The Streetcar Company That Asked Olympia for Land—and Promised the Moon by July 4

The officers of the Olympia Light & Power Company appear to have given up nearly all active business matters, save the one subject of building the electric railway to Tumwater from the intersection of Boundary and Fourth Street to East Third Street in Tumwater. Should nothing occur to deter the present arrangements, the electric railway will be in operation by July 4, 1892.

“While we have bonded our entire plant for a large sum of money,” said a member of the company today, “we of course expect some from the public generally, and especially from residents along the line, and for this purpose we are soliciting such subsidies in land as the people feel disposed to give. We do not ask one cent from them, as any fair-minded man can see that a donation of a piece of land when an electric railway is considered is simply an exchange for value received.”

“Our main desire is to follow the upper Tumwater road, building a spur to the cemeteries. On the other hand, property owners along the east beach are most anxious to have us take that route. The people of Tumwater are willing to stand the expense of building a new bridge 60 feet wide from the foot of Reserve Street to the charter limit, a short distance from the east shore line. Then there is a gap of about 900 feet for which the county is responsible, while nearly every property holder along the beach from the city line to the Northern Pacific depot has offered to open and grade the street providing we will take that route. That will place us on a continuously level grade, and will bring us 6,000 feet closer to our mill. Then again, the west side people will make liberal concessions, and I have been assured that I can have $50,000 within 48 hours.

“Our desire is, however, to take the main road to Tumwater and give attention to the other routes later. As I said before, we do not ask one cent from the people, but this is a critical time, and we must consider matters pretty closely. It is really nothing more than an exchange of values, not only on the line of the road, but in all parts of the city. Land at the city limits, which is worth $500 an acre, will be worth double. More than that, we do not ask anybody along the line to share with us a portion of his lot just because we pass it, but they should certainly be willing to give up something, even though it be in another part of the city. There is Mrs. Stuart, who does not take so long to see through the right side of a business transaction. She has no property along the line, but for the general good it will do, she contributed, without solicitation, five acres of land that sold some months ago at $300 per acre.

“We would like the people to know, too, that they are not giving us anything until they get what we promise. Here is the agreement in the trust deed, which stipulates that the road is to be in operation on or before July 4, 1892, or the property subscribed will revert to the subscriber.” The trust deed reads this way:

“1. To convey the same in fee simple and free from said trust to the Olympia Light & Power Company, a corporation organized under the laws of said state, and having its place of business in said city of Olympia, its successors or assigns, provided, and on condition that said company, by or before the 4th day of July, 1892, shall build and operate, or cause to be built and operated, a first-class electric railway, between said city of Olympia and the town of Tumwater, in said county, from the west end of Third Street, in East Tumwater, in said county, to the corner of East Fourth and Boundary streets, in said city of Olympia, following as nearly as practicable the line of the upper Tumwater road, Main and Fourth streets.

“2. In case of failure of said company to build and operate said road by said date, then said trustee shall reconvey, and he hereby agrees to reconvey, said premises to me, my heirs and assigns, without any further request or demand.”

Edmund Rice, of Tacoma, is here now, and will assist us in collecting subsidies. If any persons who have an intention or desire to contribute anything would notify Mr. Rice, Robert Frost, A. H. Chambers, E. T. Young, or any member of the company, we will gladly call on them.