For some yet-to-be-discovered reason, Dan Harris made no sales of lots, unnumbered blocks or unplatted land during the years 1886, 1887 and 1888. Perhaps the duty of operating his hotel was a contributing factor. (See the companion booklet, Dan Harris Speaks for Himself to read a letter he wrote to his nephew, Benjamin Harris, in January of 1885 relating how burdened he was feeling.) Perhaps his marriage to Bertha Wasmer in late 1885 and her filing for divorce in 1886 were factors. (See the companion booklet, Dan Harris Ties the Knot). Perhaps the local economy went though a decline during this period. Certainly, Dan's and Birtha's spending the winter months in Los Angeles starting in early 1887 curtailed his marketing efforts.

    In any case, after participating in efforts to attract an established railroad company to extend a line to Bellingham Bay and to establish a local railway and navigation company , he began negotiations to sell the remainder of his Fairhaven property to railroad magnate, Nelson Bennet, as indicated by the following notice that appeared in the October 19, 1888 edition of the Whatcom Reveille:

   Even Dan Harris has dropped from $75,000 and started to Tacoma on Monday for the purpose of accepting Bennett's offer of $50,000 for his Fairhaven town site, in order to help the boom along. Messrs. Bartlett, Harris and Pieircy were to have met Mr. Bennett in consultation yesterday in Tacoma.

On November 16th, the same paper published a the following quote from indicating that the two parties had reached an agreement:

"Mr. Bennett said he had an option with Dan Harris for the purchase of Fairhaven townsite at a figure between $50,000 and $75,000. . ."

The exercise of this option was delayed because Dan Harris had departed for Los Angeles a few days prior to the appearance of this notice due of his wife's serious illness. Bertha Harris died on November 20th. Whether or not Dan reached her bedside before she passed is unclear.

    The deed from Dan Harris to Nelson Bennett was executed on April 9, 1889 in Pierce County and recorded in Whatcom County on April 18th in Deed Book 11, Pages 61-63. For a consideration of $50,000 Dan Harris conveyed all of the unsold lots and unplatted property in his Donation Land Claim and the Deadman's Point acreage, reserving a twenty-five acre parcel south of McKenzie Avenue, conveyed a few months later to C. X. Larrabee, and four lots (Lots 7 and 8 in Block 1, Lot 6 in Block 2, and Lot 3 in Block 19) which passed to his estate.

    The sale to Larrabee took place in Pierce County on October 17, 1889. The consideration was $25,000. The deed was recorded in Whatcom County on July 8, 1890 in Deed Book 15 on Pages 189-90. In the first deed Dan's residence is given as Fairhaven in the second it is given as Los Angeles. The last newspaper article to mention Dan being in Fairhaven was published in the Bellingham Bay Reveille on March 22, 1889. This may have been his final visit since his two final deeds were both executed in Pierce County.