Before the Tide Lands Sold, Seattle Had to Erase Its Own Streets

The failure of the city council to take action toward vacating streets in the southern part of the city to conform with the new tide land plat has caused a petition to be prepared by a large number of the owners of tide land property, calling upon the council to take such action before May 13, when the time for exercising the prior right of purchase expires, as after that date it would be open to everybody to buy these tracts which are now streets. The petition is now on file with the city clerk, and there is hardly any question but that the same will be granted, as a committee of the council to whom the matter was referred has already decided to recommend that the streets in question be vacated and all that is needed is confirmation by the council.

The petition reads as follows:

"We, the undersigned, citizens of Seattle and interested in the subject matter hereinafter referred to, would respectfully represent that,

"Whereas, the city of Seattle, under the provisions of the constitution of the state of Washington, has heretofore extended certain of its streets over and upon the tide lands lying at the head of Elliott bay in front of the city of Seattle; and

"Whereas, the state of Washington, by its duly authorized agent, the local board of tide land appraisers of King county, has heretofore established a uniform plat of said tide lands, and thereby established a system of streets across said tide lands in conformity with such plat; and

"Whereas, the streets so established by the state do not in many cases conform to those established by the city; and

"Whereas, the persons who are entitled, under the law, to the preference right of purchase of the tide lands, will in many cases be prevented from obtaining title to portions of the tide lands conforming with the established plat on account of some of the old city streets cutting through lots and blocks; and

"Whereas, the said preference right of purchase expires on the 13th day of the present month, and as such preference purchasers cannot apply for any territory embraced in any of the old city streets unless said streets shall have been vacated by the city in time to enable such preference purchasers to apply for such territory before the expiration of the very limited time for exercising such right of purchase; and

"Whereas, the failure of the city to vacate such streets and thereby enable the preference purchasers to procure title to said territory will necessarily cause much confusion of title and will entail immense loss and damage upon the parties entitled to purchase such lands, and will very materially reduce the value and desirability of such tide lands:

"Now, therefore, your petitioners pray that you vacate all the existing streets heretofore established by the city of Seattle as aforesaid over said tide lands in time to enable said parties to obtain title to such territory, and your petitioners will ever pray."

Alderman Chase, who was chairman of the committee, said last evening: "There is no reason why the ordinance vacating these streets should not have been passed a week or more ago, and I feel satisfied that at the next meeting of the council it will be passed. The committee in charge held a meeting at the city hall two weeks ago and there were present a majority of the members of the council. In discussing the question of vacating the streets it was the opinion that an ordinance should be passed which would make the old plat conform to the new plat of the tide land appraisers, and it was decided to make such a recommendation. This was never done, however, because no one desired to have an ordinance drawn covering the matter. I have been engaged in the case now in review in the superior court and have not had time to look after the ordinance, but intend to do so tomorrow morning."