The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-02-13
war on the MUD FLATS.
Collision Between 0ystermen and
= Syndicate.
Rifles and Axes Arc Freely Used
Piles Chopped Down-Ssatus
Of the Laws

81 the Laws
A war over the possession of the
mud fats has broken out. and unless
the peace officers interfere there viii
probably be bloodshed before II comes
to an end. The trouble seems to be
between those who have fenced in sec
tons of the flat with piles, and claim
the yassrscovered soil by virtue
thereof; and the oystermen, who claim
the land BY virtue OF an act approved
Nov. 8, 1877, entitled IN act 20 encour-
age the cultivation OF oysters in Wash
ington Territory. 1t is provided in this
act that any person being citizen
OF the territory who has planted or
who may hereafter plant oysters in
any bay or arm of the sea where there
is no natural bed of oysters within or
boriering upon the territory. may
acquire by conforming to the require
ments of this title, an exclusive right
for such purpose. TO that portion of
such bay or arm of the sea as he shall
so occupy, not exceeding Tor any one
person an area of more than 10 acres !;
provided that no person or persons
shall locate or cause to be located oys-
ter beds in any way interfering with
the free use and privilege OF any
person or persons cutting timber or
logging or conveying said logs to mar
ket. It Is also provided that the claim
shall be marked with stakes or other
artificial marks at the corners with
bearings to adjacent natural objects
and shall make before some officer
qualified TO administer oafhs. an affi-
davit that he has taken the premises
so described for the purpose OF plant
ing oysters and that he has planted or
Is about TO plant oysters thereon;
that said premises are not upon and
do not include any natural bed of oys-
tiers and that the same are not occu-
pied and claimed in accordance with
law, except by himself. It's also pro-
vided that description OF the claim
must be filed with the county auditor
in the county in which they are stu
ated. These claims may be trans
ferred by deed which also must be re-
corded BY the county auditor.
Under the law some 400 acres have
been taken up in the harbor. There
is one curious thing about the oyster
claims, and that is that they are To-
Gated as near the city of Seattle as is
possible. On the other hand, the men
who have taken up the tide land for
the purpose of improving or speculat-
ing have enclosed their holding with
piles. They expect to secure their
title as soon as the territory becomes
a 49, -. I'll
titles to all the swamp and overfiowed
lands are vested in the state, and from
the new state they expect to acquire a
title by virtue of possession.
The latest trouble is caused as fol-
follows: 1t seems that syndicate of
seven. composed of O. c. Shorey, L.
~. s. +. Clough, Isaac Parker and G.
A. Hill took up four blocks Of tide
land some months since. 1t was en-
closed with capped piling at a cost Of
$500. About month since Wick
strom Il Co. built house on piles in
the middle of this enclosure, and moth
ing was said or done by the syndicate
to prevent this. 1t was claimed that
Wickstrom q Co. had located an oyster
claim 20S feet wide and running
clear across the tract owned by the
syndicate. On Monday the syndicate
started in to build a wharf so feet
wide and 1900 feet long, running along
the entire length of the tract claimed
by them. 1t was the intention to
spend SO 900 for piling and SD 900 for
buildings; in short the syndicate was
about to spend 5000 in improving
their property. A pile-driver was put
to work and so piles were driven. All
was quiet up to 6 o'clock on Monday
evening.
Shortly after o'clock the calm was |
disturbed by the appearance of some |
twenty-five OF the oystermen and their |
friends, who made matters very lively |
in that vicinity until about 9o'clock. |
Although none of the enemy was in |
sight they were armed, and began q |
fusilade at nothing, and shouted and |
halloed like a lot of schoolboys let |
out for a recess. Some say sixty shots |
were fired, and others a hundred. |
These were intersrersed with the |
sound of axes, and by o O'Clock every |
one of the piles had dropped down. |
The shots were fired and the vocal /
noises made with the probable /
intention of soaring any person or
persons who might intend to interfere,
but no one got in their way and they |
finished their work and retired quietly. |
Yesterday morning those engaged |
in driving the piles were greatly aston l
ished to find their work of the previ-
Gus day had been undone, but went to
work with a will and by 6 o'clock had |
driven Is piles. AT that hour the
oyster men assembled to the number |
of 25, but the syndicate had an equal |
on hand. The cultiyators of |
attempted to chop down one
pile, but syndicate man Rugged il as
though it was his best girl and heroic
ally exclaimed:
IF you want to chop anything, l
drive your axe to the hilt In me-
The raiser of oysters let his axe fall
and hurried on to the next pile, but ii,
too, was guarded by O syndicate man.
The guard was kept up to late hour
last night, and trouble was expected |
to occur at any moment. While it Is /
not within the province of the peace
officers to decide which side is right,
it Is part of their duty to see that no
breaches of the public peace occur.
Warrants have been sworn out |
against the persons who cut down the
piles for malicious injury to property,
and they will doubtless be arrested to-
day. Two tracts in the large area in I
closed by III. Dearborn have been 1
jumped within the past few days. The
squatters have built houses OH piles
and have men armed with Henry |
rifles holding possession for them.
REAL ESTATE TRANSFERS.
Deeds Recorded at tho Auditors