Freeholders Fight a Fire-Sale Price on Seattle's Tide Lands
A petition filed with the city protested the state's low appraisal of tide lands, warning that selling public waterfront at a fraction of its value would cheat both Seattle and Washington.
A petition protesting against the appraisement of the tide lands was filed with Corporation Counsel Scott yesterday. The petition is signed by J. Otto, Frank Griffin, James O. Gagnon, Lorenzo W. Pennett, C. W. and E. D. L. Matthews, James Quinn, William W. Fenn and F. P. Russell, all freeholders.
The petition is based on section 5 of the laws of 1899, which provides that the prosecuting attorney of any county or city wherein such lands are situated shall request the governor, or ten freeholders of the county, to appeal on behalf of the state from any appraisement made.
The petitioners allege that they feel aggrieved by the appraisement fixed by the board of appraisers for the tide lands, as being greatly disproportionate to the value of the lands and less than one-tenth of their real value. They conclude: “If said lands are permitted to be sold for such prices, the state as well as the city will be the loser.”
“If said lands are permitted to be sold for such prices, the state as well as the city will be the loser.”
Seattle's waterfront was once public tide land, and the fight over how to price it was a fight over who would capture the city's future. The same question — what public land is worth, and who gets to buy it — still shapes debates over waterfronts, transit-oriented land and public assets today.
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