The Industrial Grasp on Public Space
A Seattle business owner petitions to close a city block to make room for his growing lumber factory, sparking a debate on private gain versus public infrastructure.
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.
Mr. [John] J. L. Lott filed a petition at the city clerk's office today asking that the city pass an ordinance vacating Lott Street between 8th and 9th avenues. Mr. Lott has control of the lots in the vicinity. The blocks are in a location which hinders the operation of a large lumber manufacturing plant. The city council will meet in executive session tonight to consider the demand. The auditing of bills for July will also come up.
“Mr. Lott has control of the lots in the vicinity. The blocks are in a location which hinders the operation of a large lumber manufacturing plant.”
This 1899 dispute over street vacation for industrial expansion echoes today's ongoing debates in Seattle about prioritizing private development over public rights-of-way, sidewalks, and shared urban space.
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