The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-02-02
Bicycle Path Held Responsible for
a Landslide.
DAMAGES AGGREGATE $1,000.
Three Former Residents Of Lake
DELL aGastion, Whose Property
Was Destroyed December -. File
suits i'm the Superior COurt-The
Any Expense to Its Members.

The directors OF the Queen City Good
Roads Clup. the organization that has
erected the bicycle path around Lake
Union and Lake Washington and has in
many other ways made cycling popular
sport IN Seattle, were made defendants
In three suits for damages fled yesterday
in the superior court. The suits were
fled by Frank Jewell, G. W. Hill and w.
l. Chapman. who formerly lived in Lake
Dell addition, below the long bridge on
the south loop of the path. The dam
ages aggregate s5.ooo. and are asked for
destruction of property. fright and extra
work caused by landslide on the night
of December -. The long bridge was
swept down the hill by the slide and the
Chapman and Jewell houses were COM
pletely demolished. The Good Roads
Club will defend the suits and the MEM
bers of the club. as individuals. will not
be put to any Inconvenience.
President George r. Meacham. of the
Good Roads Club. was seen by a Post-ln-
telligencer reporter last night and said re-
garding the suit:
While the members of the Good Roads
Club regret anybody's loss. the landslide
was not caused by the building of the
long bridge nor by the clubs cutting
narrow bicycle path into the hillside
The slide was caused by the long wet
spell late in December and the club is in
no way responsible. Attorney Thomas
T. Hardin has kindly consented TO defend
the suits for the club and the individual
members will not be put 10 any expense
in the matter
The complaints OF the three suits filed
yesterday recite practically the same
facts The plaintiffs aliege that the
Queen City Good Roads Club erected
bridge go feet long by eight feet wide, 100
feet UP the hillside from their dwellings.
They say that the bridge was supported
by timbers sunk into holes that had been
dug in the hillside. and that the bridge
was not securely built. Through the
negligence in building and not keeping the
bridge in repair, they claim that 1t fell.
running the lots and destroying their
houses and property
They contend further in their complaint
that two hours after the bridge came
down there was n landslide which COM
pletely covered their lots. They claim
that this landslide would not have hap
pened had not the Good Roads Club cut
their bicycle path into the side hill.
The grounds on which the damages are
asked are tnut the siiufS ueStto sth titti
dwellings fences. orchards. berry bushes
and covered up their lots: that the mud
DESTROYED and injured the contents of
their houses: that the slide happened in
the night time and the compliments with
their wives and children were greatly
frightened and compelled 10 leave their
homes, scantily clad; and that they were
compelled to quit work for number or
DAYS while moving their families into
other houses.
Frank g. Jewell and wife sue for the
largest amount S.575. They ask $500
for the damage to their house and lot.
and 900 for damage to personal property.
For the fright and bodily suffering OF
himself and family Jewell wants si0o ana
the additional sum of $50 for caring for
his children during the sickness which
followed their exposure in the cold rain
on the night of the slide. 1t took him six
DAYS TO get his family settled in another
house and he asks that the GOOD ROADS
Club be ordered TO pay him 81 for wages
lost during that time
w l. Chapman and wife ask damages
In the sum OF 81 242. They figure the in
Jury TO the house and lot at 500 and 10
personal property at 1861. They think
that $3.50 would recompense them for their
fright and the extra work caused by the
slide. IL took Chapman eight days 10
6nd another house. and his time AZ the
rate of s. "A day Is figured In.
G.. w. Hin and wife did not lose their
house but make up for il by asking $1,000
for damage TO their personal effects. They
ask $50 for fright and So for extra work.
AN was six days getting another house
and asks $2l for his time.