USA > Washington > King County > History and progress of King County, Washington > Part 3
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The fire began on the north side of the main busi- ness part of the city, where, with the gentle north wind that sprung np as the afternoon advanced, it had the best possible chance to spread to the whole quarter. It started in a building on the southwest corner of Front and Madi- son Streets owned by Mrs. M. J. Pontius. In the basement of this frail wooden structure, was a paint shop kept by James MeGough. Here a workman was boiling gle, which, suddenly rising, ran over on the stove and ignited, dripping fire down upon some shavings below. Thinking to quench the sudden flames, the workman cast at them a bucket of water It not skillfully. for by the act the whole lighted mass was scattered over the floor, which was soon covered with the flames. The oils and turpen- tine were kindled instantly and as the wind passed under- neath the floors and timbers, the combustion was forced into the apertures, and carried through the passages to the apartments above. Flames and smoke poured from every window, forcing their way upward and seeking to find escape through the roof.
Engine Company No. 1 got to work expeditiously, laying two lines of hose from the hydrant at the corner of Front and Columbia Streets, and commenced playing on the burning cornices. The water failed. The slender streams made no impression. What seemed an affair of but a few moments now assumed a serious aspect and the gathering erowd realized that the block must go.
To the dismay of those who looked up at the Opera House, they saw a slender tongue of flame growing on the
mansard roof and at the ery, "The Opera House is on fire," all eyes were turned thither and the probability of a great conflagration was realized. The impossibility of saving the great building soon became evident. The Denny block was now burning furiously, the houses across the street also were now wrapped in flames.
By the magnitude of the fire the whole city was now aroused and it was seen that there was no control for the wild element. It would stop only at the great briek bar- riers. The whole city force was therefore called out with a view to saving property and preserving order. Josiah Collins, chief of the fire department, was absent from the city. With great promptness Mayor Robert Moran began organizing the crowds of men on the streets.
The fire presented a broad front extending from Sec- ond Street along Yesler Avene to the docks on the west, and in its track before it were the sawdust flats and that populous but not very grand portion of the city built over the water, with such great structures as the coal bunkers. the steamship warehouses and the sawmills. Upon this prey it advanced without the slightest check. Many fine structures as the Arlington Hotel and the Squire Build- ing. lay in its course.
A circumstance meriting double notice was the com- ing of the Tacoma fire company. At three o'clock tele- grams were sent to Tacoma, Port Townsend and Portland for help. The firemen of Tacoma responded promptly, and about forty men with a hose cart and about eight hundred feet of hose were put aboard a special train, to which there was given a clear track, and covered the dis- tanee in fifty-eight minutes. As they dashed into town they were greeted with cheers. They got to work at once and were of the greatest assistance in checking the flames.
At sunset the fire was within bounds but was still
KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Page Thirteen
terrible. In the gathering darkness it resembled a vol- Streets and there erected a tent thirty by twenty foot. canie crater. Far into the night it burned, casting such furnished with tables and stored with provisions. Ar- rangements were made here on the most extensive scale, no less than to feed six thousand people a day so long as necessary. a glare upon the hay as to throw the shipping into distinet view. The coal bunkers, with abont three hundred tons of coal, burned the longest. During the night a throng of people from the lodging houses passed up and down The ladies of the city responded nobly to the call of the Mayor, and on the seventh fed no less than six thons- and people. the streets, spending the night withont sleep, while some sought shelter on the hill. As the night was warm, there was no suffering. Those who had friends or acquaint- anees were, of course, well provided for. Such was the beginning, progress and end of the fire.
The Tacomans kept open their tent and speedily creeted others for lodging accommodations. They stayed by Seattle, some days feeding fully three thousand per- sons. Twenty cooks and half as many dishwashers were required.
In the fire of June 6, 1889, the whole business area of 60 blocks was swept away in six hours. Loss, $10,000,- 000, covered by insurance of $5,000,000.
Early Banking History
The first bank, that of Dexter Hor- ton & Co. (then Horton & Phillips), was established in 1870, with a capi- tal of $50,000 and Horton put up the first stone building in which to house it.
For fully ten years the bank of Dexter Horton & Co. was the only banking institution in the city and fully met all the requirements of the com- munity. As the city grew in population and commercial importance the need of more extended banking facilities became manifest and in obedience to this demand the First National Bank was incorporated in September, 1882, with a capital of $150,000. This bank first did business in the basement of the old Post building and at the time of the fire occupied a fine room in the Yesler-Leary Build- ing, on the corner of Front Street and Yesler Avenne. After the fire temporary quarters were occupied on Cohim- bia Street between Second and Third, but for several months business was conducted in temporary quarters on Front Street. The bank soon moved to a building erected for it on the corner of Yester and Pioneer Place.
In 1888 there were only six banks in the city with a capitalization of $750,000. These were: The Puget Sound National, First National, Merchants National, Dexter Horton & Co., Guarantee Loan & Trust Company and the Washington National. During the next year the National Bank of Commerce, the Boston National, Commercial National, Washington Savings and the Bank of British Columbia were established.
X
* **
BANKS THAT CAME AFTER.
Est.
Bank Capital
1870 Dexter Horton
$ 50,000
1883
Puget Sound National Bank 50,000
1883 Merchants' National Bank. 100,000
1887
Guarantee Loan & Trust Co.
200,000
1888
Washington National Bank. 100,000
1889
Boston National Bank
300,000
1889
Washington Savings Bank.
50,000
Bank of British Columbia, Branch of London, England
Commercial National Bank, reorganized 1891,
formerly known as Bank of North Seattle,
a state institution, moved to Burke Block .. 100,000
1889
1889
1890 1890 1892 1892
1902
American Savings Bank & Trust Co. James A.
Murray, Pres .; John A. Campbell, Vice Pres. 600,000 Bank for Savings. Daniel Kelleher, Pres .; R. S. Auzens-Turenne, Vice Pres. . 400,000
1910
German-American Mercantile Bank. Ernest
1906
Pres .; F. J. Martin, Vice Pres., with O. A. Kjos. Vice-Pres. 100,000
1909
Metropolitan Bank
100,000
1911 National City Bank.
500,000
1905
State Bank of Seattle
100,000
1905 Oriental American
40,000 50,000
1907 Japanese Commercial
1903 Union Savings & Trust
600,000
*
Commercial interests began at Seattle, in the most natural manner, being but an ontgrowth of the trading from the vessels that eame to the place for piling and square timber.
As soon as the people then here were assured of a sale of timbers, they made ready eargoes, which the crafts took aboard, loading the longer and more unwieldy round timbers through the front hatches into the hold, and add- ing if obtainable, a deck load of square timbers. While thus taking on a cargo, the captain carried on a trade with the people on board the vessel. It was soon seen to be profitable to leave the remaining stoek behind at the vil- lage, to be sold off on commission. To Mr. A. A. Denny, first fell the lot of taking sneh goods, and disposing of them. A store was therefore provided, at the northwest corner of Commercial and Washington Streets, being in a building one story high, and about twenty by thirty feet. Here, for a short time, Mr. Denny sold goods on commission, but soon associated with himself, Mr. Dexten Horton and Mr. Phillips. The stock kept on hand was of all sorts-provisions, hardware, cloths, cutlery and notions, but was not of large value. Soon after under-
300,000
King County Bank ..
1. H. Griffith Realty & Bonding Co ..
Scandinavian American. A. Chilberg, Pres. .. 75,000 Scandinavian American Bank. A. Chilberg. Pres .; J. E. Chilberg, Vice Pres .. . . 500,000
1907
National Bank of Commerce, state institution, reorganized 1890
People's Savings Bank, organized largely by Fred Ward
100,000 100,000 300,000
Carstens, Pres .; C. S. Harley, Vice Pres .. .. Northern Bank & Trust Co. W. R. Phillips,
200,000
1889 1890
Measures for relief were no less prompt. The gen- erosity and sympathy of the neighboring cities, partien- larly of Tacoma, offered without ostentation and prompted by friendliness alone, will not be quickly forgotten. They secured a vacant lot on the corner of Third and University
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HISTORY AND PROGRESS of
taking this business, Mr. Denny and his partners were able to place themselves upon an independent basis, the former going to San Francisco to purchase his annual stock. At the time of the Indian war, Mr. Denny with- drew from the business, to enter the vohinteer service. Ilorton & Phillips continued together a number of years, until the institution of the bank by Horton, and the death about the same time of Phillips. The business was then passed to Atkins & Shondy, and subsequently to Crawford & Harrington. afterwards transformed to Harrington & Smith.
A second establishment was that of C. C. Terry, who effected a trade with Dr. Maynard, and obtained site at Seattle and afterwards purchased the west half of the Boren donation elaim.
The first wholesale business was established in Seat- tle in 1867 under the name of Crawford & Harrington, later taking the name of Harrington & Smith.
In the spring of 1875, George W. Stetson and J. J. Post formed a partnership and opened a small sash and door factory at the foot of Yesler Avenue, renting power from Yesler's mill. This was the beginning of the great mill next sneeeeding, which has sent Seattle lumber all over the world.
Within view of Seattle, 12 miles across the Sound, at Port Blakely is one of the largest lumber mills in the world. It gives employment to 450 men and indirectly to hundreds of others. This great plant was ereeted in 1888, at a cost exceeding $300.000 by the late Captain William Renton, the blind millionaire, and Seattle pioneer, who came to Puget Sound in 1852. The area covered by the plant exceeds ten aeres and fourteen ships can be loaded at once. There are five night watchmen and two on Sunday and holidays. The plant is illuminated hy 450 incandescent electric lamps and ships can be loaded at night as well as by day. The offices of the mill are con- neeted with Seattle by submarine telegraph cable crossing the Sound at Alki Ponit.
The Crescent Manufacturing Company was estab- lished in 1888 and was totally destroyed by the great fire one year later. Better buildings were erected and a plant of greater capacity sprang from the ashes of the old one.
Ballard, the greatest shingle mill town in the world, has a daily capacity of 6,020,000 shingles, or about half the entire output of King County. There are twenty mills in Ballard alone that mannfacture nothing but shingles. Throughout King County are scattered scores of mills which are contributing millions of feet of himber annu- ally to the output of the state.
Beginning of the Lake Washington Canal
The following letter is interesting in the light of re- cent developments in the case of the building of the canal from tide water to Lake Washington. James Scott was Secretary of the Territory from 1870 to 1872. James MeNaught afterwards gained a national reputa- tion as counsel for the Northern Pacific Railroad Com- pany.
Seattle, W. T., Jan. 6th. 1871.
Dr. J. Scott, Sect.
Sir : I herewith send you articles of incorporation of "The Lake Washington Canal Company." Please file them in your office and send bill to me and oblige.
Your obt. servt., J. MeNAUGHT.
While the above seems as though it might be the very inception of efforts to build the eanal, mention should here be made of a still earlier effort. John Pike, for whom Pike Street in Seattle was named, was the architect and builder of the famous old Territorial University building which was used as the temporary home of the Seattle Public Library. He had a son Harvey Pike, who was both enterprising and energetic. About 1860 Harvey Pike began to dig a canal at the "Portage," to connect Lake Washington and Lake Union. For many years the evi- dence of this beginning could have been seen, but the work proved too great and was abandoned.
In 1871 Lake Washington Canal Association was formed but made no progress.
In 1880 Lake Washington Improvement Company did Denny ; George Kinnear, Dr. H. B. Bagley, Thomas Burke. and E. M. Smithers. Work started 1885 on canal between Lakes I'nion and Washington.
In July, 1895, the Puget Sound Bridge & Dredging Company was given the contract for digging the water ways and filling in the adjacent land on the South Seattle tide flats by the Seattle and Lake Washington Water Way Company which was organized June 22, 1894; Elisha P. Ferry, President ; Engene Semple, Vice-President.
Re-organized in 1905; W. II. Parry, President ; John H. MeGraw, Vice-President.
In 1894 Congress had appropriated $25,000 for the waterway between Salmon Bay and Lake Washington and the locks.
King County spent in all nearly $250,000 in fulfilling the Government's requirements in regard to the right of way.
Edgar Ames, President of Seattle General Contraet- ing Company, in 1905. This company is still doing the actual filling of the tide lands.
While Eugene Semple failed in his project to give Seattle the Southern Canal, he did a great work in filling in the tide lands. He created out of a valueless waste of water and mnd property worth today at least one hmmm- dred million dollars.
Page Fifteen
KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Seattle's First Newspaper Appeared December 10, 1863
On December 10, 1863, the first issue of the Seattle Gazette made its appearance. The printing press used was venerable with age, being a machine of wood, differ- ing very little from the press used by Benjamin Franklin one hundred and fifty years ago, and known as a "Ram- age." This press was brought to the Pacifie Coast it is supposed, early in the present century. The printing office was in the second story of a wooden building owned by H. L. Yester that then occupied the present site of Schwabacher Brothers & Co.'s store. J. R. Watson was editor, proprietor and compositor. With the aid of some friend. or occasionally a young Indian for a roller boy, the paper was gotten ont from week to week.
The first half year closed June 4th. 1864, and the paper then suspended until August 6, following when it appeared in an enlarged form. On March 3. 1866. the Seattle Gazette was suspended, having covered a period of two years and three months.
April 5, 1866, the Puget Sound Semi-Weekly succeed- ed it, with Hall & MeNamara as publishers. A short ex- perience proved that the time for a semi-weekly had not arrived, and on the 30th of the same month, the Puget Sound Weekly appeared. With the issue of March 18, 1867, the first volume ceased and with the beginning of the new volume 1. M. Hall again took charge and the paper was christened the Puget Sound Weekly Gazette.
It may be properly remarked that until October, 1864, the paper and the village as well, had been withont tele- graphic communication.
The People's Telegram was begun at this time and continued a few issues, semi-weekly but soon disappeared from view.
In the early part of Angust, 1867 S. L. Maxwell ar- rived in Seattle. Hle was a first-class printer and a writer of considerable force. Messrs. Daniel and C. B. Bagley had at that time become owners of the printing office plant, and Mr. Maxwell arranged to take the office at $300 and pay for it as he earned the money. On August 5th, 1867, he issued the first number of the Weekly Intelligencer, the progenitor of the Post-Intelligencer of today.
In 1874 Maxwell sold the Intelligencer to David Hig- gins for $3,000. In 1878 Mr. Higgins sold to Thaddeus Hanford, who edited the paper for several years. In 1879 Mr. Hanford sold the paper to Thomas W. Prosch and Samuel L. Crawford.
In the spring of 1868, T. G. Murphy brought a small printing plant to Seattle from Sitka, Alaska, where he had been publishing for a short time the Alaska Times. He resumed the publication of his paper in Seattle, but con- tinued it for only a few months, when McNamara & Lar- rabee purchased the paper. A short time thereafter the establishment was turned over to Wilson & Hall, who thereupon began the publication of the Territorial Dis- patch and Alaska Times. In October, 1871, Colonel C. II.
Larrabee and Beriah Brown bought the paper and after continning its publication for three months, on December 4, 1871, issued the first number of a new and independent paper which was named the Puget Sound Dispatch. in August, 1872, Larrabee retired, when Brown's son, Edward Il., became associated with his father as proprietors and publishers under the firm name of Brown & Son. On the 19th of September, 1872, they issued the first number of the Puget Sound Daily Dispatch, the first daily published in Seattle. In 1871, Edward HI. Brown retired from the paper, and for a short time Beriah Brown continued it alone. In April, 1875, Austin A. Bell purchased a half in- terest in the paper, and from that time until September, 1878, when the Dispatch was purchased by Thaddeus Han- ford and merged into the Intelligencer it was published by Brown & Bell. It was afterwards edited for a time by Thomas B. Merry, a brilliant Oregon journalist.
In 1875 the Pacific Tribune, the first paper published in Tacoma, was moved to Seattle. It was started by Thomas W. Proseh. Its publication had been both daily and weekly for a number of years. It was Republican in politics and it was continued in Seattle three years when it was absorbed by the Intelligencer, at which time Mr. Hanford became for a time the publisher and proprietor of the only paper published in Seattle.
In the meantime B. L. Northrup started a monthly agricultural paper called the North Pacific Rural. This obtained some circulation in the county and formed the nucleus of a new daily which was issued with the title of Post in October, 1878, under the management of K. (. and Mark Ward. Several wealthy citizens subsequently obtained control of the Post through money advanced to pay the expenses of its publication. It proved a far from profitable venture, and in 1881 they merged it into the Intelligencer, at which time the present title of Post- Intelligeneer was assumed. For a few days the Post- Intelligeneer was the only newspaper in Seattle, a circum- stance that now, considering the size and wealth of the city, and the number of its publications, seems quite re- markable. The Post-Intelligencer in 1891 was under the management of Thomas W. Prosch and under his control made rapid strides in popular favor and was soon recog- nized as the most influential journal in the territory.
In the summer of 1885 a number of the leading citi- zens subscribed a liberal sum of money to subsidize a paper to counteract or neutralize the influence of the Daily Call, an evening sheet, the organ of the more viru- lent of the anti-Chinese agitators. T. H. Dempsey, J. R. Andrews and one or two others undertook to publish a paper for the subsidy offered, and accordingly issued the Daily Times, also an evening paper, with the understand- ing that the subsidy was to be continued for six months. At the expiration of the allotted time Mr. Dempsey was left alone to continue the publication. In March, 1887, ('ol. George G. Lyon, one of the most foreible writers in the city, acquired an equal interest in the paper with Mr. Dempsey and took editorial management of it. Under
Page Sixteen
HISTORY AND PROGRESS of
the control of these two men. the Times rapidly grew and was recognized among the papers in Washington.
The publication of two evening papers, both enter- prising and well condneted journals like the Press and Times, in a field the size of Seattle made it impossible for either to become financially successful. After a fair test of the field the publishers with rare good judgment finally agreed to a consolidation, the Times being absorbed by the Press, the consolidated papers were issued under the
title of the Press-Times. This was effected in February. 1891. The Press-Times was an independent Republican journal, and ranked among the best evening papers on the Pacific Coast.
A chain of ownerships eontinned until Colonel Alden J. Blethen rehabilitated The Times, and it was contin- uously under his management until his death last year. and then under his sons, where it remains today-a great newspaper.
SOME
Attractive HOMES
A Typical Residence Section
Boren Ave. S
Summit Ave. ¿
East Aloha St.
14th Ave. north S
What is true of the public buildings of Seattle and King County is true also of the homes in the city and county. King County contains probable more beautiful home sites than any city in the nation, both within and without the city.
Chief Seattle As Seen by Dr. H. A. Smith in 1887
Old Chief Seattle was the largest Indian I ever saw. and by far the noblest looking. He stood nearly six feet in his moccasins, was broad shouldered, deep chested and finely proportioned. His eyes were large, intelligent, expressive and friendly when in repose, and faithfully . mirrored the varying moods of the great sonl that looked through them. He was unusually solemn, silent and dig- nified, but on great occasions moved among assembled multitudes like a Titan among Lillipntians, and his light- est word was law.
When rising to speak in council or to tender advice, all eyes were turned upon him, and deep-toned, sonorous and eloquent sentences rolled from his lips like the ceas- less thunders of cataracts flowing from exhaustless foun- tains, and his magnificent bearing was as noble as that of the most cultured military chieftain in command of the forces of a continent. Neither his eloquence, his dignity nor his grace was acquired. They were as native to his manhood as leaves and blossoms are to a flowering almond.
llis influence was marvelous. He might have been an emperor but all his instinets were democratic, and he ruled his loyal subjeets with kindness and paternal be- nignity.
The Puget Sound country, with its great inland sea. its brooks and rivers, its hills and mountains, it sunlimited forests, have been the home of the Chinook Indians for hundreds of years. As far back as the memory of white settlers run the Chinooks confined themselves mostly to the open water of the Sound being more of a fishing tribe than hunters. It was a rare thing for any of their number to venture up the Snohomish or Skagit rivers. In the early days of Seattle old Chief Seattle ruled the des- tiny of the tribe. In later years the descendents of his followers have become divided and separated until they are but wandering tribes, eking out a livelihood by fish- ing. hunting and berry picking. Most of the Indians throughout the state are on Indian reservations, where good schools and churches are located among them. Some have become farmers and stock raisers, others build and own sea-going schooners and go to the sea fishing, sealing and whaling. Some of the reservations comprise a large amount of the richest land in the state.
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SECTION OF PACIFIC HIGHWAY NEAR KENT
Dairying in King County
It is hard to conceive a section of the universe in which nature has more bonntifully provided for the dairyman than King County, Washington, where Jogged- off lands can be purchased at low cost, where the grass is green twelve months of the year, and where a great city consumes thousands of pounds of milk and butter daily, and great condensers prepare the product of the dairy for consumption in the lumber and mining camps of Washington, Alaska, and British Columbia. The fin- est hay and grains are raised here and a comparatively small acreage will support a good-sized herd of cows. For a market the dairyman has three sonrees-he may sell his milk in Seattle, a city that consumes 30,000 gal- lons daily ; he may sell to any one of the ten large cream- eries of the county, or to one of the two great milk condenseries, which consume more milk each day than is sold in the city. These markets for dairy products now support between 1.500 and 2,000 dairy farms and the demand for milk is constatnly growing. As an agreeable mode of living, dairy farming in King County has many advantages over any other form of rural industry in the West. The county is well covered by good roads and is crossed by numerous steam and electric railroads, which bring every section of it in close touch with the City of Seattle. Telephone lines reach most of the farming dis- triets. Taxes are moderate and shipping facilities the best.
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