Farmer Sues Over Property Washed Away by White River
Nels Hansen claims the town of Auburn's poor construction of a new river channel caused the total loss of his home and barn.
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.
Nels Hansen, and his wife Wilhelmena, brought suit in the superior court yesterday against the town of Auburn to recover $2,285 for damage to property and injury to Mrs. Hansen's health occasioned by the overflow of the White river on March 1, 1892. Hansen claims that he owned a piece of property abutting on the river, and that the town constructed a new channel and built a dam across the stream in spite of their protest; that the banks of this channel were improperly constructed and could not resist the current, which on March 1 washed away a strip of land 120 x 60 feet in dimensions, together with his dwelling, barn and other property. For this loss, together with the trouble and expense in moving furniture which it occasioned, and the strain upon Mrs. Hansen, who is described as of a nervous and excitable disposition, $2,285 damages are asked against the town.
“the banks of this channel were improperly constructed and could not resist the current”
Environmental lawsuits involving municipal infrastructure and flood damage remain a major part of the civic dialogue in Washington State, where the geography of rivers and settlement constantly collides.
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