The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-05-31
RIDGES RISES 70 EXPLAIN.
wrITEs OPEN LETTER ANENT Sc
ATTLE TIDE LAND MATTER.
ne.fes Injustice or Secrecy in Ex-
teraing waterway Contract, Says
n ID q Good Thing and Seattle
0Wners of Land May Sweat.

n,.cal Dispatch to the Post-Inteiligencer.
olympia, May GLAND Commission
: Bridges today gave out the following
rublic letter relative to the criticisms
CSAe OF him in connection with the ex-
sendon of the contracts to the Seattle &
fats Washington Waterway Company:
T. J. NJ, Frink. George Kinnear. NJ. ].
person, M n. Young. washington Iron
csnpany, Seattle Dock Company and the
SsSttie Post-Intelligencer and Seattle
6nes, as organs OF the above mentioned
S1iyiduals and corporations.
<sferring to the recent attacks upon
=. as commissioner of public lands, in
fbe columns of the Post-Intelligencer and
ne f' eRtsnsio pV Of time on the contracts
Sfveen the state of Washington and the
little & Lake Washington Waterway
Company / will proceed first to give
fbs act under which these contracts
vefp let for the construction of public
vaterways was introduced by Representa-
silve session Of 1893, and was voted FOR
n Senator J. NJ. Fink, of King, on it's
nal passage (see senate journal for 1893,
ne .5se), all of the senator's. with the
exception of two voting In the Affirmative.
Among letters from prominent Seattle
dtjssns, estimating the prospective value
q tide lands when filled by the Seattle
1.6er the terms OF its contracts, 1 find
ihe following from Hon. ]. NJ. Frink:
Seattle. Wash, Aug. Is, 1894.
1, the undersigned, citizen OF the city
Il Seattle. do hereby certify that in my
tldgment the tide lands lying at the head
u Elliott bay and embraced in the pro-
oosed contract of the Seattle & Lake
Warrington Waterway Company. with
Il the average value named below when
such hide lands have been filled in and
TSissd above high. tide In the manner
IMPOSED by the above. named company.
u wit: That portion lying east OF the
east waterway and north Of the Lake
Washington waterway. 32So00 per acre;
that portion lying south of the Lake
TawamisS Waterway $1,000 eI per OF ac aae
Tat portion lying between the east and
ut waterways, $4,000 per acre; that
ylfsion lying west of the west waterway,
PRESIDENT Washington Iron Works co.
note also the following letter;
Seattle. WASH. Nov. 16. 1894.
We. the undersigned. citizens of the city
Of Seattle and connected with different
financial institutions there. hereby Ger
Conover Robert Moran, VIM. ID. Wood.
J. w. George. ]. NJ. Frink and Ellis Nor
IiSon. and believe them to be conservative
@en. especially qualified to appraise the
value OF the tide lands OF Elliott bay
when nlled In and raised above high tide.
To the above Is attached the signatures
d thirteen men. presidents and cashiers
Of as many Seattle banking institutions,
Petition to Gov. McGraw.
On October Il, 1894, the following petit
u McGraw. then governor OF the state
pt Washington dated Seattle. october
The undersigned, holders OF preference
bay. at Seattle. under the act of March
g. 1880. respectfully represent to your
excsllency that. they have investigated
s ss proSst Of ane
the tide lands by excavating waterways
through said lands and canal through
the hills to Lake Washington. and Incl
bead OF Elliott bay by filling the same
Dove high tide with solid material: and
wn are convinced OF the feasibility and
OF sa,s rsne.t vour
txcellency to approve the contracts with
taid company 30 that Il may proceed with
the execution of the work with the least
signed BY j. NJ, Frink ind seventy eight
other prominent citizens OF Seattle and
corporations.
I have before mo copy of the Post
intelltgsncer, dated August 25, 1895, devot-
Ing about two and one-half pages to the
subject OF the proposed waterway, show
ing diagrams of the great public improve
ment. and eulogizing II In glowing terms.
Ine folIowing paragraph appears on page
" Of said issue OF the observation-disclosures:
when the time came to subscribe to
the subsidy there was almost q scramble
among the contributors. and each one, de-
spite the ordeal of hard times. FASTENED
70 sign note payable at the completion OF
the canal u. G. Brawley and George Kin
near gave $4,000. ."
note further down the list OF subscrib-
trs that J. NJ. Frink subscribed si.000.
tpon the urgent request of a majority
OF me people OF Seattle, contracts We're
enterod into for the construction of
waterway and the filling OF certain Seattle
ude lands. and all deeds issued by the
STATE and all contracts entered into be-
tween the state OF Washington and tide
and purchasers In the district affected
rear the following provision:
subject, however. TO any Hen or liens
maj may arise or be created in conse-
enence OF or pursuant to the provisions of
~ ~ act Of the legislature of the state OF
washington. entitled AN act prescribing