started. He bemoans competition
The city has never given the com
pany an exclusive franchise for the
sale Of light and power II ought
never 10 have given exclusive fran
chises for any street car lines.
either
The company got franchises from
the city. worth millions. for moth
ing. Could the city have treated
one better7 When the city passed
an ordinance requiring the sale OF
car tickets on street cars. Il was
done for the accommodation OF the
public. and NOT In violation OF the
franchise. The car company was
required by the franchise to sell
car tickets at % for 81 The city
did not ask any modification Of
this. II did not ask for n reduc.
tion Of the rates. II did not impose
any new conditions. II merely took
the position that the public could
be better accommodated n tickets
were sold on street cars, as in
other cities, than at the car barns.
The company itself recognized
that public accommodation required
better facilities than merely "of.
fees" Of the company. and volun-
tarily had placed the sale OF tickets
Mt several points downtown. De-
partment stores had been selling
tickets. and SO had other stores. as
an accommodation 10 the public.
The city's ordinance merely point
ed to other offices" OF the com
pany where tickets might be sold
enieutly-namely the street
cars.
Service TO the public7 That's
exactly what the traction company
obligated itself TO give under the
franchise. That is all that is asked
OF II. II failed to give that service
when II persisted in extortionate
rates for light and power. and the
municipal light plant was natural
result. Light rates have conse-
quentiy decreased 10 % per cent Of
what they weer before the city plant
came into existence.
Live up to the agreements with
the city. live up TO the franchise
and don't treat IL as a scrap Of
paper" when fancy suits you. live
up to the spirit OF the franchise. as
well as the letter-and there can
be no Misunderstanding or dis.
putes, MIR. Leonard.