Page:Final Report - The Columbia River Interstate Bridge.pdf/51

 franchise, setting forth the general conditions under which special franchises to any company for the operation of cars over the Interstate Bridge would be granted. At this same meeting you granted the application of the Portland Railway, Light & Power Company for a franchise, and on September 20, 1916, adopted the draft of the franchise to be offered them, following the general conditions established. The acceptance of this franchise was delayed by the failure of the company to reach an agreement with the city of Vancouver relative to a franchise for certain necessary tracks in Vancouver. Early in December, 1916, it appeared that the reaching of such an agreement was quite unlikely, and as no other company was ready to act, and that, consequently, there would be no immediate car service across the bridge, your Commission on December 16, 1916, applied to the city of Vancouver for a franchise from the end of the bridge to the south line of Second Street on \Vashington Street, and on First Street and Main Street to the south line of Second Street. On January 2, 1917, your Commission received notice from the city of Vancouver, pledging the granting of this franchise, and ordered the placing of the necessary tracks. By this action you made possible an agreement between the city of Vancouver and the Portland Railway, Light & Power Company providing for the completion of the loop in Vancouver from Second and Main Streets to Second and \Vashington Streets by way of Third Street, and secured the acceptance by the Railway Company of the franchise over the bridge. The main provisions of this franchise are as follows:

Date of expiration of franchise, December 31, 1921. At expiration of franchise, and failure of Commission and Company to agree as to its renewal, the Commission have the right to purchase such of the Company's tracks as are on the embankment forming a part of the structure. If the Commission elects not to purchase tracks, the Company has the right to remove same, repairing any damage done to the pavement by such removal:Franchise granted over only that portion of the structure between a point on Hayden Island about 200 feet south of the south end of the Columbia River Bridge and the end of the Commission's tracks at the south line of Second Street on Washington and Main Streets in Vancouver:The tracks south of the Columbia River Bridge, placed by the Company, are to be maintained by it, as are also the 