The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-08-06


coed II.
COMMUNITIES RAGE
OVER I.ANiTtES
Wherefore. the commissioners
have winked at a bit Of laxlty in con
duct. and are looking around for
another guardian for the hayward
one. They will turn her over. body
aud soul. 10 the first person or per.
sons who will assume the response.
bIlity.
Meanwhile her present iaxities are
engaging the communities TO which
she Is welded.
I'VE set our house in order with
the distinct understanding that the
ferry system would stick" they say.
I'VE have added improvements and
established our home because the
ferry system was given to us by
her father. the county commission
ers. to walk with us thru life. IL
she goes, our dream Of happiness Is
wrecked II she is slow to keep her
fathers bargain. the annoyance TO
US is unbeafable.'
On vashon island they are serious
" considering leasing the ferries
themselves. by the present arrange
ment. they say. we are being taken
up the Sound toward Tacoma. and
then brought back down the Sound
before we can reach Seattle.
TALK or COMMUNITY
FERRIES GROWS
f.nfta L.
something wrong with these rcputed
losses. We think We can run our
ferry ourselves and make IL pay"
In that spirit. several community
meetings have been held and much
consultation with attorneys vashon
island may follow It's "hunch.- and
thus set the pace for Dcs Moines.
Bellevue. Kirkland. Leschi. Medina
and even for Mercer island. where
other ferries touch. with more or
irSs unsatisfactory" service.
We haven't heard about the
vashon folks proposition yet said
Commissioner Lou Smith Friday:
but the whole system II up for Icas-
ing. and anybody can bid.
We believe our prospects for Ieas-
Ing are good. Several possible ar.
engagements are in the air. Terms.
OF course. viii depend largely on
what we are offered
The chief concern OF the commits
sioners Is to get rid Of tremendous
drain on the counuy's resources.
Taxes, you know. must come down.
and you cant cut taxes so long as
expenses run up.
We are running four big ferries
row and several smaller ones. We
appreciate the fact that several com.
munifies across the water owe al
most their lives 10 water Transports.
ton They claim TO have been built
up on the strength of Its existence.
Hut the commissioners cannot be
blamed for wanting to shield King
county from an enormous expense
for which remedy seems remote. to
say the least
The presumption is that the county
cannot shake It's responsibility. even
II II leases the system. The lessees
will be responsible to the county
only. and the county responsible TO
the communities affected.
That seems to have been the de-
cision OF Judge j. r. Ronald. In ssi
perior court. a few months ago.
when Medina and Bellevue brought
action 10 compel the commissioners
and the port commission. 20 whom
the former body had turned over
their burden. to continue service
when withdrawal was threatened
Judge Ronald let the port commits
sion out. but nc held the commission
ers were bound 10 furnish service.
because the bond issues, voted for by
the people. were approved distinctly
on the understanding that the ferry
system would be a permanent insti
tuition for the communities affected.
Whether a private lessee can do
with the system what the county has
failed to do make 1t pay-is now the
question at stake. The commission
ers are perfectly willing to give all
corners chance.