The Battle for Ravenna Park: When Seattle’s Elite Tried to Buy Out the Public

RAVENNA PARK HAS BEEN CLOSED

Placards Posted Up Warning People Not to Trespass on the Grounds. President Beck, of the Park Association, Begins a War on the Third Street Electric Line.

War has been declared between the Ravenna Park association and the proprietors of the Third Street Electric Suburban railway. Hundreds of visitors to the park were confronted by their relatives' signs on yellow cards declaring that 'this is private property and all persons must keep off under penalty of prosecution.'

The news was a sudden shock reported to be lurking about in the public minds, calling to mind any unwary person who might intrude within the forbidden precincts.

The street railroad company ran its cars as usual to the plot of Ravenna Park and discharged its passengers, but did not furnish them with permits to enter. That was something that the railroad people could not do.

There is quite a large hankering from these Sunday jollies. Many members of the church went recently to see the Ravenna Park Association, and asked him to allow the company to use the park in any way that it saw fit, in order to attract patronage, especially on Sunday. It was proposed to have concerts and perhaps a row of booths, and to advertise the resort for all that it was worth.

Beck, who had been instrumental in getting a church built nearby, being one of the principal donors, and had finally utilized the building for school purposes, but was foremost preventing attracting folks at the park of the kind advertised. He informed the street railway association that the park was a lasting investment to him, and the other owners, and that the railroad got all the profit, inasmuch as visitors paid ten cents round trip fare to the place and then cost much the park free. So he thought that for a while the company ought to pay the annual taxes on the city tract, amounting to about $100.

The company, however, did not see it that way. The taxes were still assessed against the park people, and they were stirred up to retaliatory action. Hence the placards warning visitors to keep off.

Beck says that he does not propose any longer forbearance for the electric road unless some share of the proceeds comes immediately into the hands of the Park association. It would be satisfied with the payment of the taxes.

Some folks who claim to be best say that the railroad managers have been forced to come to their doors on Sunday at the park, and to this end have refused to pay the taxes, or to do anything in the way of financially helping the association. It is a deadlock.

Just how the deadlock will end, no one can foresee. The beautiful park is closed to the public, and Beck and his partners hold the key to the situation.