Who Controls Washington's Tide Flats? A Sweeping Land Bill Lands in Olympia

Olympia, Feb. 22.—A measure likely to consume considerable time in the legislature was introduced today in the Senate by Senator Lesh, of Yakima and Klickitat. It provides for the selection, survey, management, lease and disposition of the state's granted, oyster and other lands, harbor areas, and for confirming and completing the several grants to the state by the United States, and creates a board of state land commissioners.

The general effect of the proposed law is to concentrate administration of the state's lands in the board of state land commissioners. It is looked upon as an administration measure intended to carry out Gov. McGraw's recommendations in his message.

Among its principal new features: county boards of land appraisers are abolished, except where now engaged in platting and appraising first-class lands in Pierce, King, Chehalis and Pacific counties; the state land agents or cruisers, who receive 10 cents an acre to select granted land, are abolished and one is appointed at a salary of $1,200 a year; the seven assistant attorneys general at land-office points who contest land cases are abolished and their work imposed on the nearest assistant; and provision is made for prosecuting timber thieves and other trespassers on state lands.

Lands are classified as granted lands (school, university and other educational grants, and grants for other than educational purposes), tide lands from ordinary high tide to mean low tide, shorelands, oyster lands, harbor areas and arid lands. The board is given power to supervise all state officers connected with state lands and to determine questions arising in connection with administration of the laws.

First-class tide lands are to be surveyed and appraised by the board; where local boards are now at work on first-class lands—at Tacoma, Seattle or Gray's Harbor—they are to complete their work forthwith. Appeals from appraisement to the superior court are allowed. Preference rights are reserved to owners of upland and improvements. Second-class tide lands are to be sold at a uniform price per acre unless three persons protest by affidavit that the value is greater. Third-class tide lands are to be sold at a minimum of 25 cents per linear foot of government meander line. Harbor areas are to be leased to the highest bidder after advertisement.