The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-07-09
CITY oa>EgsHsr wHARyEs.
Seattle Can do " hat New Fork Has
Atrraat Done.

To The Epgrog I have waited some
time. expecfing tasg some af seattle fore
most eftisens would take up this question
al the eitys water front. owing, srT-
pose. 10 the isse disaster that befsa our
iafr city. the rspIat of the burnt district
ard Oh ser vpxgfioas questions that have
hal 20 be discussed. the very important
v1ae Of the csfyss water front has been lest
slgafof Ii il onant that soDe express
zion bs the people ON the subject should be
inside manifest In my opinion II - abse-
in,aly necessary, If We wish 20 make Seat
tie the grsai commercial city that nature
efficiently int. naef thai Il should ke--thst
TIE eify own and cohtrol Is water from
and doexs. There II no doubt In the minds
8f auy o. ss.atfie's progressive citizens rs 10
is lufufe rs saipsaing ponf and CONNER
eiai center There aid De 40 Oct ar time
10 outline some ualform and progressive
svstem of water ffsant and docks hat
could be followed ont IN the
f.ture than the present Seat
h Ia twenty years from nov viii have
a lS8psslaf ion OF Ol1A, and viii De To the
: ate al aashln4ton what New York city
20 toe siais. of svw YORK
eat he is Il. stined 20 be the Liverpool OF
the North Pacific. and IT, citizens cannot
aftsrd 10 STA q ldit by while her progress
i being imp. fei, her commerce crippled
and df1ysD OF BY heavy tariff. and exa-
tious delays 4 leaf from the his DRY of
New York city may hep the citizens her
Ia form soTDe opinion, ~ that some action
might be taken ou the question. In the
yesr 1870 NV York city's water fr ut
passed from the eoutrnl OF the lsg slaiur~
"a the cotstroi of the eity The laws of The
state gave the city power to grsru-liy
a quire the dock property. Deck bonds 10
the amount OF si2.tno HG have been issged.
and the city hes acquired about one half
OF the aoek properly, sud viii ia fea
wears Is the owner OF ali. The price paid
by the city for docks shows that IL was the
privilege that was being bought. For III
stanse. North RIVER Z FIR No. 30 was bought
In is7g sof s.a3.esG, Yet the city btist an
entirely new dock for 81 600. afterwards
lie sing ittb the .nInan Steamship Company
Tor ten years At a Teatsi OF $51,Uu. This
yielded about Ia per cent, on the capital
invested by the city. The lease of pier a.
was offered 81 pubic auction In 1868. fhr
Gyssf price fixed ty The commissioners
D. lug ss.S.ftn. that amount ieldiug an am
pie inter 81 ON IT. cost. II bronsh bit 500 q
ser annum b. eanse OF the compstlfian for
Its possession. Pier Ne. was lea.esi Nav
1, lssi, for ten years 10 the Iron Steamboat
company for sse.0a per annum- Piers
Sos. - aud Il are ted by fhe New York,
Lake / RE Il Western Railway Company
under q lease expiring In 1891. at $685., 90
per annun. TIE revenue rom docks IN
i.s6 was 81 90 go aud the rent from Fer
~. slips amounted To ssl5 600 The city's
income from docks In New Yoak average
alsunt II per cent of the purchase money.
] have given facts and figures sufficient
70 prove III any unbiased person that a
munseI patty can hold laud and lease /.
for the b 81 interests of ali ine people.
What New York city has dsne. Seattle
ought 30 40 aud il ought 10 be done before
any private individuals or eorpprafi0uS gs.s
contFoi of the water front, otherwise s
monopoly price Will have 20 be paid by
The city for privi eye that virtually be.
longs tn IL ALEXANDER MALLS