The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-04-02


public lands. has brought out statements
from Messrs. d. A. Mckenzie and Thorn
as w. Prosch. members Of that board.
that fully explain the matter and show
the charges 70 be about as frothy as they
usually are in cases where no investiga-
ton has been made. In the discussion OF
the matter Richard winsor. who is put
forward as ore of the best authorities on
tide lands in the state, has come before
the public stating that Gov. McGraw. in
appointing u. A. Mckenzie. did not do
the right thing. as they were both inter
esfed in the Seattle & Lake Washington
Waterway Company. In his statement OF
the case. which follows. Mr.. Mckenzie
touches up Mr.. Winsor in rather a severe
manner.
Mr.. Prosch's statement is concise and
careful review Of the work by the board.
and shows the fallaey OF the statements
that fraud has been committed. DR..
Sparkling, the third member OF the board.
could not be seen last night.
In speaking of the charges TO repre-
sentative OF the Post-In telligencer, Mr..
Mckenzie said:
In answer to the charges made by
Judge WinSor. more commonly known as
Slippery Dick / wish 10 say that he has
not broken his record by stating too many
facts in his interview with the Times.
The judge is trying to work up reebrd
IN the community as a political econo-
mist ne has already made a record as
an economist in handling the truth. The
judge considers the truth a virtue that
should not be wasted, and he never uses
1t unless circumstances absolutely compel
MIN so 10 do, but / cannot recollect when
ne considered Ii necessary 10 use 1t.
In the first place, the local board OF
tide land appraisers was not appointed by
ex-Gov. McGraw, as stated by slippery
DICK, but by Charles LaugiIton, who Was
acting governor ar the time Gov. Ferry
was taken suddenly III and was compelled
10 leave his office, but before leaving he
requested Gov. Iaughfon 10 appoint
Thomas Prosch. DR.. Sparkling and myself
Gcv. Laughton complied with this re-
quest and have no apologies 10 make for
the work done by the board. To be sure,
some mistakes were made in the
plating, and perhaps opinions OF
persons might differ as TO the
values of property, but our work
is a matter OF record and ! am willing 10
stand by that record. There Is one state
menr in which the Judge has broken his
record and told the truth. and that is
when he says that / went into the en-
ploy OF the Seattle & Lake Washington
Waterway Company. This is true, | did
join issues with some other gentlemen OF
this city. and by hard work helped 10 IN
duce Eastern capitalists to invest large
sums of money in reclaiming the Seattle
tide lands. and for this piece OF work
have not found 1t necessary 10 apologize.
The judge also says that Gov McGraw
and myself are Interested in the water
way company. / wish TO state that Gov.
McGraw never had, directly or indirect
ly. any Interest Of any kind in the Seattle
Il Lake Washington Waterway Company.
las TO the property mentioned by the
ina haxF inf lExl hat hss
Northern Pacific Railway Company pur-
chased OF ]. NJ Colman the block between
Western and Railroad avenues, the d.
mansions being about $50 by $40 feet, for
$4,000. The company also purchased from
the Commercial Company another tract
lying directly north of the Colman prop
erty of the same size for $50. 0oo The Col
man block was appraised by the local
board OF appraisers at $3.50, according TO
my recollection, and the Commercial
block at s.. 500 Taking into consideration
that Mr.. CONAN claims that at different
times IN buildings. plling and filling, etc,
he has expended something like $4,000.
and the Commercial Company something
like $4,000. II win be seen that this prop
erty brought but a little over $50, ooo above
its appraised value and improvements.
AT the time this property was appraised
the local board had no knowledge that the
Northern Pacific Railway Company would
select those particular tracts OF land for
depot site and pay for them a good
price. Mr.. Colman. after the appraise-
ment, protested very strongly against the
amount charged. and said that he was per-
fectly willing at that time to sell the prop
erty for exactly what he had invested in
improvements
THE people of Seattle Will recall the
fact that for months. while these appralse-
ments were being made. advertisements
We're inserted In the daily papers asking
the public TO appear before the board and
give the benefit OF their Judgment as TO
the values OF these lands. A great many
came before the board. and in nearly every
instance placed a lower value on these
lands than they were afterwards appraised
at. Judge Winsor was interested in some
tide lands at Ballard. bat do not ren1em-
Der OF his coming before the board and pro-
testing because we did not charge him
enough for those lands. The only time he
did protest was when he tried 10 buildoze
the board into closing up a street al Bal
lard that was laid out At the request Of the
city council. of that city. He desired this
street closed so that he might acquire II
for his own uses. At the same time he
had no complaint to make about prices.
He had an opportunity TO enter protest
thirty days after the appraisements had
been filed with the county auditor and
state land commissioner. and also 70 ap-
peal. hut ne did neither. As an honest c4ti~
izea. II should have been his duty 20 have
taken such steps as would have protected
the state. / presume that every person
who has invested IN the states land ex-
poets at some time TO receive more money
than he paid for the land
MIR. Prosch's Statement.
Mr.. Pr5sch made the following state
menf il regard 10 the matter:
II have no apologies 10 make FOR the
work done by the kins county board OF
tide land appraisers. either in the plating
OF the tide lands or their appraisal Per
sonally. 1 ana not }mbued with tire idea
that the lands either on the upland or
tide land are Possessed o. the eNtraor3i-
nary values that some people maintain.
and am convinced that the appraisernents
made here - the tide lands were under
ali circumstances. very nearly fair ard
correct I feel that tire extraordinary
prices paid IN some cases FOR these tide
lands. s1geh as the Yesier wharf Tor $50 90
and the Northern Pacific terminal grounds
iE question. FOR $50. GO. were excessive.
but II people choose 20 pay such prices
Z Is thetr own affair and not mine u nas
been said that IN che case q block lss
there was fraud. II the Northern Pacific
chose 10 pay g,sAaa for thar block or
sssa go IL makes no difference. u Simply
paid too mucn. and there was no fraud
IN fhe purchase. % whfch ] an aware.
Instead however - paying about
- 80 ss- Fte.-k rES r l. a matter q fact