City of Seattle Records

LYMAN E. KNAPP A. H. FOOTE GEO. E. KNAPP

Knapp, Foote & Knapp LAWYERS

Offices 516, 517 and 518 Seattle National Bank Building

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON May 17, 1894

Hon. W. J. Scott, Corporation Counsel

Dear Sir:

Will you please lay before the City Council the following facts and if it seems to you that justice requires action on its part to give relief will you put the matter in shape for their actions. I speak for myself and Mrs. Caty M. Winchester, a non-resident who own the lots in question jointly.

The facts are as follows, viz: Under Ordinance No 1495 authorizing improvements upon Division Street from Madison to Clarence Streets there was an account to pay expenses already incurred upon, lots 5 to 14, including block 1} Lots 5 to 9 inclusive block 2} Lots 1 to 5 & 16 to 20 inclusive block 7} Young's addition to City of Seattle Lots 1 to 5 & 16 to 20 inclusive block 8} in all 35 lots amounting to the sum of $2226.47 which we paid to the city Treasurer on the 24th day of January 1892.

Soon afterwards it was concluded that the said assessment was illegal and void and further collections thereof were abandoned.

Recently, in order to defray the expenses of the improvements referred to Ordinance No. 3200 and #3268 was passed by the Council providing for an assessment upon property abutting upon the street to the depth of one hundred and twenty feet, and an assessment of $2107.72 was made upon a portion of the above mentioned lots, to wit upon twenty-one lots, as follows:-

7 to 12 inclusive Block 1

(over)

LYMAN E. KNAPP A. H. FOOTE GEO. E. KNAPP

Knapp, Foote & Knapp LAWYERS

Offices 516, 517 and 518 Seattle National Bank Building

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON ____________________

7 to 12 inclusive block 1} 7 to 9 inclusive block 2} 1 to 3 & 18 to 20 inclusive block 7} Young's Addition to the City of Seattle 1 to 3 & 18 to 20 inclusive block 8}

The city Treasurer considers that he is authorized under existing ordinances, to apply only so much of the money paid in, to the Judgment of the assessment now made, as was specifically assessed to the twenty-one lots included in it, which leaves a balance due on the assessment of $708.19 while he holds in his hands money belonging to us in the amount of $826.94 which he thinks he's not authorized to apply or to return us who are the equitable owners of the said balance.

We therefore ask the City Council to provide by ordinance that the Treasurer be authorized and directed to apply the sum of $708.19 of the balance due us and now held by the Treasurer, to the to the extinguishment of the claim upon the assessment against the said 21 lots as aforesaid; and to return the remainder thereof to wit, the claim of $118.75 to us from the first moneys received in the staid street improvement fund.

Yours respectfully Lyman E. Knapp