The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-06-01
Dissects Commissioner Bridges
Answer to Protests.
CITES CAus S OF COMPLAINT.
No Notice of Intention to Extend
Contracts with Waterway Com
pany Given-showing of Due Dill
gence Was Not Required-Con-
tracts Are Now Harsh, Unjust and
Ineauitab1e-Discr in Dates

The reply OF Commissioner Of Public
Lands Robert Bridges. 10 the protests OF
Seattle tide land owners against the re-
cent extension OF contracts made by him,
between the state and the Seattle and
Lake Washington Waterway Company, as
published in the Post-intelligencer yester-
day morning has created no end OF COM
ment among those directly and indirectly
interested. In an open letter Judge Burke
last night replied 10 Commissioner Bridges
as follows
To tho Honorable Robert Bridges. Com
missioner OF Public Lands, olympia,
Wash: I have just read In the Post-ln,
telligencer of this date a letter addressed
by you to the Hon. J. NJ. Frink ana others
in explanation and defense of your official
action In extending the tine OF compile
ton OF the four contracts between the
state Of Washington and the se cna ana
Lake Washington Waterway Company
In the course Of your letter you step aside
TO address some remarks to me person
ally, which, In courtesy TO you at least,
arm bound to take notice of.
The utter irrelevancy OF the questions
you put to me as well of other parts
of your letter. would lead one 20 the con-
elusion that you have no conception of the
ground OF the public complaint made
against you on account of your official ac-
tton I'm extending the time of the compile
ton OF these contracts.
Causes of Complaint.
Tho public complains OF three things:
First that In your capacity as a public
official charged with "a grave public duty
of a quasi judicial character you should
privately, without public notice and with
out hearing have passed Judgment upon
question involving large interests and
affecting a large number of people.
Secondly. that under a statute which
gave you power to extend the time Of the
completion of the contracts In question
only upon showing OF due diligence on
the part of the contracting parties" you
proceeded to extend the contracts not only
without any showing OF due diligence, but
IN the face OF notorious facts establishing
a total want of diligence on the part OF
the contracting company.
Thirdly that. without giving the public
or parties interested chance to be
heard. you revived and extended con-
tracts that had lain dormant for three
years. which under the changed and Inn
proved conditions of the times. are now
harsh. unjust and inequitable. and which.
II they had to be made today, no public
ohcer having regard to tho public In
terests would sanction for n moment.
Decided without Notice.
Let us see upon what ground the pub
lie bases It's complaint, 1t is charged that
you decided tho question Of the extern
sion OF those contracts without notice to
tho public or partie. In interest and with
out hearing. This IL serious charge,
and you admit II. You seek to justify
your course In this respect by saying that
the law does not require YOU to give no.
tiee In such cases. II this be So II 1t he
true that under this law a mans prom
sriy may may be taken away from him with
To him to defend IT, then indeed IL the law
wofully defective. do not believe such
commissioner or court In this country can
deprive a person Of his life. liberty or
property without "a hearing or trial.
but whether tho commissioner of public
lands was bound In law or not to serve
notice upon tho parties In interest, one
thing ~ very certain. and that is that In
the Interest of justice II was the duty OF
tho commissioners 10 have given the pub
lilo notice OF the application OF the com
pany for an extension OF It's contracts
and TO provide for hearing upon that
application. II was his duty 10 do so
because II was the only proper course 20
sake IN order % determine whether due
tractors or not. and unless under the
statute. they could show due diligence.
hs had no right 70 extend the contracts.
But ] am not 80 sure but what under tho
statute itself he was compelled to give
notice TO the parties In interest
what the Law Provides.
That the law provides such notice he
fore the contract Is les in the first IN
90 section Of the act Of ism, laws Of
IMs page 2ab. e as follows And pro-
vlded further. that tine commissioner Of
public lands shall publsh for thirty DAYS
at tho expense ~ the applicant. IN some
newspaper OF general circulation In the
,unty whore said lands arc situated.
notice OF the tendency Of said appNca-
,ian and request oil interested parties 20
aprenr before him NJ the time and place
mentioned tn said notice and state their
ohiec lions and no contract should he en-
tered into by tho commissioner ~ public
iarss Tor the improvement ot any spch
WATERWAY cr waterways until after TIE
date nxea IN snla notice NJ which lnror-
estrd parties may appear and be heard %
You viii recognize this method prescribed
Nv STATUTE as simple one for Swing
notice 20 the parties interested. II Is an
easy form ~ notice 20 give
Notice Ia Rsunired.
The asatu,c. as you will see. In explicit
terms rruAIres the commissioner 90 give
this notice IN the case OF an original con
tract IKE the contracts under discus
sion. II taaY Re said, however. that this
notice which IS 80 carefully provided by
applies only 20 the case % an original con-
tract. and not 10 an extension ~ a con
trsct While that may rs go. Il is NOT
hlt0GcthRr certain Every reason tn n
var ~ notice in the case o. an original
contract Applies with equal lorce tn the
ease ~ an extension like the one uudrr
discussion. This extension ~ each Of
thc@c contracts lr&cticaaN amounts 90 A
new contract with the waterway company
Considering the uwc that has etarsed
since these contracts were oristuAlly en-.
feroSi into. every consideration In favor II
Il notice lo tAe ,aso 81 size original con
tract applies with greater fore to-day 10
these new contracts whica aro made hy
n" extension % thc old 1nfs The I'M
tefeHtN are far moro numerous and tho
pTvporty involved, py reason uot u the
work OF the waterway COMPANY. but ~
tho natural growth - the c!ty ~ S.
attic, has become more valuable To
SAY tho very east. Mr. Comu'issttrrr.
the statutory notice referred On 81 sa.d
pave ocvn a 5000 kpide TOR Nou H ihls
Instance U would have been slupic
matter tcf S"a ~ have followed 10 ga
.ssspsSt', g. H be-, eN'sn AZ even Z YOU
tlon % th~ statute ~ spirited only 90 tie
original eoo'Ftc' TIC wonder 20 me is