The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-02-12
4 TIDE LAND SCHENE
WAT THE Effect WOULD sE.


. open the uay to the oentroi of the tide
lands Of Seattie. Port Townsend and the
caeass q Beiliuxham hay has hesn exposed
1nst when the tide lard bill n about 70 u
submitted 70 both Houses cs ths lerixlat-
u1o. IL ts directly charged that It Is backed
By The Northern Pacific and that Il has
ben hatchsd By its agents in and out Of
this legislature.
Stated in : fs~ words, the plan h -
follows: When the tide land bin i heins
considered in the House or senate n
amendment viii Il the last moment be
sprung providing that In front of
these cities, where the tide lands have
6sen plated. The pre- srnptive right Of up.
land owners shall terminate with the first
street ON tide lands parallel With the shore
line. The effect Of this amendment would
b % reserve the prior right of purchase
- The upland owner in III the
cities Of Puget sound, except those
named. which aye Ill that have their tide
lands plated. Land outside OF this term
inal street would - open to The deprevla-
lions Of corporations and monsyed synsi-
Gates regardless of tho equities Of the
pefsons who have made valuable improve
ments, whether they arc grantees ol up
lands. owners or not For instance, In
Seattle almost the whole water front
would b exposed TO sale at public
aucfiOn hel0w The streets which parallel
aud arc nearest TO the high water mark.
An its improvements would b liable to
coniscation b. ths party who can secure
title from the state and their owners would
b helpless to prevent il
The city Of Tacoma is exempted from
the provisions Of The inter iected clause for
the reason that it, tide lands are not plat
ted and the rights OF lis upland owners
win therefore Be untrammeled 10 deep
water.
At lass the committee which has heen
considering the knotty tide land problem
has come to an agreement and
bill has been agreed on which
will be presented simultaneously
In the two houses tomorrow. The sub
which was appointed By the
joint standing committees On tide lands.
presented the results Of its deliherattons -
tho full committee tonight The action
above indicated was taken with substantial
unanimity. The bill. which IL In eli is
main provisions similar 70 the forecast
already given in these columns. has been
very carefully drawn, and while Il may
not entirely escape OppOsitiOn and criticism,
can truthfully b. said 20 present .
fair and equitable solution OF the problem,
which IL one Of the most dffiicuit and deli
cate Of the many to BE- SOLVED by the pres
ent legislature. Herewith i presented :
full and carefully prepared synopsis Of the
bill - Il will b reported tomorrow.
Long defended his motion and it, mo-
tive. He sxid that many people believe
the constitution requires = Judge for every
county. His district has suffered - much
from judicial delay - the three counties
named. In King county the court vas
the territorial administration. and the
docket grew. II. with her present judge,
King county cannot keep up with the bus
iness, court commissioners and judges pro
tempore would afford relief.
Drum opposed Longs motion. King,
Pierce and Spokane pay this year about
six-tenths Of the taxes OF the state. He
showed tho rapid growth OF business in the
Pierce county court and tho necessity Of
additional judges.
Owinxs said Spokane's docket il an large
q Pierce's. Why Is she not asking two
extra Judges. lie argued that Pierce Is
only seeking to keep up with King.
The question being on the amendment
offered by Long be said he would with
draw il as the disposition here is not to
consider the wants Of other counties than
the three named in the bill.
Wood took the floor and argued against
missioners would afford any material re-