The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-08
CHARGES BY DOCK OWNERS.
RULES ADOPTED BIZ COMMISSION
LIKELY TO CAUSE A ROW.
II the Figures Stand Il WIN Mean
. Great Reduction In Rates, and
II II Claimed That They Are Tow
Enough Now-May He . Change.

Every movement which the members OF
the harbor line commission OF the state
makes In the matter Of creating rules and
regulations governing the leasing OF har-
Dor line areas Is watched with great in
terest these days by hundreds OF people
In the state of Washington. The recent
action OF the commission in adopting .
rule relative TO the amount OF rental TO
be paid by dock owners for the use Of
harbor line areas Is still under discussion.
and X Is insisted On all sides that Il the
commission should ignore the plea for
change or modification made by the dock
owners II would be a severe slap at COM
merce. While the commission was In ses-
sion at Seattle recently the members did
not promise change Of the rule. but Mr..
Bridges. the state land commissioner, who
does the talking for the commission, said
that the matter would be carefully con-
sfdered. He made the statement that IL
was the one great desire 10 further the
interests OF commerce. and In no way in
terfere with them.
Another important action OF the com
mission. which is likely to create a row,
Is the rule which it adopted. fixing the
tolls to be charged by dock owners, after
they take possession Of the states land
In the harbor area There is no doubt that
the commission has the power TO fix the
tolls, but it has been stated in some quar-
ters that II the figures OF the commission
stand there viii be an enormous reduc-
,ion IN the present charges, which ii Is
INSISTED are only normal The law OF
March is. 1887. relating to harbor line
areas says among other things:
Ihe commission shall reserve to the
state or Washington the right TO regulated
either under rules Of the commission or
isgisiative enactment. or by both methods,
me me rates or wharfage, dockage and other
.oms 70 oe imposed by the lessee upon COM
nns,ce Tor any OF the purposes for which
SAID leased area may be used and the right
70 prevent extortion, discrimination and
exclusive privileges"
Backed by that section of the law. the
commission, at the time 1t made its rules
ana regulations, fixed the dockage and
wharfage tolls. Whether the commission
VIII consent to change them il they are
round TO be too low Is a question. Mr.
Bridges. while in this city recently. said
tnat the commission had tried time and
time again to nave the dock owners OF the
city get together and assist the commits
sion IN completing its work. fixing rentals,
e.c' Inc DOCK owners ignored the requests
OF the commission. and as a result the
commission had taken things into its own
hands and fixed such rules as were deem
ed just and equitable.
AS the commission has shown a DISPOSE
ton to change the rule as to rentals. II
may be that the rule as to tolls will under
go change. If the dock owners can show
tnat the rates are too low. 1t has been In
sisted by Seattle dock owners for a long
time that under the existing rates they
could not make their docks good paving
investments If the tolls, as has been stat
ed are further reduced by the commission.
the dock owners have a still greater cause
for complaint
In the rule fixing the tolls the commits
sion, among other things, says:
"A ton is by weight 1000 pounds. unIes,
otherwise specified; by measurement forty
cubic feet. Merchandise for the purpose Of
Tolls or wharfage must be estimated by
W. WAL En- OF measurement; as the one mode
or the other will give the greater number
of tons.
''On the following articles e,24o pounds
S CON a ton: Coal, railroad iron, pig
iron. gypsum. asphaltum, ores. crude or
ballast. per ton. &c.
On merchandise Except when otherwise
less. Sc; on 500 pounds or less and more than
go pounds. 10c; on l. 200 pounds or less. and
more than 500 pounds. 15c: on 1000 pounds
Tolls on merchandise when measured
or charged a higher rate to be collected
according to the foregoing subdivisions
The rule provides that on the following
articles tolls must be paid as follows:
~ Cents.
wood lumber, per 1000 feet, board
measure ....::":.. -. ...... ...... %
On lumber or timber discharged In the
water In any slip, dock. basin or
canal the same as if discharged on a
wharf
On piles discharged In any slip. dock.
basin or canal, per pile ...... IL
On fence posts. per 100 ...,... 20
On railroad ties, per 900 feet of l,lm-
her, board measure contained there
In t32 or "a feet to tie, according to
siZcJ '...... ..-....-- Observation-Disclosures. 20
On shingles. per 40 bundles .. 20
On cord wood. per cord announcement, 70
On fire bricks. per LOCO ...... 40
On bricks tother than fire bricksl dis
charged on. or loaded from any
wharf. per 1000 ................., "A
On bricks tother than fire bricks) dis
charged from any vessel lying at any
wharf. or In any slip, dock or basin
into another vessel or received into
any such vessel from any lighter or
other vessel. per 1000 ...... m
On wool or cotton in sacks per sack
On wool or cotton in bales, strapped.
a