Seattle’s Half-Million-Dollar Canal Fund Ran Short—and the Committee Wanted Locals to Finish It
Boosters behind the Seattle and Lake Washington Waterway had raised nearly $500,000 in citizens’ subscriptions. With outside money slow to arrive, the committee urged Seattleites to double their pledges and close the tide-flat canal fund by Saturday.
Subscriptions to the $500,000 subsidy for the Seattle and Lake Washington Waterway Company continued to come in yesterday. The day's total was $1,130, bringing the grand total to $488,596 and leaving $11,404 yet to raise. A telegram from Hon. J. R. Lewis, stating that he had mailed a note for $400, reduced the immediate deficit further. Through the efforts of H. T. Rostian, the civil engineer, $89 was added by residents of Port Blakely, who were said to be enthusiastic for the canal.
The Citizens Executive Committee issued this appeal:
"To the Citizens of Seattle: It is now a month and five days since you commenced to raise $500,000 of subsidy for the object of filling the tide flats and cutting the waterway from Elliott Bay into Lake Washington. ... The appraisement committee has passed upon about $400,000 of the subsidy and finds it necessary to make a deduction of about 6 per cent, or $24,000. In the remaining $100,000 yet to be appraised are a number of land contracts and conditional notes. A somewhat higher percentage of deduction may be expected. This would indicate that the sum yet to be raised is about $30,000. ...
"Your committee has not urged an immediate closing of the subsidy before this time in the belief that it could be made up without calling upon subscribers a second time. Much property here is owned by parties residing in other states. We have endeavored to communicate with these non-residents and have received many subscriptions from them. At the beginning of this week we urged that the subsidy be made up during the first three days of the week. ...
"We submit that the time has now come to close up this subsidy upon call. Our home people are impatient. The eyes of the country are upon us. The plans and time limits of the waterway company are endangered. There is daily loss in having this great work postponed. ...
"Had it been necessary, this subsidy could, in our judgment, have been made $1,000,000 just as surely as it is coming to a large proportion of our subscribers have offered to double their pledges if it should become necessary. ... The Waterway Company informs us that its representative is waiting in St. Louis to commence his work. Money does not remain idle; delays are dangerous. Let Friday and Saturday be Seattle days."
Fully submitted, Citizens Executive Committee.
“Let Friday and Saturday be Seattle days.”
Seattle still argues over public money for private infrastructure and whether local taxpayers should carry a project while outside capital waits. The 1893 canal subsidy—part civic boosterism, part tide-flat land play—prefigures today’s fights over waterfront megaprojects, subsidies and who captures the value.
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