The Town That Suddenly Didn't Exist
A Supreme Court ruling declaring sixty Washington towns unconstitutional leaves saloon keepers in Roslyn facing a massive $10,000 licensing bill.
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.
The trials and tribulations of the Roslyn saloon keepers are assured, and their weight of woe has been added to in the recent decision of the supreme court holding as unconstitutional the incorporation of about sixty of the budding towns of Washington. This decision affects the Roslyn dispensaries of liquid refreshments to the tune of ten thousand dollars, there being ten saloon keepers there who are now requested to pay a thousand dollars each as county license or forego the privilege of dealing out fire-water at the rate of ten cents a drink or 'five for a half.' The county commissioners at their meeting yesterday made an order to this effect, and Sheriff Brown left for the Black Diamond city that evening instructed to bring back the ten thousand dollars to increase the exchequer of the county treasury or close the saloons.
“The county commissioners... made an order to this effect, and Sheriff Brown left for the Black Diamond city that evening instructed to bring back the ten thousand dollars... or close the saloons.”
This 1888 legal earthquake reminds us that municipal status has always been a precarious foundation for business. While today's battles involve zoning permits and tax districts, the uncertainty remains a hallmark of Washington's frontier-to-urban evolution.
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