Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-07-17

Governor Black Salu ne was lnJeT-
ested personally TO the extent of one
fifty-foot lot, and generally, more
largely as a citizen of Fairhayen and
the state of Washington, and as such,
he had the interests of the whole |
people at heart. In regard to the de-
posit claimed to have been made by
the Nooksack, it would be a great ad-
vantage, and could be used for filling |
in back of the sea wall which would be
built. 1t would make dry land OF
much now under water, and he |
thought that the NOOksack should be |
courted and encouraged. The condi- |
tions existing between this end OF the
bay and the north end were different,
and variance should be made. Deep
water was not found at the north end
until a long way out; here it was found
right at the shore. Here deep water
was found at 300 or 400 feet from
shore; there it was 1900 or 1000.
Colonel PrOsser remarked that the
meander of the patent line was the
extent of the commissioners jurisdic-
tion.
Twenty-Five feet from the shore line
near Chuckanut bay the water was
sixty feet deep said Governor Black.
Shore owners had made improvements
| in good faith. If they could not buy
they were offered lease, and If they
did not want to improve the property
would il be offered to somebody else?
Colonel PrOsScr said the commission
| erS had no power in the matter. The
object Of the law was to give shore
owners the preference in leasing any
part reserved by the state or to buy
such as would be offered for sale by
the state.
Governor Black then mentioned
many improvements which had been
made beyond the line of actual deep
water. such as the Hill-WelbOn wharf,
which had been extended 100 feet fur
ther than was aCtuilly necessary by
reason of a rocky bottom through
which piles could not be driven. lie
trusted, therefore, that the commits
sion would vary their lines in conform
ity with deep water in front OF the
shore.
Hon. II. Y. Thompson, on being
, again asked to speak, said that there
, was one provision of the law that the
water ways shall conform with the
general shore line. lie then cited
{ from the law on this subject anC
, spoke Of public ways across tide flats
+ and to waterways Of fresh water.
One question arising was what
' would be the demands of commerce in
> the future? He assumed that there
would be important points on Puget
, sound. The legislature OF the state
! also assumed that there would be an
: important point on Bellingham Bay
where there would be a large com
merce. WhatCOm had one waterway
while Fairhaven had none, and here
! Senator Richards remarked that II
: Whatcom there we're two. The com
:, merce between the two ends of Tho
a bay was an important matter 10 be
= considered. From the mill on thC
q Fairhaven Land cOmpany's wharf u
= deep water was 300 feet. Draw
! would have to be placed across thes'
= waterways, or the whole commerce
y would have to go around it. Water
- ways should be limited to the actua
. necessities of the case, and one water
- way at the other end of the bay wa
=, one too much. Here there were n
y streams entering the harbor and TN
a waterway should necessarily b
20 shorter.
,SS Mr.. Thompson then spoke of tn
80 disadvantage which owners OF in
- movements would labor under if the
~ we're not permitted to buy the lano
which they had improved in good faitl
=, and he instanced a number of case
~ where much hardship would result {
~, those who had invested money in mai
- ing imp rOvementS, not being ablet
+. properly conduct their business |
~ reason of impaired credit from bein
- - only lessees and not the owners of III
80 land upon which their improvement
al were placed.
Z" Mr.. Thompson thought that ileX
20 BILE policy, governed bv the condition
W arising, should be adopted by the cor
,s mission, and that the rights of tho
a. who had located on tide lands and In
~ proved them should be an importal
ooJS factor in fixing the lines. In reply
Nv Governor Semple, Mr.. Thompson sa
io that he fully recognized the fact tn
"a that the interests Of the majori
NJ should be consulted. "When priya
ne enterprises" said he, "can be T
uho spected and full force given to Il
NC nI matter OF harbor Improvements, whit
- was a great state policy, and full for
III given to that policy, then they shou
nc be respected, but when this would /
&c terfere in the very theory Of our 90
-, ~ ernment private interests must 81
,n 'lu way" He maintained that priya
~ rights could be respected in this mi
n4 I ter without in any way impalring I
u. ~ rights of the state.
~ Mr.. Thompson closed cleal, logic
Io- and forcible address, in which a Tho
pc ough exposition Of this subject W
'he made. and Governor Semple suggest
'em, that citizens inter ested should exa
az az inc the map and submit TO the CO.
us mission a drawing Of what they &C
por sidered would be an equitable hart
III III, line, together with their reasons
-, the same.
vi After some further discussion, p;
ses ticipated in by Colonel Prosser, \
prl- Thompson, Governor Semple and {
AK onel Guernsey, the commission
los, journed until 2 o'clock.
Was At the afternoon session, Mayor
49, NJ. Wilson and Captain f. Eldrit
gne addressed the commission.
lne Mayor Wilson made forci
eep speech, in which he reviewed the h
pe Dor line matter as far as 1t appertali
ere TO this city, and in conclusion
ar hoped that the commission would
'oIn adhere TO any arbitrary rule, but C
cry slider the requirements of CONNER
The commission will meet at
cne O'Clock this morning at the cham
yog of commerce building, New Whatc'
onU Best on Earth
70 ,,o,, ,,,a,t tho haqt crpamerv bu