The 1885 'Law and Order' Showdown
Before the city's modern identity took shape, a civic movement rallied for municipal reform, setting the stage for a dramatic political overhaul in Seattle.
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 Law and Order people of Seattle are requested to meet in Frye's Opera House on Tuesday, June 30th, at 2:30 p.m., to nominate candidates for Mayor, Attorney, Chief of Police and Assessor. The wards are entitled to delegates as follows: First ward 21 delegates, second ward 72, third ward 67. By the Committee: W. B. Pervin, Chairman; Elizabeth C. Moore, Secretary; Frank P. Snyder, G. Jacobs, C. K. Jenner, Law and Order Central Committee.
“The Law and Order people of Seattle are requested to meet in Frye's Opera House on Tuesday, June 30th, at 2:30 p.m., to nominate candidates for Mayor, Attorney, Chief of Police and Assessor.”
The 'Law and Order' movement of 1885 echoes the perennial cycles of Seattle politics, where reform coalitions and 'clean government' tickets rise in response to perceptions of civic decay. Today's debates over public safety and municipal accountability mirror these 19th-century efforts to seize control of city hall through organized grassroots conventions.
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