The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-11-10
NORTH SEATTLE INTERESTS
Enthssiastfc Meeting of CONNER
caal Club Discusses the Water
Front and Eirat Ayenue.


Front and First ASenae.
Thu North Seattle Commercial Club is
doing vigorous work toward securing
united and prompt action ia the cutting
down Of First avenue hill and the UNI
sangfing Of the water from. maze between
Columbia and Mercer streets largely
attended meeting OF the club was held
last night at Odd Fellows hall. 239o First
avenue, at which good addresses were
made and much interest was shown. As
pledge OF Its zeal In the good work, the
club resolved hereafter to hold weekly
meetings
Hon. Thomas Burke. who made the
chief speech OF the essning, was not only
heard attentiveiy and applauded warmly,
but was unanimously elected an honorary
member of the club, on the ground as
moved by Councilman ellison. that he
was ''one of the best and smoothest talk
ers In the state, and We need him with
US" The compliment made Judge Burke
hide his face In his hands.
Among the prominent members OF the
club present were: G. N. Gibson, Frank
Boenckman. Aionzo Hull. II. r. elise. {.
Il. Bagiey, d. A. Duffy. f. A. Kliever, w.
p. McElwain, Walter s. Dane. Herman
Chaplin, William Ritterhoff, William j.
Dean, George kinnear, George +. Cot
terill G. Ludwig. r.. F. Kinnear. Mr..
Chiiberg and Mr. Blaine. Ex-Councilman
William voigt presided, and Secretary
Ellis De Bruler sat at the desk.
In issuing the call for the meeting Sec
rotary De Bruier very succinctiy stated
Its object as follows:
The purpose OF this meeting r. the adj
vancement OF the present movement for
the cutting down Of the First avenue hill.
The importance of this improvement and
property valuations of North Seattle can
hardly be estimated. The vexing questions
Of damages which heretofore have retard-
ed all efforts toward accomplishing this
great result can be moro easily handled
now than ever before The cooperation OF
the municipal authorities was never so
vision has been made whereby every owner
of improvements will receive full eompen-
sation for ali expenditures necessary to
thing now lacking Is the fun and hearty
cooperation Of the property owners inter-
ested. 1t rests with them, and them only,
to say whether or not North Seattle shall
have a share in the new era OF prosperity
now dawning.
Chairman voigt in opening the meeting
called attention to the importance OF the
projected improvement. and also to the
vital relation which the water front prob
lem sustained to the commercial interests
OF North Seattle and the city at large. He
then introduced Judge Burke, who said
that he was not familiar enough with the
details TO discuss the proposed regarding
OF First avenue. In general terms he adj
vocated q better roadway. and thought 1t
ought TO be constructed now, provided the
work could be done for q reasonable ex-
penditure OF money and without unduly
sacrificing personal interests. Addressing
himself particularly to the second prob
lem with which the club is now dealing.
he said:
''How shall we so arrange our water
front property as TO make IL attractive TO
$~1 Ia he
outset would refer to fact with which
I am sure Chairman Voigt and Councilman
Gibson are already familiar, viz, that 1t
has been all along Mr.. James J. HilPs firm
conviction that the great foreign shipping
of this city would be done from the North
Seattle water front. leaving the present
docks and wharves mainly for local ship
ping
referring briefly to the replltting OF
the tide lands, Juss. Burke said that the
plan contemplated the exchange OF prop
erty by present holders. aAd yet so FAR
as he knew. not sin:le such exchange
had been ma lie. within the last few
months" said he. - have been charged
with ascertaining q location for ware
house, wharf and factory. In each
case I was confronted by these unsettled
conditions I. will not do under such CIR
eums.anees to say that tho people who
now hold these lands will get out OF the.
way by and by. IL tomorrow man repre-
seuting large commercial interests should
come 10 you and ask for location along
your water front. You would be compelled
10 confess ths; this same condition OBJ
tains" Judge Burke spoke strongly In
favor of some definite movement toward
completing the work of readjustment OF
water front property beg IN by the tide
land commission. and urged II as a bene-
fit and r. necessity 10 the whole city.
eSest1 -
lowed with lucid statement OF what had
been thus far accomplished in the direc-
ton OF resdtustment, and also gave de-
tailed figures as 20 the projected regrad-
ting of First avenue. showing that the cost
would not he more than $3.50 or $500 per
lot. Messrs Chaplin. Hull. kinnear and
Others took part in the discussion which
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