The Railroad Comes for the Church's Back Lot
Northern Pacific asks a superior court jury to set a price on the west 64 feet of block 79, behind St. Michael's — ground held by the Catholic Bishop of Nesqually and the State Bank of Olympia.
The Northern Pacific railroad has filed with the superior court a petition for the summoning of a jury to assess the value of property on their terminal grounds in the rear of St. Michael's church. The land in question is the west 64 feet of block 79, the property of the Catholic Bishop of Nesqually and of the State Bank of Olympia. The damages to this property have never yet been fixed. The case has been set for December 23d.
“The damages to this property have never yet been fixed. The case has been set for December 23d.”
The Northern Pacific could not simply take the ground behind St. Michael's — it had to convene a jury and let one be named, which is more process than most landowners of the era got. Eminent domain for rail terminals remains a live Olympia argument, whether the project is a spur, a highway or a new bridge approach.
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