The Chamber of Commerce Turns Against Northern Pacific
Seattle business leaders unite to block a railroad land grant, accusing the Northern Pacific of a 'device and trick' to seize valuable timber and coal fields in King County.
The story, cleaned up
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The Seattle Chamber of Commerce has unanimously adopted a memorial to the President of the United States regarding the Northern Pacific Railroad's attempt to claim a land grant along the Puyallup coal road. The railroad company recently requested commissioners to inspect the line, hoping to secure over 100,000 acres of prime King County timber and coal land, valued at over $10,000,000. The Chamber argues the road was built as a local coal spur seven years ago, not as part of the Cascade division, and that the company is acting in bad faith to preempt Congressional forfeiture efforts. Having previously passed resolutions opposing land forfeiture, the Chamber rescinded that stance, admitting it was passed under a 'mistake of fact' and prompted by the railroad's false representations.
“Consistency is not a jewel when, to be consistent, one must continue in the wrong.”
This 1884 showdown captures the origin of Seattle's long-standing suspicion toward monopolistic land grabs and corporate influence in local governance. Much like the railroad's attempts to capture public land via technicalities, contemporary Seattle continues to grapple with how corporate interests influence the development of public space and land usage.
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