The Map That Erased a Business on the Seattle Waterfront

Judge Osborn protested against the new tide-land plat in the House of Delegates. In his opinion the appraisers totally ignored the city, encouraged some property owners, and crowded out citizens who had paid their money for uplands years ago and placed improvements there. He said he had built a business house on the uplands some years ago, and the new plat completely wiped it out of existence. He appeared before the tide-land appraisers several times and argued against the plat, but his wishes were ignored because it would spoil the looks of the magnificent map. He thought it would be illegal to condemn streets that had been improved by private capital.

Another speaker said the council had never been given a hearing by the appraisers, and the city engineer was never consulted. When the committee spoke to the appraisers it was told that their work in the matter was final. No plat had ever been filed with the city; only a guide map was on file. D. A. McKenzie, one of the appraisers, said the old plats were filed before the new law went into effect and the new ones under the old law. He said it was always the earnest desire of the appraisers to co-operate with the city council and give every favor in the matter. J. F. McNaught spoke in favor of the new plat and said he lost as much as anyone by the operation, but thought it would result in ultimate good to the community. The matter was re-referred to the old committee.