The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-05-21


Roads Club had taken the advice OF some
At the lawyers that belong to the organ
ixation. they would not now. II IS claimed
by those interested. be defendants 70
an action for damages aggregating
nearly $3.50. Readers of the Post
Intelligeneer win recall the big lahd
slide that occurred on the night OF De-
eember q IN the Lake Dell addition, in
which three houses were almost entirely
demolished and the ground SO covered
with loose earth and debris as TO make it
well nigh valueless as the site OF a dwell
Ing. This landslide and its attendant dis
asters form the basis OF three suits for
damages brought by the property own
ers against the members OF the Queen
City Good Roads Club.
The plaintiffs are: Frank G. Jewell and
Ella Jewell. his wife: Mr.. and Mrs. George
w. Hill and w. 8. Chapman and wife.
Here Is the LIST Of the defendants: Z. n.
Fobes. Howard Ames, A Bernstein, w.
w. Clark, c. w. Chandler. John Frazer.
=. w. Andrews. Charles H. Baker. sam
Brown, F. ]. Blodgett. c. e. Cherry. I.
w. Conner. DR.. +. H. Coe, c. w. Cham
berlain. T. 81. Daulton. DIR. L. r. Daw-
son, II. z. Frederick, ]. s. Farrell J.
A. Baillargeon, F. A. Churchill. z. d.
Colvin. A. Claiborne. A. L. Cohen, A. w.
Denny. e. Gaffney. r. ]. Glennon. DR.. F.
H. kilbourne. J. J. Madison. r. F.
jr.. j. A. Jackson. r. J. Hardy. e. Nor
ganstern, w. H. Humphrey. Newman
Kline. George F. Meacham. p. A. Purdy.
+. S. Stimson. c. b. Smith. A. F. Tour
vile, F. p. Spelger. r. r. Spencer. D. A.
Upper, G. r. Thorndyke and c. E. Thurs
ton.
The three suits were consolidated into
one and the court and jury in Judge
Benson's department are occupied in list
ening to the testimony In the case. 1t IL
alleged by the plaintiffs that the bicycle
club. organized by and composed of the
defendants and divers other persons, by
building bicycle path and trestle on the
blum overlooking the homes Of the
plaintiffs, caused the landslide which
wrecked the neighborhood and destroyed
their property.
To begin with. Il Is hardly possible that
the wheelmen who formed the club and
were active in securing the necessary funds
to build the Lake Washington path ex-
pected that before their first years work
was done they would be sued by any one
on account OF the path. Some OF the
lawyers In the city who are not members
OF the club have quietly '.ioshed" those
that belong to the organization because
tho usual custom Of Incorporating was
not followed out. Such a course would
have resulted in making the corporation.
and not the individual members thereof,
defendant In the suits.
1t Is claimed by the victims Of the land
slide that the trestle just above the scene
OF the slide was badly constructed and
that two hours before the main slide.
tie
that prevailed during the latter part OF
December. gave way and the structure
was precipitated down the hill, causing
the big slide which followed soon after
ward.
Another OF the allegations CT the
plaintiffs is that the employees of the club
cut of the grass and shurbs that lined
the face OF the bluff where the path was
built. thus removing the natural supports
OF the land Or the hill side. causing It
to break away when thoroughly soaked
with rain.
Mr.. and Mrs. Hill and Mr.. Jewell were
the principal witnesses yesterday. Mr..
Hill, who Is the engineer on the fire boat
Snoqualmie, told of the disaster on the
night OF December q about as il was
described in the Post-Inte,ligencer the Gay
after. The earth above the houses of the
three plaintiffs slid down the slope with
out warning. but with great force and
destructive power, resulting in the prac-
teal demolition OF the homes of the three
plaintiffs. Mr.. Jewell testified az 10 the
occurrences OF that night, OF the great
terror felt by the inhabitants of the houses
and describing by the aid of map the
location and course taken by the slide.
The case went over before all the test.-
mony for the plaintiffs had been taken
Both sides are making a good fight and
the issue viii be Sharply contested before
the case is given into the hands of the
Jury,