The First State Legislature Closes Shop
After passing tide land bills and appointing regents, Washington's first-ever state legislature adjourns amid whispers of a necessary extra session.
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.
Olympia, March 27—The Washington State Legislature has adjourned. In its final days, the Senate passed several contentious bills, including one granting corporations the right to acquire property. A major tide land bill was approved by the Governor, effectively securing vested rights for owners before future legislative changes could occur. The session ended with a series of appointments, including new regents for the state university and trustees for the soldiers' home. Despite the formal adjournment, there is strong speculation that Governor Ferry will be forced to call an extra session, as key apportionment legislation failed to pass in the final hours.
“The senate of Washington will hardly be likely to ever hold another executive session with open doors.”
This session, held in 1890, established the administrative bedrock of Washington State. The struggle over 'tide lands' and 'harbor lines'—which defined who owned the valuable waterfront property—continues to echo in modern-day Bellingham and Fairhaven, where public versus private access to the bay remains a core civic tension.
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