Olympia’s Capitol Fight: Donate the Land or Lose the Statehouse

OLYMPIA, March 7.—[Special.]—At the evening session the senate took up the Mentzer bill for the erection of a state capitol. The lobby was crowded to the doors with interested spectators. The bill received its first blow from an amendment by Dyer to locate the capitol on the present site at Olympia, with a provision that the citizens of Olympia donate to the state, in fee simple, all the property—about eleven acres—lying in front of the present grounds and bordering on Budd's Inlet. Dyer argued that the people of Olympia could well afford to donate the land, and noted that N. H. Owings, who had been senator from Thurston County at the last session, had then strongly advocated the state's purchase of this same land. Dyer thought the state might someday want the ground for a governor's mansion, a state armory and perhaps a state printing office. Caypool opposed the amendment as unjust to the people of Olympia, virtually compelling them to purchase the appropriation. Kinnear supported it, saying the state was about to erect a magnificent building from the proceeds of the sale of 132,000 acres of land and should have ample, unobstructed grounds. Van de Vanter said that two years earlier a brilliant and able senator—Owings—had had a scheme to sell the state this very piece of land for $150,000, and would be back again with the same scheme or a bill to appropriate $150,000 to buy it. Street of King vigorously opposed the amendment as unjust. Horr earnestly defended Olympia's people, denying that the land was owned by anyone other than citizens who had lived there many years, purchased their homes and made them near the present grounds. He urged that if the legislature demanded Olympia pay $150,000 in order to have the building, members should vote for the amendment; otherwise vote it down. Caypool closed with a forcible argument against the amendment. The amendment was lost by 6 yeas to 25 nays—yeas: Dyer, Ide, Kinnear, Rutter and Van de Vanter. An amendment by Ide to prevent the capitol appropriation from becoming available until all proceeds from the land had been paid in was lost. Smith offered an amendment to let a contractor erect the building and turn over to him, as payment, all lands granted for the purpose. Smith said he wished to protest against the bill. 'It is simply a proposition of real estate owners of the people of Olympia, who argue that it will enhance values. It is the most gigantic scheme below the sun. If this land grant will pay you $2,000,000 to erect this capitol I shall be perfectly willing to turn the land over to the commissioners and let them proceed. The land grant will not net more than $150,000, and the people of the state will have an indebtedness of $1,000,000 saddled upon them.' Caypool defended the bill, and the amendment was lost. An amendment by Rutter that neither member of the commission shall be a resident of Olympia was carried. Dyer moved to amend by making the cost of the building $1,000,000 instead of $500,000; friends of the bill were not on the alert and the amendment was adopted. The bill was then placed on final passage and passed, with three negatives. The emergency clause also passed. The result was greeted by prolonged applause from the Olympia people present. The passage caused great rejoicing in Olympia. Smith of Whitman gave notice of a motion to reconsider, apparently to prevent transmission of the bill to the house before the close of the session, but friends of the bill were numerous enough to suspend the rule, and the bill was expected to go to the house tomorrow, where it would concur in the amendments.