The Shack on South Third Street
A tenant returns to find his small business, stock-in-trade, and silver knives unceremoniously dumped in the street.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Annie Cheatham, on the charge of forcible entry and detainer. Daniel Cetta, who is the complaining witness, claims that a few months ago he hired a small shack on South Third Street, between Washington and Main streets, from Annie Cheatham and agreed to pay $10 a month. He stocked the place and commenced to sell ham and eggs. On January 29, while he was away, he says Annie Cheatham broke in and threw out into the street all his stock in trade, and since that time has prevented him from continuing business at the place in question. He also claims that she threw away some silver knives, only a part of which he has recovered.
“He stocked the place and commenced to sell ham and eggs. January 29, while he was away, he says Annie Cheatham broke in and threw out into the street all his stock in trade.”
This dispute over a small business shack highlights the precariousness of early commercial tenancies in Seattle’s pioneer district. Today, the corner of South Third and Main remains a site of high-density redevelopment pressure, echoing the constant friction between property owners and small-scale entrepreneurs.
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