The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-05-15
nm FOR CONTESTS.
-, Expired for Applying to
Buy Tide Lands.
...o COMMISSIONERS TASK.
,~,ros-s of the Law Causes Blanket
Applications and a Great Cloud
OF Contests.

- ssxfy DAYS within which the owners
!. -s.s,fsnz shore land and valuable i'm
| -..rs-rsass may apply for the purchase
/ = - sznds "a Seattle EarDor expired
s...sessy and there was q great ruSh 70
4 20 az TIE last APPLICATIONS to Olympia.
=. rark has been very heavy. as II Is
1870 that about 80 applications have
- -ssde. covering almost every acre of
~. tara within the harooT limits Of this
- ars lawyers and engineers have been
{ ys~x.res night and day in asceftaining the
q 80 sssrriptions ~ the tracts they have
= 1~as 10 purchase and In preparing ap-
Ezfons
rsaer the hv the owners % vaiua bic
.-~nvsraents which existed on tide land a.
- ,lne Of the passage Of the tide land
~ AZ March . 1890. have the prior right
!. aurchase At the appraised value the
..sets nus occupied for sixty days from
~ Sing % the plat by the county board
4 sopraisers II they fall 70 avail them
sizes Of This privilege. or n the land Ia
al severed with Improvements. the own
rs q the abutfing shore land have the
uJ night The applicants are required
!. nsT 70 per cent. % ne purchase rice
.sh3n twenty days OF ne expiration - the
exsy-dsv period. otherwise they lose the
g. so,i BY me board ~ state land com
rtssinnsrs AZ public sale at a price not
tss thar tfe appraised value.
nx.rg 70 the infeanft eness % the law
!. 10 the manner in which the boundary
fees Of Upland properties shall be extend
ii across tide land 70 deep water. there
sgI be an endless crop Of contests cover
ssg probably almost the whole tide land
area ~ the BAY. As there s. no means
~ dsterrnlninE the limits az the tracts
ssey nav bay. the aoplioa nts are apply
RI for everything they have n possible
rkaDee Of winning. 80 that the comrni -
sorsrx VIII practically have 70 decide the
rsshss Of every applicant and VIII have "a
perfect maze ~ contests 10 20 through.
Not only will there be endless contests.
tai there is talk of the commissioners be
sag asked 70 change the appraisement OF
xeme blocks which the applicants think
have been put a. too high a price The
appraisers followed the rule Of valuing
parely wharf property at low figures.
While the adjoining land. close TO the
saore bang easily filled and adapted to
hafbllngH OF a moro solid character. was
%, az a higher price. This distinction
Aas caused great differences in the yalua-
son Of adjoining blocks and has called
forth much criticism from those inter
essed Among those who have appealed
on thss groun-i are the receivers OF the
Lake Shore road. who alone have made
q distinct applications
TIE stata land commissioners will today
begin the examination OF the applications
and VIII order a hearing wherever two
Or more persons or corporations have ap-
pied 70 purchase the same tract. These
eontesis will occupy some time. unless the
decision or ths first contest should in
solve the laying down OF some general
principles which would prove acceptable
20 the other contestants as a basis 81
compromise without carrying the contro-
verxy into the courts.