, 1889-08-15

Parody on hoSs- aCks.
To THE President AND MEMBERS OF THE
CONVENTION:
The undersigned old settlers of Puget
Sound respectfully ask that as some rec
ognition of their rights the following ad-
ditional sections may be incorporated
into the article on state, school and
granted lands.
SEC -. WHEREAS, grave doubts now
exist and have existed in the legislative
and judicial mind since the day when
Moses was found in the buIlrushes, as 10
what constitutes tide land in law and in
fact; therefore, in order to settle that
question forever, il is hereby declared
that the true definition of the term tide
lands ns established by immemorial
usage on Puget Sound is 'muck-a muck
illahee," or clam lands, and that all
lands and waters producing CLANS shall
be held and treated as tide lands; as
hereinafter provided.
SEC -. WHEREAS, said lands have
been exclusively claimed and held by
the old settlers by right of discovery, and
occupation as tenants in common for
fishery aud pGsturage for time to which
the memory of man runneth not to the
contrary, the title Of said claimants to
said lands ia fee simple is hereby ac-
knowledged.
SEC. -. Said tide, or clam lands, shall
hereafter be held in eeveralty, and to
carry this provision in:o effect the gov
ernor OF the territory shall Immediately
appoint O commission to take a census
of the old settlers upon Puget Sound.
SEQ. -. The county commissioners
of each county sbutting upon the sound,
shall immediately appoint q board OF
viewers, one OF whom shall be survey
or, and the Other two, old settlers, whose
duty it shall be to view out and estimate
the number OF acres OF tide or clam
lands in their respective counties, and
to mark them off by driving four piles,
at least 18 inches at the butt, al each of
the four corners, which stakes or piles
shall conform to the stakes aud mou nds
prescribed in the regulations OF the Sec
rotary of the interior, for the survey OF
public lands, except that the mounds
shall be OF CLANS instead of earth or
stones. The piles or stakes shall be
plainly marked with the words "ciam
lands" aud the name of the county in
which said lands are situated. Said
viewers shall be governed by the road
laws Of Washington Territory so far as
they may be applicable, but if in their
judgment such laws do not contaiu suf
ficient legislation to cover the case they
may make such additional rules for their
own government as they may deem nee
essary; and for that puT pose the same
powers are given to them as are deiega-
ted to the railroad commissioners under
Section 81, of the Article upon corpora
tions in the constitution.
SEC. -. AS soon as the census COM
missioners and the land viewers have
completed their duties they shall report
the result of the came to the governor of
the territory, who shall thereupon pro-
ceed to divide the total number of acres
of tide lands by the total number of old
settlers, after adding the number seven
| ty eight thereto, and thereupon it shall
| be the duty OF the viewers heretofore ap-
pointed, to proceed at once to divide all
OF said lands into as many lots, each
| containing the number OF acres, (giving
as the result of said diyision) as there
are old settlers with 7S added thereto as
aforesaid, marking said lots by driving
one pile at the four corners of each lot,
which piles, or stakes, shall be plainly
marked with the number It the lots
faced by the several sides of said pills or
stakes.
| a. l.. Il
have been divided into lots. and marked
as aforesaid, it shall he the duty of the
governor OF the territory, or state, as the
case may be, to issue bis proclamation to
the effect that said tide or clam lands
will be divided iu severalty among the
old settlers, at a { me and place to be
fixed in said proclamation, which time
shall not be less than sixty days, nor
more than sixty years, after the first pnb-
lication of said proclamation.
SEQ. -. At tine same time and place
named in said proclamation the old set
tiers shall proceed to divide the said lots
as follows: The uame of eacu old set
tier shall be written upon separate slip
OF paper, and the number Of each lot
shall be likewise written upon q separate
slip of paper; which said slips of paper
shall be placed in separate revolving
churns, that is to say, the slips of paper
containing the names of the old settlers
shall be paced 10 one churn, and the
slips of paper containing the numbers OF
the lots shall be placed in another churn
and thereupon said churns shall be
turned sufficient length of time to make
butter come-provided, that If churns
cannot be procured, Ice cream freezers
may be substituted and, provided,
further, that before said slips OF paper
containing the numbers Of the lots of are
placed in the charns as aforesaid, the
honorable Edward Eldridge. and Fran
els Henry shall e permitted to select
two lots each, the governor, one lot;
and each of the members of this conven-
ton one lot, and the numbers correspond
ing with the lots so selected shall be
given to the persons selecting them, and