The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-06-14
THE NEXT CITY HALL.
Purchase by Seattle Of the Old
County Buildings.
THE SUM OF $4,000 ACCEPTED
History OF the Old structure-spIendid
Site Secured for Erection Of .
Fine Municipal Hall.


cured yesterday afternoon a. o'clock, and the
city OF Seattle was the purchaser. The price
paid il sol 600. When Auctfoneer Rex mounted
the courthouse steps large crowd was on hand
and the frat bid wss 5000 The bidding was
spirited. and ran rapidly in q. 900 iumps to s45,
600, when the bids came IN more slowly. Sew
erai persons, presumably representing San
Francisco firms, were present and took part in
the sale, for time forcing the bidding. Mayor
White also did some bidding, but ceased when
the price reached s47,0o3 The property was
finally knocked down 20 w. w. Easter, who re-
presented the city, for s61, 900.
The county commissioners expect the city to
pay $4,000 cash down on the purchase and to
pay the balance within two years, interest TO be
charged at the rate OF 10 per cent. per annum.
The further provision lie made that, should the
city sell any of its other property, the proceeds
OF such sale must be turned over to King county
on the debt now contracted.
The board of county commissioners placed
value of 900 on the property and had not the
bidding reached that figure Chairman Gasch, of
the board, would have bid the property back in
TO the county. The bid of the city was just
1900 above the limit.
1t is generally understood that the city will
move all the city Offices TO the places vacated by
the county officials. The city Jail will go into
the old county jail, and q brick wall will be
built in front Of the courthouse where now
there are wooden steps and high platform. An
entrance will be made and the front part OF the
basement used for Offices, while the rear part
viii be converted into q Jail for the use Of
women and boy prisoners.
II ia not generally known that this old prop
erty now owned by the city was the first piece
of land in the city of Seattle owned by King
county The property was formerly owned BY
H. L. fesler, and was bought by the city in 1875,
the city paying Mr.. Yesler 5000 in greenbacks
Tor the deed The old county Jail was built
year later by the veteran contractor, Morgan ].
Carkeek. 1t was not till 1880 that the court
house, or county building" as 1t was called
in order to evade technicality OF the law, was
built Previous 10 that time court was held in
various buildings. There was no regular place for
the holding OF court Sometimes 1t was held
In Yesler's hall, st the corner OF Front and
Cherry streets, again in Reings hall, at the cor
ner OF Front and Columbia streets, and some
times justice was dealt out in Maddocks hall,
at the corner of Front and Madison streets.
Sometimes other meeting places were chosen,
and generally the courtroom was q cold, cheer
less place. During these times Judge J. r. Lewis
was chief justice of the territory of Washington,
and he was very much Disguised with
the unsettled state of affairs. One day
he had an interview with the board
of county commissioners and told them that
unless they built courthouse and provided
suitable room for the holding of court, he would
find satisfactory place for the Third Judicial
district in Kitsap county. At this declaration
on the part of the chief justice the commission
ers became alarmed and endeavored to solve a
difficult problem They were not supplied with
any county funds providing for the building Of
q courthouse; In fact, there was an espe-
cial provision against it. So, to get around
the technicaiity, the commissioners advertised
for bids for the construction of Q "county build
Ing" The courthouse was then built and to
shield the commissioners was always called the
buf hal ba rfrt
house." Although Judge Lewis was really the
cause of the erection of the courthouse he
never reaped the benefit Of his good work for
Judge Roger S. Greene succeeded him as chief
Justice and was the first to hold court in the
new building. Judge Greene was especially in
terestad in the finishing up of the interior Of
the building and personally superintended the
work with regard to its acoustic properties.
Previous to the erection Of the county build.
ing, during the fall of 1885, the old county Jail
caught fire, and the frame work over the ma
sonry Jail was burned The auditors ONCE was
| then, as until few weeks ago, stationed in the
| same building, but all the county records were
saved The present building over the jail was
| Immediately built, and closely resembles the
| structure that was destroyed by fire.
| In years gone by, where now stands these old
| county buildings, was deep ravine. stream
| of living water dashed over miniature water
| falls, and wendell its merry way past great
beds of luxuriant sword grass, TO where 1t met
| the tide of the salt bay The ravine was
! lined with soft wood trees, and was
| natural park, where the people of
| the town were won't to spend the
hours of warm Sundays within its fragrant
depths. A portion of the old ravine, now
strewn with the relics OF a deserted lanyard, can
be seen from the elevated roadway south of Yes
| Ter avenue. between South Fourth and Fifth
| streets. In the course of time the waters from
| the living springs that formed the brook have
been partially absorbed, the course Is changed,
and the stream now finds its lonely way to the
| sea by some underground channel
The Oldest record of the county having prop
erty in the city was made April 4, 1858, by Henry
| l. Yesler. as clerk of the board OF county COM
missioners. The record is still intact and Is pre-
served among the county records. It reads as
| follows:
SEATTLE, April 4, 1853
County commissioners court met pursuant to
| adjournment Present Judges A. A Denny and
| L. NJ Collins, and Clerk Fl. L. Yesler.
Ordered that William n. Bell be and is hereby
| appointed supervisor OF district No. /, and
| George Holt be and 10 hereby appointed super
visor OF district No .
Ordered that all that portion of the county of
| King lying north OF Duwamish river be includ-
ed in district No i and ell that part lying south
| OF the same included in district No. 2.
Court adjourned till l o'clock .. m.
| Court met ct o'clock p. m.
Ordered that the clerk obtain title from D.
| 5. Maynard to block IL, in the town OF Seattle.
for the use OF King county. Also that the clerk
execute bond for q deed TO one block adjoin-
ing the same on the north.
The block II referred TO never was given to
the county. It is said Mr.. Maynard afterward
changed his mind and sold the block to Nj. Yes.
Ter. The block in question fronted on Mill
street. and lay between Fourth and Fifth streets
The county did not again make an attempt to
own property IN the city until the purchase
from Mr.. Yesler was made in 1875 At that tina
the people considered the price paid quite ex-
orhitant
The proposed purchase by the city has been
generally approved The old city hall which
stood on Third street, next to the wah Chung
building, was destroyed by the fire in 1890. The
city then took possession of the Keezer property
on Fifth and Tesler avenue, raised the old house
and turned il into city hall When the new
government came into existence this was found
TO be altogether too small, and rooms were
hired in the Butler block. The city hall is now
used as police court.
1t was proposed some time ago to sell some
OF the city property, chiefly the Keezer piece
and the site OF the old city hall on Third street
The latter was put up 70 the highest bidder. but
not sold. 1t viii be placed in the market again.
The site purchased yesterday is admirably
adapted to the purpose, and the step taken win
be fully justified few years hence. No definite
plsns have been adopted for the use of the
caJ 1ty buildings but the general idea il to rem
NxEGs hem and make them do until the CITY Ia
Pn- RON 70 erect suitable building. The
sisy ~ probably soon be IN condition TO take
stFSntEg Of the Osborne grant, which includes