Ballard's Merchants Dream of a Streetcar to the Beach
After four dormant years, Ballard's Chamber of Commerce reconvenes with a plan for an $8,000 electric railway from the West Street line to Shilshole Bay.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The Ballard Chamber of Commerce met in the city council rooms on Wednesday night for the first time in four years, with a good attendance. Interesting speeches were made by Mayor Matthew Dow, Dr. J. Parker, Thomas Houlston, F. M. De Moss, G. A. Snodine, P. F. Morrow, R. W. Grover, A. McCann and others. The project of building an electric railroad from the end of the West Street line up Ballard to Broadway, along Broadway to Fourth avenue, up Fourth avenue to Baker street and along Baker street to Prospect beach on Shilshole bay, was thoroughly discussed and favorably commented on. Mayor Dow estimated the cost of the road at $8,000 and proposed to raise that amount in Ballard. The only difficulty which presented itself was that of procuring power. It was thought power might be obtained from the Hurst block, or possibly from the Snoqualmie Power Company. The Chamber of Commerce will meet next Wednesday night, reorganize and elect officers. All the members are earnestly requested to be present. The taxpayers and general public interested in the welfare of the town are also requested to attend.
“Mayor Dow estimated the cost of the road at $8,000 and proposed to raise that amount in Ballard. The only difficulty which presented itself was that of procuring power.”
Ballard's push for a streetcar to the beach is the same civic hustle now argued over light rail, bus rapid transit and waterfront connections — a growing neighborhood, an $8,000 dream, and the eternal question of where the power will come from. In 1895 Ballard was its own city; today it's a Seattle neighborhood still debating how to move people to the water.
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