The Streetcar Builder Who Refused to Buy His Own Right of Way

Editor Tribune: Some of the city councilmen have suggested that if the Westside Railway company would purchase a street through block 48, the city would improve it, and in that way remove the cause of delay of the street railway enterprise. That could doubtless be done, but if my vote can prevent it, it never will be done. I consider it nothing less than an insult to ask us to do so. We are projecting an enterprise which can never pay us unless we create, by our efforts, greater developments than have heretofore been caused by any one enterprise ever undertaken in Olympia. We expect to pay at least $25,000 to get the first mile of road in operation. We could take the money and invest it where we could profit by it, but our gain would be no profit to the city. In the end we hope to get large returns on our investments, but our only hope is in making hundreds of dollars for the public to every one we make for ourselves. If any man or company will do the work we have set out to do, we will pay a bonus of ten thousand dollars and purchase for them all of block 48, and grade all the streets for the first mile and a half. The above offer, remember, is open for ten days to any who may desire to undertake the enterprise. I claim that in building a street railway at this stage of the city's history we are doing more for the public than for ourselves, and being fully possessed of that conviction it naturally makes me indignant to be told that if I wish to build, I can do so by purchasing the privilege. J. R. Chaplin.