Looks like the total is going to $95 million dollars.  The Transportation subcommittee found another $15 mil in a drawer somewhere.  I don’t know if this gave them any encouragement or not:

http://www.redstate.com/hickorystick/2010/07/08/south-park-bridge-we-are-encroachers-on-military-airspace/

Including this gem:

“But the highest cost is paid for by the communities surrounding the airstrips and airports themselves.  Six small communities have been obliterated surrounding King County/Boeing Field.  Five communities have been expunged around Sea-Tac Airport.  These communities have made the ultimate sacrifice.  Before going down, they often are under severe economic and social pressure.  The crime rate rises, because of the lowering value of the property, and the ethic of those that it brings in.  Don’t get me wrong, I respect the Poor greatly.  But a fragment of the Poor are that way because of there own bad choices.  It can have some bad consequences on others in the community.”

The Seattle Times reports the Kitty is up to $95 million.  $131 million is the goal.  ”County officials plan to apply to the U.S. Department of Transportation for an economic stimulus grant to cover costs beyond what governments within the state provide.”  We are going to get the funding for our bridge.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012308181_bridge09m.html

http://westseattleblog.com, The papermoose.blogspot.com, and http://www.b-townblog.com/ as well as all the local blogs have done great work.

Now, I think we aught to shift gears.  We have all seen what happens when we leave it to government to anticipate our needs.  We should get together and plan what we want for the new bridge.  We can discuss the width of the sidewalks, type of bridge, styling and symbolism etc.  Just for the sake of discussion, here is a few things I would like to see.

I suggest we refurbish the old Bascule leaves and re-use them.  The engineers report gave them a bill of good health, and they are very efficient with energy.  I would like a coffee pot set up in one tower, so I can talk to the bridgetender when he is not busy, and get a hot cup of Joe’s joe.  I would like some signs along the railing of the bridge telling about the history of the area, and the important people, like Chief Sealth of the Duwamish Tribe, the names, pictures, and stories of some Japanese people that were expelled in WW2, I think something about William Boeing, and his values would be good.

Just as a lark, I think it would be cool to have a little red barn set up over the road on the east end, that lowers an old  B-17 when the leaves need to be raised.  On the west end, Chief Sealth and Doc Maynard bollards rises out of the road to stop the cars.  That would be awesome.

…………..…………….burnside bridge, Portland

I have been trying to figure out how a State and it’s Municipalities could fail to maintain or supply a new bridge.  I keep bumping into to the relationship between Government and it’s people.  It is becoming increasingly clear.

I took a vacation to Deception Pass last week-end.  It is a gorgeous campground located on the north end of Whidbey Island.  My family has visited there for years.  There is a military establishment nearby, called Whidbey Island Naval Air Station.  It contains Ault Field.  My Father and Mother-in law join us, and My Father-in-law and I enjoy watching the planes take off and fly by.  Redstaters, trust me the Pilots are prepared.  They get tons of flight time.

On my way back home, I noticed a similar grade climbing up onto the ridge as my old military road.  I passed by Paine field at the top, where Boeing puts it’s largest aircraft onto a runway and ships them off.  At the top of the grade, I cross Pacific Hwy the antecessor of the old military hwy completed in 1873.  I realized there were two old roads, one south of Seattle, and one north of Seattle.  It is all important for Seattle to find itself in the middle of things.  The one north of Seattle terminated in Fort Casey.  It is a coast artillery site, for the protection of the Puget Sound.  Before aircraft, ships were the main product of interest to the military in Washington State.  The state has maintained a lucrative interest in both.  The money brought into the state by the Military is paramount in Washington State.

Much of what the State, and it’s vassal municipalities do, is based on maintaining this supply of funding.  The tax that is generated is an after effect of military expenditures.  We generate revenues based on a sales tax, rather than an income tax.  The governments take their cut after money is spent, rather than when money is earned.  This is a very happy reality to those who make a lot, but spend little in the state.  It is not such a happy reality to those who pay for infrastructure, but do not earn revenue from the primary relationship and it’s spin-off businesses.  It is the rule, that infrastructure is paid for by gas taxes, property taxes, and sales taxes.  The Military and it’s contractors are exempted from gas taxes.  The citizenry are burdened with th cost of supporting the Military within the State.  It’s OK, but the costs and benefits are not equitably distributed.  Often those who benefit the most, pay the least.

But the highest cost is paid for by the communities surrounding the airstrips and airports themselves.  Six small communities have been obliterated surrounding King County/Boeing Field.  Five communities have been expunged around Sea-Tac Airport.  These communities have made the ultimate sacrifice.  Before going down, they often are under severe economic and social pressure.  The crime rate rises, because of the lowering value of the property, and the ethic of those that it brings in.  Don’t get me wrong, I respect the Poor greatly.  But a fragment of the Poor are that way because of there own bad choices.  It can have some bad consequences on others in the community.

So after coming home, I looked at Google Maps again, One Man with Google alway’s makes a Majority, and discovered the same geographic fact of life.  Airports love the tops of ridges.  And our airports love free roads, supplied by the Army corps of engineers in 1873.  The layout of roads, and the interaction of man with nature, has been greatly twisted by the taking of land for airports.  It bisects communities and divides them.  Additional roads carrying people from other communities to the airport compounds the problem.  One community benefits at the expense of another.  In a sane world, with a sane government, extra money would be allocated to remedy this effect on the community.  In a selfish world, such as Washington, it is not.  In fact more money is taken out, and less put in.  Well, I found them admitting it.  From Joint Committee on Veterans’ and Military Affairs, Washington State Legislature.

http://www.leg.wa.gov/JointCommittees/JCVMA/Documents/JCVMArpt.pdf

“Growth Management and Land Use Issues

Encroachment upon military bases by the surrounding community can

adversely affect a base’s ability to conduct its mission. Encroachment

happens when the local community allows or permits development of

areas adjacent to the base. For example, runways have FAA-designated

clear zones that may extend outside the property of the military base.

These clear zones extend beyond the end of the runway and are intended

to keep these areas clear of development to mitigate any damage in the

event of a plane crash during takeoff or landing. Areas at the end of the

runway also have high noise levels. Development in the clear zones

adversely affects the ability to conduct training flights and may endanger

those living or working within the zones. Some communities, such as Oak

Harbor in Island County and Airway Heights in Spokane County, have

taken affirmative steps to mitigate encroachment through zoning

ordinances which ensure that development around the base is consistent

with the base activities; building codes that address and minimize noise

concerns; and real estate noise disclosure requirements that inform buyers

of the conditions that exist because of the base. Rail lines are also subject

to encroachment concerns. PSNS and Bangor rely on rail systems to

move equipment, and encroachment on those rail lines by the public can

pose an obstacle to performance of the mission of the base.”

What we have here, is a failure to communicate.  Some Men just don’t get it.  You are a Encroacher, no longer a Citizen.  Now get back to work on that road, Luke.

The reason the 14th Ave. bridge was not repaired or replaced, was because it didn’t fit into the plans of the Legislature, Military, or airplane builder.  The plan, ideas, and dreams of Roosevelt, R H Thomsen, the Olmstead Brothers, and John Muir be hanged.  Your on military property now.

…..…..

There needs to be a proper balance in everything.

The Seattle City Council seems to be flush with money right now.  They consider a possible $100 million dollar or more of additional costs, no big deal.  The tunnel’s projected cost to build to the Gates Foundation, is 1.55 billion dollars.  Contingency funds of $415 million have been set aside.  The typical overrun on this type of project in Seattle is 34%.  A responsible contingency fund would set aside $527 million.  There is a difference of $112 million.  If the Council is so sure there won’t be a large overrun, then donate an additional $50 million to the South Park Bridge Fund, and let’s get building.  The people of all color in the area would sure appreciate it.

Picture from the South Park Bridge wake.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/aboyandhisbike/4751653027/in/photostream/

http://www.redstate.com/hickorystick/2010/06/29/south-park-bridge-dear-mayor-mcschwinn-the-tunnel-is-about-access-to-billionaires-row/

I went to a wake for a bridge tonight.  I have never seen anything like it.  There was energy right away.  The streets were filled.  Cameras were everywhere.  Every news agency in town came to chronicle the event.  But what I saw and felt could never be captured on a camera.  There was every kind of person there.  Every color, every nation, young old, oodles of  people that Seattle seems to specialize in; tangerine hair, hemp jackets, bikers, classic car buffs, old folks in nice clothes, blue collar work-a-days, the full spectrum.  What is hard to capture is the feeling.  Not one single person had an agenda other than to pay respect to a faithful bridge an icon, and to pay respect to the People of South Park and the way they had been treated.  Trillions of stimulus dollars have been spent in the last year or so, and as far as I could tell, not one on South Park.

South Park is a place easily forgotten by Politicians.  The demographics are impossible to predict, it is too diverse.  The population is small.  It has given up two thirds of it’s prime farm land to industry.  It has given for over 70 years.  It was ground zero in WW2.  If the Axis could hit one place in the world, it would want to hit Plant 2 of Boeing’s.  It was literally locked down during the war.  You could not come and go as you pleased, light out was strictly enforced, smelter pots ran frequently, barrage balloons were set up.  A machine gun post was at the base of the bridge.  Israels current security set up didn’t hold a candle to this little valley.

Many people who came were festive at first.  They had come from other parts of town to stand with the community.  They all could identify with South Park; all had been walked on in life.  It really was a wonderful spirit.  But the majority had come because they now were, or once had gotten their start in the little berg.  I walked up the bridge behind a man, who with every step touched the weathered concrete railing.  His was a very heavy and slow walk.  I slowed myself and let him take his time.  It’s hard to put into words, in this material world, the feeling of loss over a thing or a place.  Everything is converted into dollars these days, and rarely are places and things valued by the community.  Americans seem to take pride in putting anything old behind them.  This group was very different.

I have mixed feelings, because on one hand the feeling of togetherness and community I have not experienced  like this in 30 years.  On the other hand, as the night wore on, the feeling of exasperation with government, and it’s utter failure to serve people began to settle over the crowd.  It was there from the start, but the event was so lively at first, it was only in the background.  The County had brought in some vintage buses, and I got on one exactly like the first bus I ever rode on.  Free beer was being served by the local brewery.  Their was a melange of every kind of wacky vehicle going over the bridge, Oscar Meyer Weiner Truck stuff.  The bridge was packed with people.  A custom built bicycle welded on top of another bicycle was ridden over the bridge.  Hickorystick likes that kind of thing, he likes inventive surprises.

There must have been two thousand people showing up.   The restaurants were packed four four hours straight.  I was very proud of my community and it’s surrounding communities.  They didn’t forget where they came from, or it’s importance.  Not a silver spoon in the bunch.  Most had some fond memory of the bridge, and a story to tell.  I spent a lot of time with an Italian, and he had a map in his head of every Italian family and where they had lived.  He wore a jacket so the fact couldn’t be missed who he was.  A lot of pride, Italians, that’s good.

After the bagpipers marched off the bridge to a solemn tune, a horn sounded.  I shook my head.  They still had the air raid siren in service.  The bridge raised slowly till it was at full salute.  I couldn’t take anymore, and went to the Jalisco Restaurant for dinner.  I asked a man named Paul if I could join him.  The Restaurant has a difficult three years in front of it till a new bridge is built, and I wanted them to have every table as packed as full as possible.  He was a nice fellow, satisfied with life, though it wasn’t perfect.  Classic South Parker.  The conversation was good, and the meal excellent.  I could overhear conversation from the tables on each side.  A Tea Party was brewing, though it didn’t know what shape it would take.  People were upset.  The government had failed them.

An extraordinary evening, and one that I will never forget.  One point I haven’t mentioned.  The people had teed off on their government already.  When the reps showed up in previous weeks, they were not taking their BS.  All they wanted to hear is if they are taking the bridge, they want another in place and ready to go.  the reps came flatfooted.  They have been bludgeoned for weeks.  No Politicians dared show up for the wake, and they weren’t invited.  They did send eight agencies with a blank poster board to write down every thing the community wanted.  Their was only one thing they couldn’t supply, and only one thing that was needed.

I did finally meet the Gal I am going to put into office.  Honest, smart as a whip, and can say the words        ’the County is foolish in how it spends money, and it is corrupt’.  I just have to picture a Port of Seattle exec, and I get the picture.  Their is no reason in County as wealthy and productive ours, to be broke.  Recession or not.  For a community that hosts the industrial Heartland of Washington State, they should have the first priority on funds.  Yes, Diane Toledo is going to make a fine Representative.  And she will have plenty of back-up from the People to fight her fight.

An extraordinary evening.  I enjoyed America a lot tonight.

I have been writing about a bridge that is to be torn down in a poor and many-cultural part of Seattle.  Posted on the bridge are signs in three languages giving notice of the Counties intent.  The bridge actually touches three governments.  King county, the City of Tukwilla, and the City of Seattle.  By slight of hand, the county retained a small sliver of land touching the West bank of the Duwamish River.  The bridge once served a essential route to Sea-Tac Airport.

Seattle is a divided City.  Geographically, South of Elliot Bay, a river drainage creates a valley called the Duwamish Valley.  Their are two ridges on either side.  Most of the poor, colored, and non-professionally skilled immigrants are warehoused here.  At the center of the City are skyscrapers and 10-20 story condominiums filled with the professional class.  In the North are professional, high-tech, high-tech business class, and a huge amount of old wealth.

From a line that crosses Downtown runs a road called Yesler Way.  It is the original mill road that brought the fallen timber down to Yeslers Mill.  It’s previous name was Mill Road.  The Folks called it Skid Road, as did Murray Morgan in his book ‘Skid Road’, a Seattle classic.

North of Skid Road are fine homes, beautiful parks, and nice beaulevards.  All attractive amenities are located in the North of the City.  The areas of West Seattle and South Park were added to the City to help pay for the City Beautiful Parks and Beaulevards plan developed by the famous landscape architects the Olmstead Brothers.  They never received much of the advantages.

South of Skid Row, and down to about where the stadiums are built, is where Seattle unofficially zoned in an area committed to gambling, whiskey, and most importantly, whore houses.  These had been closed down before the Alaska Gold Rush (1898).  They were quickly re-opened during the Rush so as not to miss out on an oppurtunity to extract money from gold seekers.  They were kept open to get the gold from successful Prospectors returning home.

After the Gold Rush was over, the City found it convenient to find their morals again.  The Mayor, Hiram Gill, was recalled.  After a short stint with another Mayor, Hiram Gill offered his services again as a new and ‘reformed’ Mayor.  The good Citizens didn’t want to see drinking and prostitution.  Mayor Gill gave them what they wanted.  The good citizens on Capitol Hill wouldn’t see any of those Box Houses (whorehouses).  About the same time six new saloons opened in South Park, Washington.  It hadn’t been annexed as yet, but was completely dependant on Seattle, and if it wanted to do commerce in the City, it needed to know what was good for it.  The McCallister Clan was located in the north end of the berg, and would have had it’s stills in the woods above the valley.

This is how reputations get started.  There was still a house in Pioneer Square, but it was run by a respectable madam named Lew Graham.  She catered to a respectable clientele (government officials mainly), on 2nd and Washington.  It was euphemised the ‘Carriage Trade’.  Today South Seattle in general carries the stain of disrespectability.  The restrictions against drinking are gone, but the contempt has shifted to the poor.  I don’t think this poverty is an accident.

If you look at South Seattle, and Southwest King County, you find three airports bisecting the land, running north-south.  King County Airport is in the Duwamish Valley, and seperates West Seattle from the opposite ridge (Columbia City et al).  Two freeways run through the narrow flat section of land that is South Park, running north-south again.  Hwy 99 cuts the town in half.  It connects the north end of the port with I-5.  Hwy 509 connects the east half of the port, and old section of the port, the touristy waterfront.  The zoning considers only commercial and industrial uses.  The town used to be all farms and residences.  Many Japanese Farmers were deported from this area, and the deeds to their property never returned.  It was at the time of WW2 that the area shifted to Industrial Use.

http://www.redstate.com/hickorystick/2010/06/12/one-lone-bomber-and-the-western-world-is-finished/

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=south+park,+wa&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=South+Park,+Seattle,+WA&gl=us&ei=kdcqTOOlL4P_8AaH7N3RCA&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CBcQ8gEwAA

King County Airport is in the Duwamish Valley and cuts it in half.  Besides Boeing filling up the valley, most of it’s support vendors surround it as well, as do support businesses for downtown Seattle.  It presses the residents terribly.  They don’t complain, and are happy to live peacefully amongst the industry, but greedy forces are not content to leave the situation as is.  The land is extremely valuable, even if some of the buildings and houses are somewhat rundown.  Sea-Tac Airport occupies the western ridge of the Duwamish and Kent Valley.  Five communities have been driven out since the establishment of the airport in 1944.  Two additional runways have been added.  The valley residents and the ridge residents bear the burden of the airports and Boeing facilities.  Filling in the remainder of the ridge, are commercial properties.  The ridge is the best natural space for people.  It is high up, light filled, and are natural grasslands.  The beauty of the Earth is removed from the People.  This is a very foreign practise to the Western States culture.

The ridges are a very sandy soil.  If left to their own after forest have been cut down, they fill in with tall grasses.  A boy, naturally has a lot of energy, and will trounce on things.  If he is in an open field or park, the damage will be to plants.  If he is in a filled up city, the damage will be to property.  That is a crime.  Reputations will be established; esteem will be diminished.  The County and Municipalities have taken all the ridges for commercial and Airport purposes.

After WW2 the Cold War kicked in.  Seattle is a military town, and a huge supplier to the military.  Their was a huge urgency to building the proper machines to fight the Soviet Union.  Patriotism still ran high.  The taking of land was rightly considered patriotic.  The social effects were given little consideration, and grumbling about it would bring a rebuke or a stare, or total avoidance in the future.  The original planning for the city and County was completely ignored.  The City was originally built with people foremost in mind.  Commercial oppurtunity now went unchallenged.

The area started to segregate into more and less desirable areas.  Surrounding the Airports were increasingly run-down areas.  People earning enough began to move out for queiter and prettier locations.  People with strained histories began moving in.  The 60′s brought drug use and poverty.  Reputations set in, and criminal statistics for areas were being documented.  Segregation, like the seperating of different size rocks from a glacial pit, each being assigned a higher or lower value, started.  There is a plant on the north end of the Duwamish that used to be called Glacier Sand and Gravel where you could see these types of rock in piles.  Society here was not that different.  Each type seperated and located in it’s own pile.  The piles have names like Laurelhurst, Blue Ridge, Trossachs etc.  The area I grew up in was unique.  It was just called West Seattle, and all sorts lived together.

Considering the nuissance of the Airport, the property around it is valued very low.  The poorest live there.  Single young males with the least education, and single mothers.  It is a formula for people failing.  The social cost is picked up by the State.  The profit remains private.  The municipal benefits go elsewhere in the County.  The poorest facilities are by the Airport, and in the valley.  The edges of ridges go to the employed Union and professional class.  The waterfront properties go to the high income earners and moderately wealthy.

The north end of the City is where most of the wealth and amenities are.  The edge of ridges and waterfront and lakefront are the best properties.  The owners  generally appeal their property taxes and win.  Those in the less expesive homes appeal much less frequently, and win even less.  Their is no income tax in the state.  Global and out of state sales are exempted from tax.   Their is a 9.5% sales tax, but investment income and savings are not subject to sales tax.  Housing is subject to a much smaller excise tax.  The cost of government and infrastructure is born by the lower and middle income earners of the area.

Their is a serious revenue problem at all levels of government in the State of Washington.  People who are genuinely suffering are being turned away in their time of need.  many of those in need have been able to supply for themselves there entire lives.  Their are budget reductions on roads, schools, police, libraries; neccesary functions within a limited government.  All sides should agree with this.  The revenue system badly needs to be reformed.  It is exactly inverted from where it should be in this State.  As far as Jim Crow, we all know a wealthy elite make decisions for the city to benefit themselves.  It is written all over the city in buildingd and placement of buildings.  The voters have no power to stop them.  The vote means nothing.  Most of the showplace buildings and the property under them are heavily subsidized by government.  The placement is north of Skid Row.  It has turned into a city of haves and have nots, by design.

The infrastructure in South Park could be a lot better.  Roads dead-end into freeways, where a underpass could be built.  Access to the river is almost non-existant.  The sediments of the river are toxic from wartime and industrial excrements.  A bridge is about to be torn down, without a new bridge in place, or even funding for a new one in place.   The old bridge was built at the start of the Great Depression, and the old bridge was still there.  In fact the area has less bridges now than in 1932.  They can build a Hooters in the connecting community to the south, but they can’t build a Longhouse for the Duwamish Tribe who originally occupied the area, let alone place it by a clean river.  Enormous commercial benefits come out of the area never to return.  It is shameful.

Seattle’s new motto should read, “Save Global Village, Screw Local Village”.  Put on the shoulders of local taxpayers and property owners, the cities previous Mayor and Council further burdened local Seattle Villagers, to the tune of $900 million in debt, to pay for the removal of a perfectly good Viaduct, to provide a tunnel entrance to Bill Gates Iris commercial development.  The Seattle Weekly calls it Billionaires Row.

http://www.seattleweekly.com/2005-02-02/news/the-billionaire-club/

Joel Connely calls it Vulcanville.

http://www.seattlepi.com/connelly/421824_JOEL16.html

Hickorystick calls it Isisland.  Tax Parcel 1988201155.

http://146.129.54.93:8193/search.asp?cabinet=opr click accept.  Enter tax parcel number 1988201155 in block field for Tax Parcel, Parcel # From.

What you find is a Corporation called Iris Holdings LLC.  Go to Secretatary of State Washington, and you will find under corporations search, that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation owns the property.

Why this is important is that property created for the benefit of the People of the City, is being sold at greatly discounted rates to Billionaires.  That it is being sold at all is disgraceful.  The city doesn’t have enough money to operate, so property is being sold to Billionaires who operate in the state, selling their product without tariff, without sales tax, without paying income tax.  It is no wonder they are Billionaires.  While the rest of the country suffers, the Seattle Wealthy gets rich by paying no taxes.  The cost of government and building/replacing infrastructure is dumped on the poorest, and those trying to make their way up.

Now, how the tunnel connects into this.  The northern end of the tunnel lands where?  right smack dab next to Irisland.  Yes, Bill Gates has his private exit off of the tunnel to his charitable complex.  Paul Allen just has to drive Four blocks down the commercial corridor he owns to Irisland property, to get a nice entrance to the tunnel, and therefore a great roadway to his Seattle Seahawk football teams stadium.  Maybe we should change the name from Mercer Street, to Narcissus Street.

The boomerang shaped buildings are projected Gates Foundation Buildings.  Nice of the City to incorporate them into the planning sketches.

To those of you outside Seattle, Paul Allen, Bill Gates old/new partner has properties on the east side of the 1/2 mile long street Mercer street.  The South Lake Union Development Project was put on the ballot for voters years ago, and rejected.  Mercer was one of the three original founders of Seattle.  Unlike the present power brokers, Mercer was committed to building a City for all the People.

The tax system in this state is badly broken.  The People are no more than cattle.  They are an undesirable nuissance to the Elite.  They are useful for paying for the cost of government.  But the land and profit belongs to the Wealthy Elite in their minds.  The Emerald City  is nothing more than the economic mess of the Emerald Isle, where the Large landowners did fabulous, but the People suffered terribly.  Most of the people of Ireland left for America, and honest oppurtunity.  That is why I have put my trust in Mayor McGinn.  Our politics differ at election time, but when he stands up for the People, I am with him.  I am a big believer in the American Way.  I am not a believer in Narcissus Way.

It is critical that the citizens of Seattle understand that history is the story of the struggle for land.  Government is the story of infrastructure building (usually at the expense of the poorest).  Commerce is merely the connection between a parcel of land, and the infrastructure to carry it to market.  Seattle sits on top of the shortest path by sea, to the largest markets in the world.  Their is no reason the city of Seattle should be broke.  The only reason it is, is because the tax revenue comes from the poor and middle class.  The Wealthy are not charged for the use of the natural advantages of the Puget Sound.  They also avoid paying their property taxes.  Use the the King County Assesors website to verify how many tax appeals are result in reduction of assesed value of property.

It is disgraceful that the City and County did not rely on their own revenues to replace the South Park Bridge.  They instead relied on the Federal Government to pay for it.  Their is no reason a taxpayer in Detroit, Michigan should pay for a City of Seattle bridge.  They say they lack revenue, but they give away property on the Commons of Seattle, the Seattle Center.  The Seattle center hosted the 1962 World’s Fair, and was supposed to be used as a park, and for a place for people to meet.  It is not supposed to be yet another commercial park.  The same process is happening in South Park.  What was supposed to be a park-like residential area, is being converted to industrial/commercial use.  It is a disgrace to everything Mercer and Denny and Maynard stood for.  Doc Maynard was the founder, who chased down Henry Yesler and said, yes i will.  Yes I will give some of my land for free to you to build a Mill.  Yesler’s Mill.  It was land for a critical piece of City commercial use, to convert trees to logs, giving the City much needed cash for building.  It was a sacrifice rivaled only by Guiseppe “Joe” Desimone’s gift of land to Boeing.  Of course most of Maynard’s land lied to the south of Skid Row (Yesler Way).  It is typical of those in South Seattle to make the greatest sacrifices, and those in the North to do the most ‘taking’.  Their is nothing Mr. Gates that you can teach anyone in South Seattle about giving and sacrifice.

http://www.redstate.com/hickorystick/2010/06/12/one-lone-bomber-and-the-western-world-is-finished/

“An Italian immigrant named Guiseppe Desimone, or Joe as he liked to be called, had heard that Mr. Boeing was considering leaving town and moving his operation to California.  Boeing needed more space for his company, and the skinflint County wasn’t providing it.  It was peacetime, and there was no method at the time for taking private property for commercial use (boy has that changed!).  Joe, being a patriot, and a good hearted fella as well, thought that Mr. Boeings company was good for the town, and it provided jobs in the Depression.  Joe made a sacrifice that is little heard of, and is one of the greatest sacrifices made in the history of the world.  He went to his neighbor, William Boeing who had  gotten his start in aviation in South Park, and offered him some land for his company.  It is said for the extra space for another runway, this is not so.  The land he gave was for a second plant, plant 2.  Plant 2 is where B-17’s were made.  The only plant in the world where B-17’s were made.  The only plant in the allied world where a large bomber was made.  Boeing built a plant on this land with the five section roof above the bridge roadway.  Later, once war was declared, the plant was expanded to the point it touched the bridge visible on the right.  The corner of the building was cut off at an angle to fit the last shed in.  A small dirt roadway below the bridge roadway is the remnant of the military road, or 14th Ave. S., which led up to Capitol Hill and Volunteer Park Cemetery/Park.”

The South Park Bridge is being torn down.  It carries the denizens of South Park to the City.  It lies on the historic Military Road, or Federal Way as it may be called.  Their will be at least three years of isolation of the residents and businesses.  I hope you feel good about yourself.  Your self-centerdness is going to send this community over the River Styx.

http://www.redstate.com/hickorystick/2010/06/06/south-park-bridge-military-road-and-economic-segregation/

I was raised in a Presbyterian Church, but when my family moved to Alaska, there was no Pesbyterian church to attend, so we went to Douglas Island Bible Church.  We then moved to Skagway, and attended a church of yet another denomination.  They all had one thing in common at least.  When raising funds, they would draw a thermometer, and fill it in, as People placed  value in things physical, but of spiritual usefulness.  Well the Governor found another little agency I never heard of, with a little extra cash in a drawer, or behind a picture frame.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012210715_bridge26m.html

——

“With the bridge scheduled to close for safety reasons Wednesday, the Transportation Improvement Board decided to join other local and state agencies that are sharing the cost of a new bridge across the Duwamish River.

“Getting a request on Monday and acting on a $10 million grant on Friday is not our normal process,” said Stevan Gorcester, executive director of the 20-member Transportation Board. ” … When you have a facility in this condition, people just need to come together. We in the transportation business know how to come together when we need to.”

The funding, approved as a project of “an emergent nature,” will help to replace a 78-year-old drawbridge that carries 20,000 vehicles a day and connects a number of residential communities with the industrial heartland of South Seattle and North Tukwila.”

——

The Seattle Times and nwsource.com have really been pitching in for the little part of the community called South Park.  They have sent a sketcher up there to document the residents feelings abouth their precious little lamb, the South Park Bridge.  Hickorystick visited too, and saw a lot of people coming to say goodbye.  He met a nice elderly couple, In a shiny new gold Caddilac.  The husband had been born in South Park, came up the American Way, but still had respect for the things and places of South Park.  I got a little of his story, and he said his brother had all of the story.  His brother apparently remembers everything.  Anyway, here is a story from the guy sketching the neighborhood.  Check it out, it is a very inventive way of reporting.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/seattlesketcher/2012209351_talk_of_the_town.html

Well, the Democrats love to talk about how they create jobs, jobs, jobs, jobs.  Here is a story from the sketcher that honors one real actual man, and one real actual job lost.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/seattlesketcher/2012218479_bridge.html?syndication=rss

Now I guess Democrats can only say jobs, jobs, jobs.  They will have to leave out the third repetition of jobs.  Because John Walker is taking a long walk off of a short bridge.  I would like to suggest to my Democrat leader opponents, but fellow citizens, to set up a coffee pot, or expresso stand in the West Tower of the bridge, and ask Mr. Walker if he would like to sell coffee and chat with the folk.  We can honor the regular Joe’s, Desimone. Diamond, and the South Park Crew, buy calling it “Joe’s Joe”.  Actually there are a lot of things South park, and the municipalities need to talk about.  A conversational relationship needs to be established.  I have to add, Constantine has belatedly done an exceptional job in fundraising.

The funding is coming together, as is the community.  The remainder of funds need to come from the Military, Boeing, and a few North of Skid Row Billionaires who still give a damn.  The community needs to be recognized and lifted up for it’s honorable past.

http://www.redstate.com/hickorystick/2010/06/12/one-lone-bomber-and-the-western-world-is-finished/

Their is a wake planned for the closing.  It looks like something well worth going to, and I will.   A few very short links about art and protest

http://ecossblog.wordpress.com/2010/06/23/first-look-at-the-south-park-bridge-wake-poster/

http://www.allaboutsouthpark.com/

Danny Westneat has been awesome on this issue.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/dannywestneat/2012217111_danny27.html

I’m going camping, but I’ll be back to work some more on this issue.  South Park and Georgetown have been shining examples of how to put We The People back into the Constitution.

  December 7th, 1941 a “day that will live in infamy”.  Pearl Harbor was left a smoldering wreck.  The day changed the mindset of Americans by nightfall.  We were at War, and just waiting for President Roosevelt to say it.  The mindset would include building a War Machine at any cost.  In our little corner of the world, the closest corner in the United States of America, Seattle Washington, that meant building planes.  The pre-december 7th mindset conventional wisdom said we were not going to spend a lot of money on the military.  Hitler, Mussolini, and the Japanese Emporer were someone else’s problem.  Out of sight, out of mind.  But overnight, Boeing’s big bomber became the most important machine in the world.  Plant 2 along the Duwamish was expanded from a four sectioned roof, to a 17 section roof (maximum capacity).  The building went all the way up against the South Park Bridge, and over the Glacier fed, pristine waters of the Duwamish.  The last sections of the building are built on wood piles.  Additional land was acquired by the Federal Government, and all costs of building war plants and machines were put on the tab of Uncle Sam.  This is why America wasn’t prepared for WW2.  Corporations can’t foot the bill for creating an Army alone.  The rules of economics don’t allow it.  But William Boeing’s father was from Germany, and knew where that place was going.  Being a good father he taught his son the neccesary lessons and perpectives of life.  And being a Seattleite, at the turn of the century, he was a man that was always looking ahead and planning for the future.  Sacrifice was a part of civic responsibility, and he and his fellows took great pride in building a City with a purpose.  One of those purposes was to build an airplane town.  Another was the responsibility to be ready for War, Which William took responsibility for, even if the federal government would not.  He footed the bill for developing what would be the B-17 out of his own fortune.

  Guiseppe “call me Joe” Desimone had donated the land in 1934, to keep Boeing in Seattle.  It was an extremely large piece of valuable land.  He was a man who knew how to do right by the community, and would take, but also give back.  I wrote a story a little while back, now would be a good time to read it.

http://www.redstate.com/hickorystick/2010/06/12/one-lone-bomber-and-the-western-world-is-finished/

  Now Boeing and South Park worked together to save the world.  Both are patriotic and of great value.  The rest of the story isn’t much of a story.  Because stories usually involve something that happened.  What didn’t happen was cleaning up after the War.  Now when the War Began, the fed took over the Patents to Boeing’s plane, and issued specifications for how what was re-named the B-17, was to be built.  Materials, processes, chemicals and solvents, enviromental rules an the like were all Federal government specifications and orders.  No one at the time, whether military or civilian, questioned orders.  They were happy to do it, and gladly put their shoulder to the wheel, to save their country and community.  But after the War, thank-you very much and were on our way.  We have some Commies to fight.  Little Old South Park and the Duwamish was forgotten.  They are left with a dirty stinking filthy river, and a broken bridge. 

  By the way, the military took over complete control of both the bridge and the town during the time of war.  There are pictures of a unit of Black Soldiers manning smudge pots, in the book Seattle’s South Park, by Images of America.  A smudge pot is a cauldron that is lit on fire to create black smoke to cover the town in case of attack.   There is no doubt there was a great fear of a Doolittle style raid on Plant 2.  The towers for the bridgekeeper, of the little bridge were also torn down during the war.  Observers had to content themselves loking out the windows on the side of the bridge.

  Now America is a place of re-paying debts.  We don’t cut-and-run either.  Another new pecept in fightng a war is to recognize that if you would like the co-operation of the People of a country that has been occupied, you need to not only provide security, but to provide infra-structure i.e. roads, bridges, schools, hospitals etc..  These are needful things for any funtioning society.  It is a good strategy.

  What I am asking for is re-payment of an old debt.  The cost is small.  $10 million dollars from each branch of the Military to build new substructure and superstucture for the bridge.  We can re-use the Bascule leaves.  The community is very into re-using things, and finding value in the things that are old.  They still use military housing from the old Fort Duwamish that was located there, and in their neighbor Georgetown’s communities.  They are very cool places, and I would like to invite the Generals for a visit.  We can sit down on the last remaining section of the old military road, at the place we will hold our celebration at the Communion Table of the Brotherhood of Man this coming Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday, and have a signing ceremony, and a new start.  Lets push the Reset Button on South Park’s and the Militaries relationship.  We can do the signing ceremony for the Boeing tankers at the same time too if you would like.

Additional reading for understanding the situation:

http://www.redstate.com/hickorystick/2010/06/16/south-park-bridge-the-table-of-the-brotherhood-of-man-the-real-military-road-and-a-little-dream-of-my-own/

http://www.redstate.com/hickorystick/2010/06/06/south-park-bridge-military-road-and-economic-segregation/

note:  This is an election year and their is no way the Pols are going to vote for additional stimulus dollars (Tiger grants).  It’s up to the military to do the right thing.

additional note: the color of paint on the bridge, and the color of paint on the early B-17′s are very similar.  The feds orderd Boeing to discontinue painting the planes.  I wonder if the extra paint was used on the South Park Bridge.

Photo by Steve Wilhelm, from the Puget Sound Business Journal, press conference today in front of South Park Bridge.

I just attended my a press conference.  The Governor Chris Gregoire was there, the County Executive, Dow Constantine was there, two Council Members from the City of Seattle, and two from the County were there.  One Port of Seattle Commissioner, an a representative of the Puget Sound Regional Council was there.  Every last single one of them had their tail between their legs.  They brought $70 million dollars for a bridge with them.  They all had one thing in common; they were whipped ‘Cats.

Many of my fellow Redstaters probably have noticed articles in the Members Diaries for the last several weeks, starting with the title South Park Bridge: xxxx.   I have done my best to reason, cajole, abuse, convince, occasional plead, but not to them.  I have told stories, done original research, explained roads.  Today every government and council saw it my way.  But I only did a part.  They held the press conference outdoors on my military road.

Upon arriving at the press conference, I immediately searched out the Lady representing the community organization of South Park.  I wanted to speak to someone really important; her.  Her name is Dagmar Cronn and she is the President of the South Park Community Association.  Someone pointed her out to me, and in my rush to speak to her before the press conference began, I almost ran over the Governor.  I noticed something under my left-wing, and I stopped.  I’m kinda tall.  I’m glad I didn’t run her over.  We differ in politics, but she has raised a couple of nice kids, and is not a bad sort personally.

I didn’t get to speak to Dagmar till after the press conference.  She is very tall for a Lady.  She engaged me face to face, was very intelligent, and also very real.  I told her upfront I had been blogging on RedState, a conservative site, and had been advocating for her community.  She thanked me, and was genuinly appreciative.  I let her know i was doing historical research as well, and that there is a lot more to the place than meets the eye.  I look forward to working with her and helping in any way I can.  Hundreds in the berg have fought to get a bridge.  I didn’t meet Bill Pease, but he heads the Bridge Committee.

I also spoke briefly with the County Executive, who had to be somewhere else when he found out who I was.  Thats allright.  His assistant was very eager to speak with me.  A nice Hispanic Man.  We exchanged phone numbers and E-mail, and I look forward to working with him.  South Park is an area rife with history, culture, a proud military heritage, and a vast spiritual connection that’s hard to explain.

The high point of the Governors speech was pointing out that the bridge was completed in 1931, inside of The Great Depression.  She skipped the part about it being started and finished under Hoover, a Republican.  She did give a nice nod to the ancestors of the area.  She also mentioned the spirit of sacrifice, which is a good thing.  She must have learned it from a South Parker.

The low point of the speech was, mentioning that there are over 1300 projects under way, employing over 30,000 workers.  Kinda a clueless thing to say when you are closing a bridge and tearing it down.  I especially liked it when I saw a Seattle DOT truck crossing the bridge, fully loaded.  For a bridge under supposedly immanent danger of collapse, maybe not such a good photo backdrop.

The County Executive MC’d the event.  This is a person who represents a County I demonized.  This County has a long history of taking land, and not returning value in exchange.  I haven’t mentioned Constantine by name, because he is fairly new at his job.  He hasn’t been responsible for the long history of taking.  He did go to bat for the bridge, and been the point man.  He obviously has worked pretty hard.  I just want to be fair.  I won’t get into it now, but the balance sheet shows a lot being owed to South Park.  Anyway, here is the coverage.  The kitty is up to $70 million dollars, all within the State sources.  Nice touch, a multiple of seven.  Just like the four bridges on 1st, 7th, 14th, and 21st avenues (properly numbered).

http://seattle.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2010/06/21/daily27.html

My future requests will be of the Departments of the Army and Air Force.  These should be easy ones.  Considering what South Park and Boeing have done for the country and the world, I think they will be more than eager to give.  I suggest $20 million from the Army.  The Air Force was inside the Army during WW2, so $10 million for each branch is reasonable.  The Air Force has benefitted greatly from Boeing inventiveness, and attention to detail.  $10 million sounds reasonable (that’s $30 mil total).  What other manufacturer’s products built 60 years ago, are still flying and fighting wars?  The tanker, and the B-52 have been extraordinary values.  Worth way more than whatever they cost.  And who did the careful craftmanship?  South Parkers of course.

Speaking of building planes, one more person was there.  (Tom Brown?) of the IAM 751.  I know RedStaters aren’t keen on Unions, but I suggest we make an exception on this one.  They actually produce something.  A very competitive line of commercial aircraft, plus a plethora of military hardware for our boys overseas.  Their stuff flies, and it doesn’t drop.  Building aircraft is a very technical trade, requiring only small things to go wrong to have a big disaster.  If you fly home to family without a worry, thank an IAM worker.  They are also headquartered in South Park, they are part of the family.  They wrote a letter of support, and they have been quietly lobbying Boeing to give money to replace the bridge.  Boeing got it’s start in South Park.

If Boeing is looking for an image building campaign, there is no better money spent, than on building a bridge.  The marketing on this could be phenomenal.  Boeing giving back to the community in it’s time of need.  Boeing building bridges.  Boeing helping it’s neighbor.  Oppurtunities like this don’t come around very often.  Imagine the camera panning in on plant two and telling it’s story.  It then zooms backward slowly, exposing the bridge and explains the situation.  It then pans back on South Park, and the community, and says it is giving $10 million dollars in partnership with local and state governments.  No problem finding the perfect multi-ethnic mix here.  Happy faces saying Thank-You Boeing !!!  They won’t even have to be acting, they will be genuinely happy.  Great marketing.  And it is cheap lobbying for the tanker contract.

Anyway, the sun shone very brightly today on the old brick military road.

Plant 2, assembly area for B-17′s  

  Just in from the wire.  government authorities are holding a news conference at the southwest corner of the South Park Bridge at 3:00 PM today.  It is expected they will announce a finacial pathway to maintain our pathway to Seattle.

H/T The Stranger/Slog.  Dan Savage not Michael.  Google at your own peril.