The Dock Lease That Toppled a General Manager
A fight over leasing Arlington Dock led the Pacific Navigation Company's president to abolish the general manager's job, fire and rehire an agent, and move headquarters to the wharf.
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 Pacific Navigation Company is again passing through its periodical convulsions. The result thus far has been the turning out of General Manager Neff, whose salary was stopped, causing him to resign, and a change of headquarters on the water front.
The outcome, as far as can be learned in this city, is the direct result of negotiations for a change of docks. It seems that L. W. Sample, who has for some time been general agent of the company here, was authorized by President Ashton to negotiate for a lease of the Arlington dock (formerly Baker's wharf). Just why this duty was assigned to Mr. Sample instead of General Manager Neff is not stated, but when the latter learned that it had been done he promptly discharged Sample from the company's employ.
When this came to the ears of President Ashton, he immediately stopped Mr. Neff's salary and reinstated Mr. Sample. Mr. Ashton abolished the office of general manager and at the same time decided to give up the suite of offices in the Burke block, with typewriter, etc., and establish an office at the wharf where the company's business is transacted. The negotiations for the wharf were renewed and yesterday a lease was executed by which Capt. David Gilmore lets his dock property, heretofore known as Baker's dock, to the Pacific Navigation Company. In the lease are included all the warehouses running back across West street. The headquarters of the company will be changed from the Merchants' dock immediately. It is reported that the rental charged is $500 per month.
“The Pacific Navigation Company is again passing through its periodical convulsions.”
Waterfront leases and dock control were raw power in 1890s Seattle, when a single wharf could decide which company moved freight and passengers. The corporate feud reads like a reminder that port terminals and maritime contracts remain high-stakes civic assets today.
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