The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-08-11
TIDE LAND STREETS.
Delegate Voigt Points Out a
Few minor Errors"
SUGGESTIONS or A REMEDY.
The Member for the sixth Ward In
slsts That the II. opIe Shall Adopt
the Plat With Open Eyes.


consideration By every ci1t1Sh. ~ - az
uncoubted fact that the pepuiaI Is.'ihs;
Examination OF the subject. demands that
the matter be settled at once, that perhia-
nent improvements may proceed
me plat filed by the board OF TIDE land
snuraisers ls, 70 the CASUAL observer COM
piete, broad gauge and ample Tor All la-
ture development, although I@uils Ha -
heen posufed out by the city engineer. py
,aen,rsars OF the council and by many otn-
or citizens. Parties interested IL ana ben
2etad nv The Plat as IL stands very nat
urally rnIuify these faults Inc 3oSa has
beer. advanced that there is no reheoy'
or II there IT, that the course OF IefnsuF
a. SO long and tedious that II wouin DC pet
Ter 10 take the plat as IL Is, with All its
faults. and adapt ourselves 70 IL AT Once
AS a member Of the council comfnlttes
which has given this subject mncn
thought and careful examination, L, WIN
Others. have been charged with uncnly
blocking the progress Of this plat ana the
improvements awaiting It's approval
with your permission / wish briefy 10
revssw the situation, show that the faults
Of the plat are vital errors OF omission
and commission, and that there liz rem
edv which need not be either long or tedi-
Gus If speedily brought nnto play.
The strongest argument now made for
the approval of the plat as IL STANDS ~
ures OF the plat but az 10 whole IL rs good;
therefore TO save delay, we can anofd 10
stand the few faults In or der 10 reap me
general benefits" Believing las ] DO. that
we have now the last opDo rtunsty 70 Sc
cure the elimination OF the Dad features
before accepting the plat. hive been and
shall continue to work towarA7 that eRd.
Here are a few OF the faults which We
are told are simply minor errdrs or I'M
important detailss"
4 Railroad avenue, from Init'n street
north. is shaped like an hour glass, mar
rowing 10 about seventy feet AT wan
street and widening again as 1t proceeds
north. Although the city mas q ahtsa
franchises covering ninety feet In ~idth
along the entire water front, the tide lane'
appraisers have given Us an avenue OF a
width not sufficient 20 provide for them.
They have furthermore so located th,'
hour-glass shaped avenue plated by them
AZ TO throw sixty-eight feet OF the exist
ing franchises outside Of IL between Pike
ard Depot streets. This VIII result IN
forcing both railroads TO reconstruct their
lines between these streets or las liz more
likely in the case or the Great Northern
railway to purchase the water front lots
upon which their trestle Is built upon the
basis OF occupancy. thus shutting of ripar-
fan owners In that vicinity from their
rights of purchase.
2 The entire scheme OF water front
streets and lots between Washington
street and Mercer street Is contrary 10
the recommendation OF the engineer of
the board of appraisers Mr.. @. V. Bogue,
contrary 10 the recommendation OF the
city engineer. and as the years go by, I'M
less corrected now. must OF necessity force
all extensive commerce and large ship
ping south OF Washington street Mr..
Prosch informed the council committee
that the appraisers had departed only
about l per cent. from the recommended
tions OF Mr.. Bogue. This may be true as
measured I'm lines on paper. but If this
particular departure be perpetpated IL VIII
result in 100 per cent departure of heavy
commerce from the old-estabiished water
front OF the city. 10 the extensive and
capacious facilities which perforcc will be
established along the waterways TO be ex-
cavated through the tide fats
g. The leaving Of jog or corner at the
intersection OF West street. Railroad and
yesler avenues. which II counterpart OF
the famous Yesler-Leary corner cut on
after the fire and thrown into the public
square. Shall we walt FIVE or ten years
and have the taxpayers mulcted for an
other soc 600 for condemnation awards. or
shall we get this from the state when 10
can be had almost for the asking?
4 The misarrangement of the east and
west streets across the tide fats south OF
Charles street. nsedlessly sacrificing IL
large number OF private interests, pre-
venting any continuous streets from the
east shore and shutting or routes for
practical viaducts on easy grades connect
Ing from Beacon hill TO the wharf level.
s. The minor point OF damages: Dam
ages for closing streets upon which many
OF our citizens have ahutted their i'm
provements In good faith with the city
authorities which extended them over the
fats. damages for improvements de-
o. aF4H n hy ha sEey. 10, a
streets laid out by the state, before the
city can take possession OF and utilize
them. True. our corporation counsel has
stated that there IL no legislative provi-
sion FOR any damages IN such cases, that
improvers have no vested rights upon the
fats. simply right OF purchase OF what
the state sees III TO leave them: but / am
reliably informed that many of these i'm
prnvers have procured strong legal opin-
tons 70 the contrary. and tho prospects OF
an expensive series % damage suits is far
from reassuring, TO say nothing or tho
possibility of final awards in their favor.
These are but few OF the "unimport-
ant details" the ''ninor errors which
we are asked TO overlook In order 10 get
the general benefits Of a settled and per
manent water front plat.
II the tax PAYERS are willing 20 sail
into this unknown sea OF damages without
rudder or anchor. / propose at least tha Z
Il
the owners OF unimproved water fron.
property between Union street and Denot
street desire 20 relinquish their rights of
purchase outside CT Railroad avenue. I
simply desire hat they do - with fun
knowledge 81 the facts. II tho wharf own
ers north Of Washington street VIII be
satisfied 10 continue as the headquarters
or the mosquito feet" and be content
10 see oil large steamers and heavy shin
ping generally forced into tho new part
az the harhov being created out OF the tIae
fats. then they can overlook this zone
per cent departure" from Mr.. Roetie's
recommendation. II IL be desired 10 hDfls
up on the tide fats a commercial and
The manufacturing portion OF the city mac
cessibie from the east shore. then IS this
plat most admirable. II our pioneer csfi-
sFns committed an eneineerfnr error IN
building up the city and It's water front
where they aid. then Is this plat most e.
fecuVely planned 20 correct that error.
and al good citizens should henceF0~th
bend their energy towards building up a
new Seatt.e-on the tide fats.
Bat laying aside sarcasm, there "a A,
remedy which the corporation counsel y as
clearly suggested. and which can. ana 7
trust viii. De quickly applied. Without
exception. ali % the errors named as
mary others enumerated, can be refnedie,,
without sacrificing any OF the genera,
features of the plat
All objections can BE- overcome xstho.,
81 any way impeding CT hindertns the A.
NelcrDeat OF the tide rat area a Nv
notifications here ara there may ncsSsh,e
sacrifice little geoGue,rtcai symmetry
but they Viii save the city and its c{tt-ers
hU~iveds Of thousands ~ dollars vsth5-
she aeNt zen years
ty means % the cl1 city streets whf-h
q Is now agreed by au parties 10 ~ !
controversy. were ard are legal stree. $