Sheriff Seizes Olympia's 'Bob-Tail' Streetcars Over a $250 Note
A small debt owed by the North Olympia Land Company brought the Main Street line to a halt, while its manager blamed grading, weather, and stalled power negotiations for the delay.
Judgment having been obtained on a note for about $270, including costs, due by the North Olympia Land Company, it was put in the hands of Sheriff Prince today. He seized upon cars Nos. 2 and 4 of the company this afternoon, and the famous 'bob-tail' Main Street line was at once closed to travelers. Judge Frank Allyn of Tacoma entered the judgment on a promissory note for $250 due in February last and assigned to O. C. Lacey. This afternoon Mr. Savage was skirmishing around for bondsmen. Lacey & Forrest were the attorneys in the case. As soon as the judgment is satisfied the cars will be released, and one of them will probably be started up again on the route. The company is figuring on bonding its system. When asked about extensions this morning Mr. Savage said, 'Puget Street grading is delaying us more than anything, and we don't want to put a force of men at work until we can go ahead with the entire road. We think, too, of extending it about five blocks south on Main Street, but there is no object in doing so, as we haven't any land in that direction, and there are only a few houses. The weather, too, detains us. We may be at work in six weeks, two months, or three months, I cannot say. The people in any other town would have given us enough money to build the road. We have been figuring with the Edison Company for six weeks, and we also made application to the Olympia Light and Power Company to furnish us with power, but have received no reply. If we could get power from them, we could have an electric road in operation in ninety days. We can get all the money we want, and a meeting of the company will be called soon.' Mr. Savage has been singing this same song for nearly a year, but he considers it no business of the public whether they admire the tune or not.
“We think, too, of extending it about five blocks south on Main Street, but there is no object in doing so, as we haven't any land in that direction, and there are only a few houses.”
Olympia's 1891 streetcar shutdown is a reminder that transit service has always depended on fragile financing and land-development deals. Then as now, a shortfall in a private company's balance sheet could strand riders and postpone the promised extension. The debate over who pays for public transportation—and who benefits from the land around it—has not gone away.
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