The Westside Railway Deal and the Councilman Who Didn't Read It

THE CITY COUNCIL. ANOTHER BLUFF ON THE WEST SIDE RAILWAY. Routine Business Transacted at Last Meeting—Minutes for Grade Gravel, Contracts Awarded.

There was a special meeting of the council last night, but the Westside Railway company is still at a standstill. It would be a long story to tell how many different committees have juggled with this proposition, and at last a special committee is appointed, of which Sickels is a member. There was a very apparent lack of business instinct for Mr. Sickels to sign such an important document without reading it. It read as follows:

“Gentlemen: Your special committee on the improvement of Grant avenue from West Fourth street to a connection with Harrison avenue, beg leave to report that we have carefully considered the subject and find first that the improvement of Grant avenue directly north to Harrison avenue would cost from $4,000 to $7,000, according to the plan of improvement adopted, whether by trestles, bulkhead or otherwise; that the end sought can be reached by improving Grant avenue to about midway of block 48 (as shown in sketch herewith), thence west through said block to Farragut avenue, thence north on Farragut avenue to Harrison; that C. M. Moore will, for use of the public for street purposes, dedicate a strip of land 60 feet wide through said block (as shown upon sketch) for $1,000 and exemption from expense for present improvement of the street so dedicated; that the total cost of grading from West Fourth street over the line last mentioned is roughly estimated at $1,000, of which about one-half would remain as assessable against abutting property, making a total cost to the city, including dedication, of $1,500.

“Your committee also find, as per statement from Mr. Woodruff herewith, that he will accept the above change in lieu of the more expensive improvement of Grant avenue, and still hold good his offer to deed to the City as a park two valuable blocks of land in his addition.

“Wherefore, your committee, in view of pressing necessity for the improvement and the advantages to accrue to the city on condition that it is made, recommend that the dedication be accepted on the terms named; that the city engineer be directed [to make] the necessary survey and that bids be asked for the execution of the work.”

Mr. Sickels declared that he had signed the report without reading it and was not aware that it contemplated the purchase of any lots. He therefore asked that his name be withdrawn. Mr. Ward said, too, that he was not anxious that the city should purchase the lots, but he thought it better than expending $3,000 or $4,000, as would be required otherwise.

Mayor Horr said: “The council is bound to provide something for the railway there. This seems to be a favorable offer and will save a big expense.”

A resolution to gravel Union street, from Main to Franklin, was passed, and also to bear one-half of the expense of laying a walk in front of the Sisters’ property on Ninth street. For graveling Sherman avenue, I. Liberman bid 40 cents per yard. Referred. The same contractor receives the contract for grading Washington street, from Union to Fifteenth.

Mayor Horr thought that the expenditure of so much money for graveling streets without a contract would result seriously, and the resolution to gravel Columbia street, from Seventh to Tenth, was referred to the city attorney. The work of graveling Franklin street from Tenth to Maple Park was awarded to O. E. Stickler. Assessments on various streets were approved as follows: grading Franklin, from Third to Second, $446.80; grading Fifth, from Columbia to Main, $265.40; graveling Fourth, from Cherry to Pear, $308.25; graveling the north half of Eleventh, from Main to Columbia, $82; graveling Main, from Sixth to Twenty-third, $3,384.80; graveling Washington, from Third to Fourth, $277.55. Superintendent Phelps, of the Port Townsend Southern, argued for the retention of the arc light at the railroad tracks. Granted.