Scandinavian American. [volume], August 01, 1948, Page 3, Image 3

About Scandinavian American. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1945-1958

Image provided by: Washington State Library; Olympia, WA

                
THE SCANDINAVIAN AMERICAN
The Ferry S’rory
By
JACK GORRIE
Assistant 'to Governor Mon 0. Wallgren
INSTALLMENT NO. III.
(EDITORS NOTE: On the request
of weekly newspaper editors for
the facts behind the Puget Sound
ferry dispute, Mr. Gorrie has pre
pared articles covering the con
troversy from the beginning to
the present time. This is the third
article of the series.)
King County to the Rescue!
The Puget Sound Navigation
Company had gone on strike
against the law and courts 'of the
state. 133,000 people of the Sound
islands and the Olympic Penin
sula were isolated. There was no
legal means by which the State
could break or end the strike. The
Company had the only ferry boats
and docking facilities. The separ
ate Sound communities tried to
operate a temporary ferry service
with whatever boats of any type
they could gather. The service was
necessarily inadequate.
The Puget Sound Navigation
Company appealed the ferry case
to the State Supreme Court. It
has never returned fare over
charges to the ferry users.
King County stepped into the
breach and began negotiations
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Co.
IRON CREEK.
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with the company. Counties could
acquire and operate or condemn
the ferry boats and docking facil
ities through a right of eminent
domain but real doubt existed
that the State had such power.
The Puget Sound Navigation
Company drove a hard bargain. In
early March, 1948, the King
County Commissioners reached an
agreement with the Company
through which the Company was
given a bare boat charter fee of
$1800 a day or, for fixing rates,
a guarantee of $655,000 profit a
year. All profits were retained by
the Company. King County re
ceived only the right to cancel
the agreement on 30 days notice.
Carte Blanche to raise rates
Once again fares were raised
30%. Ferry users now paid about
twice the wartime rates. By gain
ing King County sponsorship the
ferry company circumvented State
controi of its rates. The sky was
the limit on fares and once again
storm Clouds were beginning to
gather.
The Attorney General having
ruled the State had the authority
to acquire and operate ferries. the
State Toll Bridge Authority en
gaged the W. C. Gilman Company.
nationally known traffic engineers.
to survey the Puget Sound ferry
system, These engineers were to
determine whether there was suf-
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MARKET
5001 6th N.W. SU. 9893
FISH MEATS
FANCY GROCERIES
Fresh and Frozen Fruits
and Vegetables
Seattle
ROOFiNG AND SIDING
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REALTOR
Represented by
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BEST WISHES
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Seattle
Seattle
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ficient cross-Sound traffic to in
terest investment houses in handl
ing the revenue bonds of a State
operated ferry system. The State
was rolling up its sleeves.
Mass Meetings and the Vashon
Vlgilantes
Meanwhile, Olympic Peninsula
and Island community organiza
tions by the score held indignant
mass meetings. seeking relief from
astronomical ferry rates. By reso
lution, by mailbags overflowing
with letters, by delegations to
Olympia"'the ferry users petitioned
the Governor for relief from in
tolerably high fares.
Serious trouble arose on Vashon
Island during the week of March
10, 1948. Since the strike the is
land has been served by an in
fant ferry district. The Puget
Sound Navigation Company's boat.
Illahee, attempted to resume serv
ice in competition with the dist
rict. The Illahee was met by a.
dock massed with vigilantes, some
armed with clubs. Violence was
averted when the Illahee pulled
away and resumed its run to the
mainland. V
A Bear by the Tail
Alarmed by the situation con
fronting them, besieged by ferry
users organizations, the King
County Commissioners ordered the
Puget Sound Navigation Company
to cut; its rates 40% within 30
days.
Once again the ferry company
threatened to tie up its boats.
After a. private meeting with the
ferry company officials. the King
County Commissioners announced
a possible modification of the rate
slash order within the thirty day
period before the rate cut was
to take effect. The Commissioner's
were thereafter served by the
Company with a notice of cancel
lation of its contract. “We have
a bear by the tail!,” Chairman
Green told Seattle newspapermen.
On June 21, 1948. the county
commissioners modified the rate
slash order. Fares of automobiles
and drivers were cut 109;. This
was a reduction only of 3% on
the gross revenue of the naviga
tion company. and it was only
effective for July.
Killing the Goose
The Commissioners might very
well have had a bear by the tail
but the Puget Sound Navigation
Company was certainly killing the
goose that laid the golden egg.
as stated by Vashon's Betty Mac
Donald, author of “The Egg and
I," on a recent radio broadcast.
The ferry company reported to the
King County Commissioners that
during the period April 1. 1948 to
April 15, 1948, it carried 61.772
less passengers than in the same
period in 1947 under lower rates:
19.321 less autos and 1403 less
trucks. During the same period
there was a rise in patronage on
the Company's Victoria run on
which fares had been raised only
30% in two weeks the Company
lost a total of 313.755 in gross
income owr 1947.
From May 1. 1948 to May 15.
1948, the ferry company carried
65.492 less passengers than in the
same two Week period in 1947.
17.710 less autos and 2,243 less
trucks. '
The Victoria ferry run increased
patronage during both periods. The
gross income of the ferry com
pany during the first two weeks
of May was $25,780 less in 1948
than in the corresponding period
in 1947.
It might be said that loss on
patronage on the Puget Sound
Navigation system was due to the
falling off of business following
the cloning of many war industries.
except for the potent fact that
traffic on State highways. the Ta
coma Narrows ferry. and the Lake
Washington Toll Bridge showed
no like decrease during these per
iods. The Navigation Company is
Clarence II. Martin
Friend of Schools
Why is Gov. Mon C. Wallgren
“so anxious to Control the school
and timber lands of the state?"
“Why did his predecessor (Arthur
B. Langlie). who also seeks re
election, also present to the state
legislature a bill through which
the governor could control sale of
school lands and timber?"
Those questions were presented
squarely before the Washington
Women's Republican Club by Mrs.
Morris 8. Kennedy. long a state
wide leader in non-political and
non-partisan educational legisla
tion. .
“I am supporting Clarence D.
Martin for governor because he
has proved he is a friend of edu
cation. He has the most outstand
ing record of the three guberna
torial candidates. He was respon
sible for many bills which have
benefitted our schools and our
teachers." she declared.
"At the present time there is
$150,000.000 in school and timber
lands which belong to school child
ren of this state. Under our pres
ent system of handling state tim
ber sales. the land commissioner’s
office has the records of all state
lands and is trustworthy. But
what if a less trustworthy person
is elected?"
Gov. Wallgren offered a bill
(S. B. 289’, placing control of
school and timber lands in the
hands of a board of seven mem
bers, three elective state officers.
four apointed by the governor. His
pricing itself out of business and
causing hardship throughout the
Sound islands and the Olympic
Peninsula. "For Sale" signs now
dot the road sign before island
homes.
Storage Battery
Service
AUTHORIZED
SALES - SERVICE
Edison Alkaline Storage
Batteries
New - Reconditioned
524 Poison Bldg: MA. 1988
Seattle
ALASKA PACIFIC SALMON 00.
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COMPLIMENTS AND REST WISHES FROM
MRI.“ 8. CALLAIIAN
SHERIFF. KING (‘OI'NTL AND STAFF
8. II. CHRISTIANSON
(GENERAL Bl'llJHNG (‘0.\. TR .\(‘T()R.\'
6822 :ch Ave. N. W.
predecessor. by executive request,
prsented a bill (S B 34) calling for
a board of ten members, six ap
pointed by the governor with con
sent of the Senate; or if the Sen
ate were not in session (and it
meets only every two yearsl when
the act takes effect or vacancies
occur, the governor shall make
temporary appointments.
“What an opportunity for com
plete control," Mrs. Kennedy de
clared. "I can’t conscientiously sit
by without asking you why these
two men, a former governor and
the present governor, are so~a.nx
ious to control the school and tim
berlands of our state.”
Mrs. Kennedy cited outstanding
school legislation. passed under
Martin as governor—the school
equalization act. most important
educational bill since the “barefoot
schoolboy law," wlfich provided for
$20 million with a standard of 25
cents per pupil. rural or city alike.
Other major school legislation
under Martin included: special op
portunities and remedial schools
for underprivileged children; the
strengthening of juvenile court
laws; the first teachers' retirement
bill which was actuarily sound;
prohibiting sale of intoxicating
liquor near a state educational in
stitution; provision for better
transportation for school children.
for milk for needy youngsters. and
hot lunches; for doctors and
nurses in second and third class
ldistricts: and for a state institute
of child development and research.
Dr. Eduard Tabor-sky. Czechoslo‘
vakian Minister in Stockholm. has
resigned, stating that since the
resignation of President Benes the
regime in his country does not
represent the true will of the peo
ple.
Berg
Manufacturing
MARTIN U. BERG. Owner
MFRS. OF QUALITY
Store - Restaurant - Taverns
FREE ESTIMATES
91 Blanchard
GREETINGS FROM
Skinner Building
Seattle
GREETINGS FROM
Sea 1 1 l9
SEATTLE
3
FIXTURES
Homes
EL. "
12"
J.)
Seattle
(G.\.1Hl
51'. 639:;