The Paper Street Feud
A homeowner fights a developer over a phantom street that appeared on a map but vanished on the ground.
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.
Daniel Graham is currently in court seeking relief from the alleged oppressive acts of W. R. Williams, involving James Hamilton Lewis and the city administration as spectators. The dispute concerns an alleged attempt by Williams to obstruct a street in his addition on Madison Street. About ten years ago, Williams bought a five-acre tract and subdivided it for sale; while there is no official record of a plat, he admits he made a 'picture' of the property. Graham purchased 'Lot 1, Block 2,' relying on that picture, which represented his lot as fronting on 'Henrietta Avenue,' providing access to Madison Street. Williams had pointed out the street on the map and promised to dedicate it. Graham was surprised when Williams began building fences and digging post holes in the ungraded Henrietta Avenue last August, rendering it impassable. The court has restrained further fence-building pending a motion for a perpetual injunction. Notably, the city has a separate suit against Williams to extend Kenney Street through the same addition; if Graham is correct, Henrietta Avenue is essentially an extension of Kenney Street, where the city has already installed a sewer.
“He sold 'Lot 1, Block 2' to Graham. Graham says that on the picture his lot was represented as fronting on 'Henrietta Avenue,' by which access could be had to Madison Street.”
Property disputes involving 'paper streets'—planned rights-of-way that were never formally dedicated—remain a common headache in Seattle development. This case reflects the classic tension between booster-style land promotion and the actual infrastructure requirements of a growing city.
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