A Sidewalk Standoff
A homeowner and the city clash over who is responsible for a hazardous, collapsed sidewalk on South Yakima Avenue.
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.
City officials say it is up to W. H. Hawkins to fix up his own sidewalk at 2623 South Yakima avenue, which has fallen down because of the collapse of the bulkhead and on which he says he has complained to the city three times without getting relief. 'We have fenced the sidewalk off from travel to protect the public and notified Mr. Hawkins and others to rebuild the bulkhead as it is up to the property owners to do so,' said Street Commissioner B. W. today. Commissioner McGregor said it is not true that he was notified three times by Hawkins on the condition of the sidewalk and that he gave the matter no attention, but he said it is up to Hawkins to repair his own sidewalk, not the city, and the officials are waiting for him to do so.
“It is up to Hawkins to repair his own sidewalk, not the city, and the officials are waiting for him to do so.”
The tension between municipal liability and private property maintenance regarding public infrastructure—like sidewalks and bulkheads—remains a persistent headache in Tacoma's city governance.
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