The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-03-07
CLEARING UP DIFFICULTIES.


CLEARING UP DIFFICULTIES.
Herrea Oasrs Substitute for the Pre-
posed Section Ten ssd Removes .
stzmblfnx Block.
OLYMPIA, March s.-In the House in the
atoeYnooa the special order, viz. the tide
lands bills. we're taken up. The commit
tees hEI. H. B. No. 2Tz. was read By the
clerk for information
On motion Of Alien of King the fourth
section wss amended by adding at the end
provision that the board Of appraisers
shall nx the valuation Of lands. exclusive
OF improvements
Moultray moved 10 further amend by
providing that only the tide and shore
lands contiguous 10 cities should be ap-
praised. classified and sold. He said the
bill attempted 10 pat all the tide lands on
the market--to survey and plat them.
They would hardly get enough money ont
OF II TO pay the expenses. He held that
the state should dispose Of only those
lands needed for commercial purposes a.
this time.
Judge Evans offered an amendment de-
timing, according 10 the constitution, lands
contiguous to cities. but subsequently with
drew H.
Kuhn opposed the amendment, and in
quired what would be done about mill
ports, which we're not in the limits OF in
corporated cities.
Georhegan also opposed the amend
ment, stating that il would defeat the OBJ
iect OF the bill. viz: To ascertain at
small cost just what tide lands the state
The amendlne0t was voted down.
0s,ran1er's motion 10 amend the fourth
section by previaing that the improve
ments should be appraised separately. was
losf--23 to 81
Robertson moved TO amend by providing
that the appraisers shall meet within
thirty days alter the establishment OF har-
Dor lines, instead Of thirty days after their
appointment
The purpose Of the amendment, he said.
was plain. 1t would be impossible to tell
what the tide lands were until the harbor
lines had been fixed.
Plummer and McReavy opposed the
amendment, saying il was substantially
the same rs the one offered by Moultray
and voted down, for the harbor lines were
10 be established only In front Of or within
one mile Of incorporated cities.
Robertson's amendment was adopted
yeas IS. nays not taken.
Clark of Spokane offered an amendment,
which was adopted, providing that appeals
to the superior court from tho decisions Of
appraisers shall bring before the court the
question whether the appraisal represents
the actual value Of the land. and the mat
ter shall be submitted TO . jury and tried
as other appeal cases are tried. and the
jury shall reappraiss the land, with right
to appeal, as In other cases.
Then the tenth section of the bill. which
embraces the vital part. was taken up,
and, as anticipated, this led 70 the pEiaci-
pal nGhts which wss waged long and
earnestly. some minor amendments were
adopted.
Herren offered substitute for the tenth
section, which made it read - follows, and
in which form il was finally left.
The owner or owners Of any lands sbutting or
Pscinc ocean or OF any bay. harbof. sound, In.
let lake or water course, shall have the hight
for sixty days following the appraisal Of any Of
the tide lands 10 purchase all or any part OF the
tide lands In front OF the lands 90 owned: pro-
vided. that II any valuable Improvements In
actual use for commerce. trade or business have
been made upon said tide lands BY any person.
association or corporation. the owner or owners
Of such improvements shall have the exclusive
right to purchase the land % improved for the
period aforesaid; provided. that nothing In this
oct shaIl be construed to apply to improvements
made after the passage of this oct
This amendment strikes out the proviso
that improvers must have color OF title
from the upland owner and puts ell on an
equal footing so far as the bidding is con-
cerned. II greatly strengthened the bill
and removed the main objections of the
Seattle representatives. prefacing with the
statement that the abutting owners had
held all along that all they desired was an
outlet to deep water.
Moultray offered an amendment that the
right of purchase should extend only to
such lands as are necessary for an outlet.
The amendment was. of course, voted
down.
The provision that improvers should
necessarily have show of title by. through
or under the upland owner having been
stricken out, the eleventh section OF the
bill, which recognized conveyances by up
land abutting owners. was on motion of
Geoghegsn stricken out
Herren favored the rights OF old settlers.
Speaker Feighan at this point called Jud-
son of Pierce TO the chair.
Pickrell. who. with Feighan, re presented
the opposition TO all pre-emptive rights of
purchase, desired to offer substitute for
the substitute adopted for the tenth Sec
ton. This he attempted to do while
Feighan was in the chair, but was ruled
out on the ground that there could not he
a Substitute for substitute.
Pickrell again sought to offer his substi-
tute.
The chair holds" said Judson, mo
matter what any previous decision may
have been. that Section 10 is now as much q
part OF this bill IS any other part and can
be amended as the House sees fit"
When the applause which greeted this
announcement had subsiced, Judson
added: IF anyone wants to appeal be
may do So"
Plummer of Jefferson promptly ap-
pealed
PicSrell's substitute Was worded thus:
TIE owner or owners OF any vaiushls I'm
rscyernepts Hpcr any tide lands waica were
FaAde prior 20 October /. fsss. shall have the
pTis- ysgAi of pxrenaSe Tor . period OF sixty
days IRON and s.ser as:e Of spprsisaa thereo..
s. II sch of said tide lAat Is covered by said
Improvements or are actually necessary for the
use OF said Improvements. AZ the appraised
-.