City of Seattle Records

A. C. McClure & Co., Chicago, Ill. To His Excelency the Mayor; and the City Council of the City of Seattle in the County of King in the State of Washington; - Gentlemen;We the Subscribers Inhabitants and Resident Citizens of the City County and State aforesaid;Do most respectfully represent to your Hon Body - that we and each of us now are and for sometime past have been the owners and the holders of Real Property - within the Limits of your City; That we and each of us are now at this time owners and holders of Real Property upon Mill Street or Yesler Avenue between 12th and 16th Streets in the City of Seattle; That the Valuation of our Said Real Property was the Taxes Levied thereon by Virtue of Such Valuation for Street grade purposes; Are not by any means in [proportion?] to the Valuation or the taxes Levied on other Real Property for such purposes in our emediate [sic] vicinity; We farther respresent also - and we think that your Hon Body by a proper and a usefull examination into this matter will find that our Real Property Although far less in Amount - and Quantity - and also very inferior in Quality and Value - Is by virtue of Said Valuation and Assessment for Such purposes taxed more than 4 times over as high as Larger Quantitites And Supirior [sic] Quality of Real Property are Valued and Assessed in our emediate [sic] Vicinity; Wherefore we the undersigned your Petitioners do most Respectfully but Earnestly Ask and Pray that your Hon Body do emmediately [sic] proceed byordinance or in Some other proper And Appropriate Manner to examine into the conditions of this matter and to At Once [correct?] Such Errors As may be found there to exist-And to Equalize Such Valuation And Assesments as may be found to be exce[s?]sive

26 JOURNAL OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE Ordered that a notice be published warning all persons against interfering with the gaslights. Ordered that the City Marshall be and he is hereby instructed to cause the Budlong Boat House & boats to be removed away from the Columbia Street Incline Ordered that the City Marshall be and he is hereby instructed to secure the Stairway adjacent to the shore occupied by J.H. Sauderson & situated in the alley And now the City Treasurer returned the Taxroll for the year 1881 with his return thereon to the Council; there upon it is ordered that the Clerk be & he is hereby instructed to deliver said Tax Roll to the Treasurer of King County and to issue and annex thereto a Warranted directed to said Treasurer commanding him to proceed forthwith to collect the delinquent taxes upon such roll & make return thereon as provided by law Ordered that the Council stand now adjourned until Friday evening January 13th 1881 Attest: E S Osborne, Clerk Approved [by apparent stamp not hand] W.A. Jennings Acting Mayor Be it remembered that on this the 13th day of January 1882 the Common Council of the City of Seattle meets in its Council Chamber pursuant to adjornment The following officers are present to witt: His Honor the Mayor L P Smith and Councilmen Thomas Clancy, John Collins, M Densmore, Wm A Jennings, John Keenan, Moses Keezer and Charles McDonald thereupon the following proceedings are had: A petition is received from J H Sanderson praying for the right to occupy oa portion of the alley adjoining his store building on Mill Street for the purpose of a stairway into the Second storey of said building whereupon the prayer of the petition is granted

29 COMMON COUNCILOF THE CITY OF SEATTLE Be it remembered that on this the 3rd day of February 1882 the Common Council of the City of Seattle meets in its Council Chamber pursuant to law The following Officers are presents, tour: His Honor the Mayor L.P. Smith and Councilmen Thomas Clancy, John Collins, M. Densmore, Wm A.Jennings, John Keenan, Moses Keezer & Charles McDonald Thereupon the following proceedings are had A petition is received from Dr.J.M.Kollock & others praying for the appointment of a Police Officer whose beat shell be between 3rd & 6th Streets and Seneca & Marion Streets; thereupon the prayer of the petition is granted A petition is received from C.R. Dore praying for the remitting of a Road Poll Tax; thereupon the same is referred to the Finance Committee A petition is received from Ah How praying for the right to use a Terra Cotta Chimney is his wash house; thereupon the petition is laid on the table A petition is received from Thomas Burke & others praying for grading of Second Street from Mill Street to Pike Street; thereupon the prayer of the petition is granted upon the unanimous vote of all the members of said Council and the Ordinance Committee is instructed to submit at next regular meeting an Ordinance authorizing such improvements. A petition os received from S F Coombs & others praying for the grading of Front Street from Pike Street to Lake Avenue Street; thereupon the prayer of the petition is granted upon the unanimous vote of all the members of said Council and the Ordinance Committee is instructed to submit at next regular meeting an Ordinance authorizing such improvements. The regular monthly reports of the following CIty Officers are received & ordered filed, To wit: Street Commissioner, Fire Warden, Harbor Master, City Justice & City Attorney And now the City Treasurer submits his semi annual report ending Dec 31 1882; thereupon the same is referred to the Finance Committee And now the Finance Committee make their report upon the petition of Melody Choir; thereupon it is ordered that the Clerk be

36 JOURNAL OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE due proof that they are men of good oral character. It is therefore ordered that upon their Complyance with all the other porvisions of said Ordinance, the clerk be & he is hereby instructed to issue licenses to said aplicants for the periods & purposes following to wit: Names Description of license Term Date of Commencement August Hess Grocery 3 mos Feb 15 1882 Walsh & Auld Wholesale 3 mos Feb 5 1882 Gotleib Burian Grocery 6 mos Feb 22 1882 d" Pigeon Hole Table 6 mos Feb 22 1882 d" Pool Table 6 mos Feb 22 1882

And now a Communication is received from David Kellogg charging certain officers of the Poilce force with having violated Section 4 of Ordinance No 128 & asking an investigation thereupon the same is referred to a Special Committee, to wit: Jennings Densmore & McDonald The matter of wrongful taxation of Melody Choir is re-referred to the Finance Committee And now John H McGraw tenders his resignation of the Officers of Chief of Police & Harbor Master; thereupon said resignations are accepted and the siad offices are declared vacant And now the Council proceeds to fill the Office of Chief of Police by an election; whereupon James H Wooley receiving a majority of all the votes of said Council, he is duly declared elected to fill such vacancy for the term provided by law A petition is received from H G Shire & others praying for the grading of Second Street from Mill Street to Lake Avenue Street; thereupon the prayer of the petitionis granted And it is ordered that the petitionbe referred to the Ordinance Committee And now the Finance Committee returns the semiannual report of the Treasurer with their report of approval; Thereupon the said Treasurers report is accepted & ordered filed

39 COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE of H G Strure & others for the grading of 2d Street from Mill Street to Lake Avenue Street with their report that the petition is not signed by 1/2 of the owners of the property fronting on such improvement, thereupon the report is accepted and the petition is referred to the petitioners And now the Ordinance Committee submit Ordinance No 258 the same being entitled "A Special Ordinance for the grading and improvement of Front Street from the South side of Pike Street to the North side of Lake Avenue Street in the City of Seattle in King County Washington Territory" After due consideration said Ordinance is adopted upon the following vote to wit: In favor of adoption Clancy, Collins Densmore, Jennings, Keenan, Keezer & McDonald. Against adoption none Any now Samuel Pettingill makes application & files his bond for a retail liquor license. Whereupon the Council finding he has complied with the requirements of the Ordinance relative thereto it is ordered that a License be issued him for 3 months from March 3, 1882 The following claims having been duly audited by the Council are ordered paid by Warrants drawn on the funds and in the amounts following to wit: City Fund E S Osborne Clerk $41.64 J M Hall Atty 41.67 J H McGraw Chief of Police 50.00 Jas H Worley do 50.00 Jas H Worley Police 40.00 D L McCowan do 80.00 W B Jacklin do 80.00 James Welch do 80.00 S F Coombs J P's fees 11.65 E L Smith Health Officer$75. Telegrams Quarentine $4 $79.00 Seattle Chronicle Printing 15.12 M V B Stacy ground rent for Jails 10.00