Drafting the Law of the Sound
A legislative proposal to appoint a formal Board of Pilot Commissioners for the Puget Sound and Juan de Fuca Straits.
Council Bill, introduced by Mr. Kerr, of Jefferson, is entitled 'An Act to establish Pilots and Pilot regulations for the Straits, Puget Sound, and all American waters pertaining thereto.' The bill mandates the Governor to appoint two experienced shipmasters and one eminent merchant to a Board of Pilot Commissioners. These commissioners would oversee the qualification, licensing, and conduct of pilots in the region. The legislation requires pilots to be American citizens, legal voters of the Territory, and at least twenty-one years old. It establishes strict rules against intoxication, mandates safety bonds of two thousand dollars, and sets pilotage rates, with specific exemptions for U.S. steamers running to or from Puget Sound. It also charges the Prosecuting Attorney of the Third Judicial District with enforcing the regulations, effective January 1, 1884.
“That it shall be the duty of the Governor to appoint two experienced and resident shipmasters and one eminent merchant, who shall constitute a Board of Pilot Commissioners.”
This 1883 bill established the framework for the maritime pilotage system that remains critical to Puget Sound's safety today. It reflects the era's transition from unregulated waters to a formalized, state-managed maritime corridor during a massive period of regional growth.
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