The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-12-30
OLD UNIVERSITY SITE.
Reasons for Postponing the Sale OF 1t.


To THE EDITOR: In his excellent report to
the incoming Legislature. tne state auditor.
Hon. Thomas II. Reed, blazues the board OF
university land and building commissioners for
its refusal to sell the ten-acre fract in Seattle
which the university stands. He assumes that
the board had no right to proceed with the con-
structiou OF the new university until the old
site was sold. Mr.. Reed takes a wrong view of
this matter, in my humble or3niou. The legis-
lsture provided that the boara "may" sell the
old site; it did not command che board TO do so.
1t did, however, command thu board TO build
the new university, and &c have the main
building ready for occu psEcy on March ]. 1898.
The sale would not have eaataed the board TO
carry out this command. Even If the money
realized from the sale could h.ve been lawfully
used by the board (Which il zould not, accord
ing to the decision of the supreme court-the
legislature having failed TO specify the
smountl. it was simply impossible TO get IN
cash for the tract sum sufficient for the pur-
pose. Assuming that the boatd could have got
$4,000 for the entire site, probabty not more
than oue-third could have Eeeu procured in
cash; and in such case the saw reads: 1.-THE
balance due shall be paid in two equal install.
nients, with interest al 6 per cent. per annum,
the first instalment to be pais in one year alter
the date OF said certificate ot purchasel and the
second installmeut two years sitter said date"
Thus we might have secured, say, in Septem-
ber 1891, So, 900; the next 5000 would not fall
due until September. 1s91; ting last $4,000 not
until September, 1898 tmore Ehsn six months
after the time set for the competition of the main
buidlng). That is to say, only 100000 would
have been available for ell purpcses-a sum
manifestly inadequate.
The sale OF the old site. t.rder the existing
circumstances, would have been little short OF
criminal waste. Everyb body how censures tho
reck ,ess Encouragement By wlich upwards OF
10000 acres OF the congressional reserve for our
-, -
leaving no visible result worth mentioning.
Had We sold the old site il ls9; we should have
incurred, and deserved, equally general CEN
sure. There Is not member Il our board who
would not have resigned rathee than consent TO
such gross tmprovtdence
The Importance OF the subject will, l trust,
warrant me in giving here The boards account,
in its report to the governor. CT its motives and
action III relation 10 this tract Of land:
Immediately upon the reccfdfng OF the quit
claim deeds from sill parties la interest TO the
old university site in Seattle. tae board directed
the chief eng ineer TO make careful survey OF
that teu-acre tract and prepare plat of it in
lots and blocks comfortably tc the plan of the
adjoining portion OF the city ef Seattle. Early
IN the summer OF 1891 he di ~. The plat made
by him has not been executed 3y the board for
reasons stated below.
In compliance with sec7iog 6 of the law, the
acting governor appointed IL Miles C. Moore
Hon. NJ. :. Drew, of Seattle asd the board ap-
pointed Robert Wiugate, OF Iseoms, as the ap-
praisers OF the tract. Mr.. NIuxate Was absent
from the state at the time designated for the
meeting OF the a. pTAiSera, ead the board APP
pointed Isaac ". Anderson, Il Tacoma. in his
stead. Messrs. Moore Drew a;i Aniers duly
met and qualified, and organ zed by choosing
Mr.. Moore chairman And Mr. Anderson IS
secretary. In August, 1891. thay made an ex-
animation of the tract for tho purpose of ap-
praisiug II by lots, by blocks AID Is whole. At
TIE close OF the invesugst!oa made by them
concerning the condition OF the real estate mar
ket in seattle al tha. time sad che prices which
could be obtained for lots IN the University
tract, we learned that their valuation, in detail
anu as whole, would fall tar Below the prices
Tor which we would consent 10 sell. At that
time there activity II RIAL property bust
nesss in seattle, or in any ether part of the
state. There was no deuare Tor high priced
city property.
"Tney unanimously decided 20 sell TO part of
the tract during the continuance OF the fnan-
clal s,agnatIon linen prevailing. They there ore
requested the appraisers - postpone the max
ing Of the appraisemeni 20 sUeh time as the
board should thereafter ind5caGe. They did So
They have not yet calico L3oa those gem
t!enen 10 complete tho tass waich they kindly
undertook tor us.
At Will oe seen by reference 90 sectio. of ,hs
act that the board IS not c3oizsd with discre-
tionary power 20 REJECT al! lids Tor the property
which il considers TOO low. II the beat BID be
as high as the appraised vs.Ge. he bidder is en-
t!t.ed 10 the land, even though the board deem
his Dad much too low. The language of the act
is: Ar the time appointed cor the sale the
board sba.l publicly open ard sanounce all bids
received by maj! Or otherwise snd inyite other
BIDS. The highest bad EaSls % the day of sa!s
shall be accepted galess il IS lsss than the ap-
praised value OF the parcel OF :snd bid for, in
which event sas board snAAs Postpone the sac