The Great Bill-Posting Scandal: Seattle’s First War on Urban Clutter

It has been the custom in this city, as in many of its smaller towns for past years, such as skowmen and other vessels who are too lazy to advertise their names by high prices on board-bills, to engage the services of any person who may have leisure to meet them; they are willing to take the commission, and will run through the town with great power and force up the sides of any building they may see. A bulletin board was small in the few particular business purposes were considered; its neatness and elegance was not so much of a consideration as was a particular objection raised to this promiscuous bill posting; now is the city in large proportion, and our streets are full of men and expenses clear as this bulletin once has been rendered unbearable. Our citizens have yet to regard it as a thing that is not tolerated and have often after the completion of announcements with their buildings present no bills. But these notes have become so common that there is almost any chance left to seek bills; the audacious still keep the habit of posting up their bills under doors at right little they could timah tba job and get without being caught. In such cases have been repeated time and time again, and many of our business men are obliged to wait at their premises to ward them off.

As a last resort they have lately put up boards on the sidewalks, until the City Council at its session finally passed an ordinance prohibiting it. It is perfectly right that they should do so, and it is also right and proper that our citizens should prohibit the posting of bills on their buildings, and be protected from nuisance; but bills in a legitimate business, and should be protected and licensed as in other cities. This is the only way to abate this nuisance, and the sooner the city council passed an ordinance to that the better. In other cities they have legally authorized bill posters, who puts up his bulletin boards about the city, and pays a stipulated license for the privilege, and is also protected by the city in his business. Any person who is found posting bills without a license is immediately arrested. It should be the same in Seattle, and our city council should take this matter their early consideration.