Seattle and King County Protest Railroad Land Claims
Citizens and local officials successfully force federal review of land-grant claims and the legitimacy of the Puyallup coal road.
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 people of Seattle and King County determined to send a representative to Washington to protest the unjust claims of the Northern Railroad Company to unearned land in this Territory, their action was the signal for a howl of derision from every corporation flunkey in the Territory. Not only was the honesty of their motive impugned, but the sagacity and capacity of the gentleman selected were attacked in abusive terms. Later, when the Seattle Chamber of Commerce and the Board of County Commissioners protested against the inspection and acceptance of the Puyallup coal road as part of the Northern Pacific, they were ridiculed again. However, our delegate, Mr. White, applied to the Executive Department to postpone action pending Congress's decision on the forfeiture bill. We have received word that Secretary Teller says action will be suspended on the report of the Puyallup Commission until Congress decides on forfeiture. We are glad to realize that the efforts of our people have resulted in a recognition of the fact that the people of this Territory have rights which even the Northern Pacific Railroad Company will be compelled to respect.
“There is a time when forbearance ceases to be a virtue and when justice must be done.”
This reflects the long-standing tension between Seattle’s civic interests and large, land-holding monopolies. Just as 19th-century residents fought to reclaim public lands from rail barons, modern Seattle continues to grapple with the power of corporate entities over the city's physical development.
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