The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-11-12
THE UNIVERSITY SITE
History Of the Location and Its
Present Status.
sry. DANIEL sAelEY's RECORDS.
r~esrsstsag Review Froa the Tncepfion
Fl the Board OF Commissioners IN
Territorial Days.


xesrrs rrsssssossrs, has prepared q statement
ssr the board Of regents covering the early
hsss0ry Of the institution Mr. Baxiey, as
eemmiszioner. was intrusted with the
handling Of the university land grant. and
1ss possession OF many papers relating TO
transactions in his Official capacity. Some
.usss Of the university land have been con-
listed. and some are now awaiting final
aeclsion. and the present board. wishing
% svasI itself Of Mr. BagIey's knovledge.
requested him to prepare 9 statement for
IL use. Mr.. BsgIey has msde the follow
izg report;
SEATTLE. srarr OF WssHIssros.l
Auguss -. fs93.
10 the Regents Of the University OF the
STATE Of gIon-Geafismsa Here
rsth have the honor to present 10 ron
shissory Of the location OF the state uni
yersigy and the selection and disposition
a the university lands and their present
status so far as | have been able to asceg-
tasa iron. the records
THE legislative assembly Of the Terri
sosy q Washington, By enactment Of
gsnaary H. 1851 tsee appendix. Schedule
D"l appointed Daniel Beglev. Edmund
Carr ana John Webster commissioners tor
tie purposes named in said act, with equal
onn coordinate powers OF selection and
sale II university lands.
This board OF commissioners organized
February - following by the election Of
Daniel Bagiey ~ president. and upon him
wns devolved the greater part OF the work
cfshe commission. including the keeping
81 is records. the duties OF treasurer and,
rs keeper Of the seal of said board,
fbs slgning aud authenticating of
tbs so-cailed deeds that were ex-
eensed 70 purchasers OF university
general land offices OF the United
slates have never recognized these so
called deeds except in the light OF receipts
fof the moneys paid for the lands, leaving
the holders OF them 10 obtain title TO their
lands according 10 the laws OF congress or
Of the state of Washington.
Each commissioners did more or less of
the work Of selecting lands. OF contracting
for their sale aud Of collecting the pay for
the sane. Commissioners Carr and Web
stsF reported the details of this work to
the president. and who executed the So
called deeds TO such lands a. thes. COM
1nisslcners sold from TINE to time. and
When desired the dates OF these deeds were
made 90 conform TO the date OF pay
ment for the land described in such
deeds.
There were no appropriations made or
promised for the university, except those
arising from the sales of the
lands, which had minimum price fixed
nron them OF $50 per acre. The usage
then in vogue in the sale of governments
lands by the United states land Offices
vas 10 sell lands whose price had been
nxed ct a minimum OF 81 % per acre. after
they bad once been offered Mt public auc-
ton and not sold at such minimum price.
10 more no less. The university COM
missioners followed the same custom and
made all their sales at the said minimum
aaF& al 4.
lands. for which the university received
Loo per acre. we're afserwsrd bought by
The university commissioners At the rate of
IL - per acre. and did not form a
part of the lands reserved for university
purposes.
An explanation 10 here proper of the
Transactions connected with the selection
OF certain lands by the university COM
missieners, which were rejected by the
commissioned OF the general land office and
which were afterward bought by the uni
sefsity commissioners a. pubic sale or
private entry. Such selections were not
absoiutely rejected. but the commissioner
Of the generas land Office ruled that almost
sverg lot or tract OF land should be constd-
cred legal subdivision. aud SO charged
sFa.nst the university. This would have
caused much loss To the university. as
purchasers would pay for the actual area.
While the university would be charged
perhaps double the area. Thousands OF
acres were at first selected near the water
front and consisted OF fractional lots. and
when the university commissioners
learned of the rniing above mentioned
rev list OF selections was prepared aud
forwarded 70 the several land offices and
substituted for that frst flied, and
the latter was declared null and
void. AT that date. after township OF
land had been subject to private entry for
4 "A lie of he
not entered vas offered for sale at public
sacsion, aud after that all remaining I'M
sod gas subject TO private entry by any
ens op payment to the proper land Office
Of slga per acre. This made il possible
for the university commissioners in
lie or private sale such lands
ss had been rejected by the commissioner
OF the general land Office. and thereby
perfect sitle TO the same. This was done
al a uniform cost TO the university Of 81 IS
per acre. while 81 90 were received by il.
The profits on these transactions
amounted TO s.. 042 Is. and IL is this sum
iast Is referred 10 IN the report of Messrs.
NiDans. Brace and Ward. as having been
voted 10 Daniel Bagley for expenses and
eempsnsati0n in securing these titles, IL
hclas necessary for him TO make three
tips from Seattle Co Washington City and
Feiern upon business connected with this
sad other affairs Of the university.
"os late years frequent criticisms have
Been msdc ia the legislative assembly and
~ the public press OF tho consse pursued
~ the legislature of the territory and the
university commissioners ia selling the
university lands and erecting the uniYers-
ny AZ soea su early day. Better founded
criticisms are made IN regard to the land
srsRts yoses as subsidies 10 railroads aud
esher pubic enterprises, 10 the con-
sfaciion Of ali klzds OF ma
isnal, state. county and munich
81 buildings and WORKS, 20 the granting
q charters and rights-of-way 90 corpora
tehss aud Ia fact - nearly al public acts
g etnctals and legislative bodies. IL Is
Salte the fashion tor the succeeding gen.
sfation 30 cyiucsse and deuounoe the acts
eaa methods o; the preceding ones. Even
= tAe hole SUM realized from the sales of
.aVse lands bad heen used during the last
saiFty years IA bounding aud carry
sag on the territorial or state
university, sud nothing remained
y snow Tor IL that could be valued IN dol.
sAfs and cvntS, ] shouia skill maintain that
tSe taausnce tt hss had apon ths develop
.eAt 81 tAe couutEy and the benefits TO
'Aoss ao have for three decades ea joysd
- Sensational advantages, limited as they
hSY hsve been. haye been tsn.fold CON-
psasstson. However. shis has not been the
Sesait, a. the following list Of assets re-
naming az tins date vail show, VIZ;
kas tEzcE II ten acres ia th9 heart 81 tAs
e.0 q SEATTLE, occupied as tae university site.
We fAs baliaiaEs thereon.
'asas aa.l el tie Cha1ab~rs ecnssgoa elSira.
sae ttf-a ,ef n aiCh lsa4 IL o. Gle with THE uni-
fR1atsY rrCeats
tasvssasgy lsaas selected. approved snd ua-
sei&s amounting 20 2,sr& s. acres, and remaining
- = Fsss. sgica - 00sap.sse ise amount e tie
Sraaf 81 ~ sc7os.
conservative estimate Of tie cash
value of tae above would be little. IL any.
a<som $50 an