The Great Spokane Land Rush
Hundreds of 'boomers' flooded a disputed railroad tract in the heart of Spokane after a legal ruling fueled rumors of unclaimed land.
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.
When the city woke this morning, it was confronted by an extraordinary spectacle. During the night, 250 'boomers' had rushed in and located lots on a tract known as Shantytown, owned by the Northern Pacific road and situated in the heart of the city, bordering right upon the business district. This large tract was long in dispute. Several years ago it was jumped by squatters, but three years ago the interior department decided against them and they were ousted. The recent decisions by the secretary of the interior adverse to railroads respecting lieu land selections started a rumor that this tract had reverted to the government, and this led to a stampede for lots. Daylight brought renewed activity, and before 9 o'clock at least 700 men had staked out lots. Policemen caught the infection and joined in the work of grabbing. During the day Shantytown was the scene of great activity. Hundreds of shacks and cabins were being run up, and hundreds of men stood guard over their claims. Tonight, bonfires dot the site. It is not believed the jumpers have any chance of retaining possession.
“Daylight brought renewed activity, and before 9 o'clock at least 700 men had staked out lots. Policemen caught the infection and joined in the work of grabbing.”
Squatting as a form of protest and economic survival was a common response to land speculation in the 1890s. Today, these same dynamics—the struggle between public interest, corporate land holding, and the housing crisis—remain the central tension in Seattle's urban development.
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