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To the Hon Mayor and Members of the Board of Alderman and House of Delegates of the City Council of the City of Seattle Petition of W H Gleason for compensation for damages. on Table H of D date 4/23/94 Comm Streets

MrPresident:- Your committee on Streets, to whom was referred the petition of'H W Gleason in reference to Washington Street, report that they have made a careful examination of said Street, and the conditions existing in front of the property of Mr. Gleason, and would recommend that that portion of the street on the North side thereof should be graded on an incline from the present level of the street at the lot line to the level of the street at the street railway tracks, and that the South side of said street should be graded on a level with the railway tracks, provided that release of damages is first obtained from all the abutting property owners. this report is made as above after consulting Mr. Alexander,the Superintendent of street, and Mr. Thompson, the City Engineer, and is deemed by those two and the Committee to be the best solution of the difficulty. H F Compton H R Passed B of A Aug 13 1894

Mr President: Your commitee on Streets to whom was referred Petition of H W Gleason would respectfully report that after a careful examination and consideration of said petition we find that the property owners along said street have not come to any agreement as to the improvement Petitioned for , That if the ditch mentioned in the petition was filled upm then Eighth St from Yesler St to Main St would have to be regraded. That before any action be taken by the City that the parties interested on both Strs file a plan of adjustment with the City Clerk. F N Little chairman J A Jarny James Gleeson committee Passed H of D June 25 1894

To the Hon. Mayor and Members of the Board of Aldermen, and House of Delegates of the City Council of the City of Seattle. Your Petitioner would respectfully represent unto your Honorable Body, that he is the owner of the West half (W. 1/2) of lots Five (5) and Six (6) in Block Forty-five (45) in D.S. Maynard's Plat or Addition to the then town, (now City) of Seattle- that said property fronts on Washington street in said City of Seattle. That on or about the 1st day of July, A.D.1891, the said City of Seattle, authorized and permitted the Rainier Avenue Electric Railway Company to lay its tracks on Washington street in front of petitioners above described property; that in order to do so said Railway Company dug a ditch or canal at or near the center of Washington street, in front of petitioners property to the depth of between 4 and 5 feet, and that said ditch or canal is about eight feet in width at the bottom thereof, and wider at the top; and said ditch or canal rendered all access and still renders all access to your petitioner's above described property impractable and impossible. Your petitioner says that before the digging of said ditch or canal in said street, that he had five dwelling houses on said property, and was renting the same for an average of about, twenty-five dollars per month for each one of said dwelling houses. Your petitioner further says that on account of the digging of said ditch or canal in said street, that said dwelling houses were rendered inexcusable, and some of his tenants abandoned said premises on account thereof, and others have refused to pay the rent

paid by them bfore such clarifications in the street, and your petitioner on account of said ditch, and its rendering such dwelling houses inaccessible has been obliged to lower said rent to a mere nominal sum in order to keep any of said dwelling houses filled with tenants. Your petitioner further days that he has been greatly damaged on account of the digging of said ditch or canal, and by reason of is continuance in said street in front of his said property, to-wit: in the sum of Seven hundred ($700.00) Dollars. YOur petitioner further says that ordinance 1441, being the Ordinance that authorized S L Bowman or his assigns to construct the Street Railway on said Washington Street, by its 3rd section provided, that before the track of said grantee herein on the above designated route, (being the route in front of your petitioners premises) be laid down, all damages or injuries to be public place along with such track is to be laid down shall be ascertined and compensation made therefor by said Grantee in the manner provided by law. Your petitioner alleges that this was a provision between the City and the Grantee, and it was the duty of the City to enforce in the interest of the its citizens, the tax payers of the city, said provision. Your petitioner further says that on account of the neglect of said city to comple said Crantee or his assignes to enforce said provision , that your petitioner comenced an action against the Rainier Avenue Electric Railway, the assignee of said Grantee, to recover damages against said assignee for damages to his promises, for the wrongful digging of said canal or ditch in front of your petitioner's premises, Said action was commenced on the 28th day of March, A D 1893. the courts ruled in said action (2)