The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-03-19
THE HAYS CONTRACT
Seattle, Lake Shore l. East
ern Will Fight 1t.
PROPERTY RIGHTS JEoPARD,zeo
Receiver bryant Strongly Opposed To
the smith Cove Tide Land FilI-Iiis
Proposed improvements.


tide lands at Smiths cove, a reporter sha
had heard that the contract was not al
together agreeable TO the Seattle. Lake
Shore & Eastern railway people. yester-
day sought an interview with Receiver
John H. Bryant, OF that raod. and ELECTED
from him come interesting Statements
among them that the proposed contract
II executed would practically confiscate
the large property interests OF the Lake
Shore at that point, and that the Lake
Shore people will fight the contract Ia the
courts for all they are worth.
You have noticed the statement. Gen.
eral, that the Hays contract viii not teop-
ardizc any property rights" said the re-
porter, diminishing for an opening. is
that true with reference to the property
of your road?'
Most emphatieaily IT is not replied
Receiver Bryant. .'on the contrary. 1t Is
a grave mistake. The carrying out OF
this contract would not only jeopar.iize
our property rights. but would amour,
to a virtual coniiscation of them. The
work OF filling in, as proposed In the con
tract. IL Just precisely what we don't wish
to have done The further away from the
water We are put now. the worse IL will be
for us. IL we wanted upland lots, we
could go and buy them elsewhere. with
out paying the enormous cost of filling In
price named In the contract is is cents per
cubic yard. This means simply ire
mendoug tax on our property to accom-
plIsh a work which II done we would at
once be willing TO pay a good round sum
TO have undOne. Indeed. the tax would
be 50 heavy that. as I have said. IL woxd
not only injure our property. but amount
to practical conhscat.on OF it,
But. General. would not the resulting
development and Improvement Of your
properly repay you In the long rung'
g The long run Is a very ind aGnite
term. and don't know what IL might bring
about. But do know that we don't want
this contract carried out. and we can give
good reasons for moi wanting the work
done. cveh II II should be done free Of cost
10 us. For example we now have a leg
sing dump which would be entirely de-
atroyed. We have biiilt our various tracks
and spurs at Smith cove and prepared for
s,ill larger business Interests there. all q
which would be broken into by this so
called Improvement.
The fact Is, We have our own plans for
the development OF our property at this
point. and mulch OF our work thus far
mas been done with those plans I'm view.
am not free 10 tell you all that those
plans Involve, hui I can say that they In
vove tho expenditure OF not less IN an
s2.sV.0o. which sum our people are able
and willing To put into this property aro-
tidod they are convinced that they viii not
Dc interfercd with But IL this contract
should prevent them from handling their
own property In their own way. IL would
al once stop all thought OF further invest
menf."
bat would not the success of the canal
In large measure repay you for whatever
injury the filling In OF the lands might 10
youg'
Now. that question: seems to assume
that che execution Of this contrac. Ii go
ing 10 assure the cutting OF the canal
TN The contrary, ! think 81 would defeat
the possibility of the canal II Is argued by
ffienGS OF the measure that under hig con
tract The contractor will be compelled TO
cut the canal 10 Lake rn.on. Bot | am in
formed that the contract proceeds on the
stipulation that when the contractor shall
Rave ilhed In 20 acres. he shall acquire a
lien on that 800 acres which gives him alb
solute cohtfol. The contractor does in.
deed say that n he can secure the right
of-way free he Will cut the canal through
TO Lake unioa. but suppose he doesn't
DO a. us only a promise broken. and h
acres
"fies'irs. The executor OF the contract
VIII injure property holders TO such an ex-
TENT "a. 20 create opposition TO the cana
Il steGi OK ptomoilng hs success
ta2 Yea NOT Indicate IN outline a
least, General. What you- people intend
uorg with the property in lis present
shape. n the NJ should not be nader
why. the board Of land commissioners
approved The roads application for The
pu~rhaso az lands a. Smith cove amount
u.s. IN round figures 10 40 acres. The inten-
lion or the purchasers Is undoubtedly to
utilize these lands as sites for mills and
factories. and also fov boom grounds For
all THESE uuFfENes fha lands mara