The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-08-26
GOOD SUGGESTION,
- .rexrr THE OSBORNE FusD
..p BUILD A CIT HALF
400. 900 Bequeathed by
-. sp,rited Citizen, Awaiting
consribution From the City
rhss Purpose

:, .hcuId think that this biggest
-:.v on the coast, was reaching
rou when II ought to have a
2 II, that would be a credit and an
s . ~ 10 the city, said pronii-
Z. s;tizen and heavy property owner
- .,a.v aThe present arrange
~ tbe city Offices IS a discredit TO
.ss.iye Seattle almost equal TO the
Faee We have council room
20 vel enough at present and a
~ l.,kfs Office. as well as a little
~ .~t;t;oned of for police head
~ hut the other offices are
s1laa iii over town When a fell
fk.s anv business 70 transact with
~ - he has TO run all over the city
% saw a peason wants TO ind
20, ,,t city and county taxes. He
~ sv.f 90 TO the county
n1.s-,s Office in the court house.
y. h has to go to the sheriff Office
.aa.ber place and the school clerk s
srotber. After that ne must go 70
sseitx clerks Office, then to the city
.,,e-'s down town somewhere.
"a s'.elablv 10 the city attorneys In
~ pIaee. The city tax rolls prior
ane ,sss .rs n the city clerks Office and
0t'a.,nent thereto in the treasurer's
-. M attend TO street grade bust
o.i.s. ,evson has TO see the city clerk,
sssss1rer and attorney, all in different
ss.ees Then II a person wants to find
r,svor. street commissioner or
nv other official he has TO chase all
.,a,,d the city. Now We ought TO
ssvr 4 handsome. commodious city
81 10 contain council chamber
~ Offices for the mayor. clerk, attor-
- treasurer. chief Of police, survey
sad street commissioner. There
,.,sht 10 BE- a large vault in the clerks
49, for the clerk and treasurer. The
ssseraeut would be OF stone and con
ain the county jail
ssLg OF THE MONEY WAITING.
why | especially urge this matter Is
aecause there has been fund for
sveraI years awaiting the eity's ac-
eeptsnce for just such a project as
tbis. seattle's population has been
Increasing 50 remarkably fast that
erobably the majority OF the citizens
r. not aware of this fact. James
Osborne, well-known citizen, at the
inc Of bis death. several years ago,
m a sill bequeathing small legacies
4 several friends and the balance of
he estate for a fund for building q
ri.y ball. The only provision was
hal whenever the city accepted the
iund Il should put up a like amount
to be used in the construction OF the
baiding. At the time Of Mr.. Osborne's
issth the property included in the
city bali fund was valued at about
fE00o. II has increased since TO
aboui 100000. Now, il we don't act
pretty soon, the Osborne fund will
row TO such dimensions that the
cts won't want TO put up an
equal amount to secure Ii. Why,
il will not be long before ii
amounts 10 a quarter of a million.
When 1t reaches any such figure the
city will not feel like expanding an
eqnal amount. for we don't want any
bali million dollar hall. In fact, II
We don't act pretty soon the fund will
grow beyond our reach and be of no
benefit, Tor we can use il for no other
purpose than in building a city hall
and then only by contributing an
equal amount.
THE BEST LOCATION.
There are several eligible sites, but in
my opinion the building oughtfo belo
Gated where the court house and audi
tors Office now are. That i a slightly
place as well rs convenient. A new
courthouse will have 10 be built any
way and that will go on the county
block. You don't know where that
Isl Well, the county sometime ago
purchased a block bounded by
seventh, Eighth, Terrace and Alder
streets for $4,000. IL has been lying
there idle ever since. That IS a fine
Summarizing lite and with the cable
oad up the bill will be sufficiently
| think il Is time TIM
matter was agitated or that fund viii
become SO large that We cannot handl,
i and II viii then be of no benefit
10 US.
THE ORIGINAL, WILL.
After the above suggestions a PosT
isrsLLlGEScER reporter hunted w
Mr.. 0sborne's will on the records a
the auditors office. The will show,
evidence of some eecentricities on the
part OF Mr. Osborne. In IL he proyii
ed that there should be no prayers oi
religious ceremonies Of any sort at hi.
funeral but that the services of com
psient brass band should be procured
That he should be buried under the
auspices Of the Ancient Order oi
United Workmen aud that |. VI. Han
should deliver The funeral Grafton and
receive Sl00 Tor the service; that il
hr, Hall could not act some promt
aent free thinker should he engaged
% deliver the Grafton. lie directed
thai his body should not be taken into
or near any church.
PROVISION FOR ruE PuEp.
The viii l. dated November q, IsSi
and nominated A. C. Anderson
Charles Mcdonald and Henry Atkins
e executors ID provided that after
The pay ment OF ,eyerai small legncie
70 friends, the remainder OF the estate
shosld be converted into fund and
That the executors should make q
Proposition 10 the city 20 expend the
entire sum for building u city hall,
provided the city contribute a like
amount ana that the proposition he
repeated annually until accepted. The
Building is to bc constructed on site
mutually agreed upon by the eNecu-
Tors and committee appointed by
ne city and shalt belong TO the city
Wholly. 1t is provided that a Suitable
inscription shah he made on the front
o. The hall, mentioning Mr.. Osborne
hecuest