City Council Blocks Proposed Subway Project
Promoter's plans for an ambitious subterranean build met with skepticism and obstruction from city leadership.
The story, cleaned up
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Fifteen business men left the city council chamber last evening disgusted with the attempts of Chairman Rankin of the franchise committee to block any movement by the city looking toward giving encouragement to the building of the Imperial building and subway projected by Promoter Gillies. A number of citizens assembled to urge the council to grant a franchise for the subway but whenever they attempted to speak in favor of it they were interrupted and called down by Rankin, who appeared to be determined to prevent any action. Gillies asked for a franchise allowing him one year to begin work and five years to complete the job, presenting letters from New York capitalists stating they would finance the proposition once the franchise was granted. While O. C. Barlow of the Commercial Club noted the project might be suited for big money rather than small investors, he urged the city to support the exploration. Despite this, Rankin, reinforced by council members Trumbull and Jamieson, refused to recommend the franchise, referring the matter back to the city attorney for a new ordinance.
“It can't do any hurt and why not grant it and let these people try to do something for Tacoma?”
Tacoma’s long-standing tug-of-war between ambitious, speculative development and cautious municipal oversight echoes today’s debates over public-private transit projects and urban infrastructure, where the vision of a 'big city' future often hits the wall of local political gatekeeping.
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