The Courthouse Mud Trap
A dangerous quagmire on Third Street leaves citizens stuck in the clay on their way to justice.
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.
Just at this time it is necessary for many persons in the Third Judicial District to visit the courthouse in this city, where the Judge's and Clerk's offices are located. In order to get there at the present time, owing to the condition of Third street, especially in front of that building, a person is compelled to wade ankle deep through clay and mud. The street has been cut down several feet, and it is with difficulty that men reach the building. Yesterday afternoon, a lady who had business with the court had the hardihood to attempt to cross the street to the building, and consequently got mired and had to be assisted out of her uncomfortable and embarrassing position by a number of men. If nothing better can be done, the Street Commissioner should at once be instructed to make some kind of a temporary walk by which people might reach the courthouse in safety.
“the ends of justice are thwarted by the present horrible condition of this popular thoroughfare.”
This early account of Seattle’s 'mud season' highlights the struggle of developing infrastructure in a rapidly growing city. Today, we deal with different transportation bottlenecks, but the frustration of a city's growth outpacing its basic accessibility remains a central theme in Seattle's civic discourse.
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