The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-02-04
STATEMENT FROM MIR. KENYON.
ne Replies to the Opinion of the Cor
poratIon Counsel


poratIon Counsel.
j. G. Kenyon has taken executions 70
.ne opinion OF the corporation counsel on
the question of the dispute between the
former and the city concerning the huIk-
heading, etc, at the corner of Madison and
front streets. Mr.. Kenyon Yesterday
handed the following statement to the
observation-disclosures:
To THE EDITOR: In your issue of February
appears an article purporting to be an oninion
% me Corporate counsel, based on what he
uehoihinaLeS facts az be understands them aud
as they have been stated to him
fsct nfst should have been sixteen feet instead
OF lWeive The height of the bulkhead is about
we've ieet There is twelve feet incline. max
rug an incline OF twenty-five Ieet from the ton
OF the street or bulkhead to the west side of tho
Walk, which is distance of sixteen feet. This
Duikhead Is not anchored in any manner that
am aware OF. The posts are sunk into the
ground only about two feet and set on short
piank. loosely placed IN the ground on the side
nil The lower ends of the smaller posts were
mostly visible and resting on pieces of plank
The upper part of the structure had moved N
the westward about ten inches, and there was
IN wet weather a considerable stream of
water running from underneath the buIkhead.
which water mad deposited a large amount of
sediment ON the lot in front This bulkhead
hrafe6
or anchored in any manner They are situated
on the side of a bank which has a fall OF twenty
four feet in sixteen feet The bulkhead is twelve
ieet high and supporting fill of twelve feet,
and the sidewalk TWENTY-FIVE feet high and the
structure had already moved distance of ten
inches, extending ten inches over the line of the
lot; and there were other boards attached 10 the
sidewalk which extended over the lot eight feet
farther, causing the sidewalk to intrude on my
lot ABOUT nine feet before work was commenced
on the lot called the attention of many prae-
teal men to il and they, without exception con-
sldered II unsafe and insecure, and | fear that
the judgment of counsel that it was perfectly
safe, would fail to make it so.
requested my architect and foreman 10 90
before the board of public works and explain
the condition of things to them. The chairman
OF the board went with them to Coun sell Jacobs
as he said TO get the law on the subject, and
they presented him the following facts in
writing, which, they informed me, he carefully
read twice:
"Before work was commenced on the lot the
sidewalk projected over the lot from eight to ten
inches. and IL has not moved towards the lot
perceptibly since. The bulkhead is constructed
as follows: At intervals of bout twelve feet are
posts 12xl2, placed vertically, the bottom end
entering the ground. Only two or three feet
behind these, on the street side, are planks of
various widths, loosely placed, The only appar-
ent force to hold this bulkhead, with the i'm
mense weight of the street behind it, in posi-
tion is the sidewalk which is of light construc-
ton
"Before we commenced work the water in
rainy weather ran under the bulkhead and had
deposited considerable sediment on the lot
Not supposing the sidewalk was the only sup
port the bulkhead had, we commenced digging
the foundation, but before doing we braced
the upper part OF the sidewalk with girders 6xs
by a feet long, bearing back on our lot, and
shorter ones near the foot of the sidewalk posts
"We have now ascertained that the bulkhead
has no other support than the sidewalk, conse-
quently We cannot take away the supports we
had put up, which cross the place where we
wish to build the front wall OF the building.
"Fhe remedy which we would respectfully
suggest would be to put in new posts, which
would extend deeper into the ground; place
anchors, running clear across the street, is
done on the south side of the lot, on Madison
street, thus making the bulkhead selfsupport-
ing. The city could then remove the sidewalk
aud use the material elsewhere.
''Ii the city will fix this that Mr.. Kenyon
can build free from danger OF this bulkhead, he
will build q good and substantial sidewalk at
his own expense. In the present condition, the
sidewalk being over the lot, and the only sup
port of the bulkhead, and neither being self-sup-
porting. it is impossible for building 20 be