The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-06
Dock Owners Reach an Agree
ment With Land Commission.
STATE LINES ARE RECOGNIZED.
water Front Corporations Apply for
L0ng-Term Leases of State strip
Under New Law-Dispute of Long
Standing Settled Amicably--State
IL In Complete Control and De-
rives Considerable Revenue.

After several weeks Of negotiation the
long pending controversy between the stare
board OF land commissioners and the chief
water front and dock owners OF the city
OF Seattle regarding the right Of the state
TO exact lease money for the states har-
Dor area, has been settled amicably. While
perhaps not expressly recognizing tho har-
Dor lines commended for by the commission,
the water front owners have united on
what Is practically the same thing, for
they have applied for thirty-year leases OF
the strip as laid out several years ago by
the state land commission, and which was
practically cut in two by the order or Sec
rotary OF War r. A. Alger, just before he
retired from office last summer
The last Of the big water front owners
to come to terms with the land commits
sion were the Pacific Coast Company. the
Great Northern Railway Company. the
Northern Pacific Railway Company and
the Seattle & International Railway COM
pany. These have lately hied applications
at Olympia for lonE-term leases Of Che full
state strip In front OF their propertias. and
the leases Will be issued as soon a5rne
clerical work can be accomplished
yearly en- d Tentai amounting q Of
the assessed value OF the strip leased, bas-
"a on the value OF the abutting property.
IN Seattle alone. One corporation pays UNI
der the arrangement approximately NV
Land Commissioner Bridges was in the
city yesterday. registered at the Hotel Sc
attic. Mr.. Bridges made this statement
concerning the settlement of the dispute
between his office and the dock owners: :.
ned the property owners that 1t would Of
Ter for public lease tho states harbor strip
IN Seattle, or, rather. such portions as were
gwen Nv the property owners to make their
applications for leases. All the state asked
was Z rental of per cent. per annum of
the value Of tho strip LEASED. bounded ny
sessed valuation OF the AUDITING properly;
1.-THE smaller dock owners In Seattle had
some time before fled their applications
recognized the jurisdiction of the state over
the state strip OF tide lands. as established
gears ago. On the part Of the larger cor
t. lease only asn part o Of the strip
line laid out by Secretary Alger.
the state has rs T. the me
harbor lines. We have ccntended right
along that the state was supreme in con-
troll Of the state strip of harbor area. The
am glad to say that the questions have
finaliy been settled and all differences have
been adjusted. The matter Is now no long
the recognition OF the states control Of the
Is recognized
The legal representatives OF q number
If the larger dock owners Of Seattle con-
1irmed what Mr.. Bridges said. One we'll
known attorney, representing one OF the
largest water front corporations, said: I'VE
have no quarrel with the state under pres
emit circumstances. The amount Of money
paid by each Corporation is small in COM
parison with the Interests at stake. More
over, we are not compelled to make inn
provements under the present law, and
our leases will hold good under these con-
ditions during the entire term they run.
LAS business proposition 1t was much
better for the dock owners to pay the
small rental exacted by the state than to
run the risk of having burdensome condi-
tions, including lawsuits. laid on them. We
. are thoroughly satisfied with the situation"