USA > Washington > King County > History and progress of King County, Washington > Part 7
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There being nothing in the trade there was almost nothing in the shipping. Small steamers began coming to Seattle from Portland about 1869, and from San Francisco in 1875. The few who traveled during the first ten or fifteen years of Se- attle's existence paid from five to ten dollars for going to Olym- pia, ten dollars or more for going to Victoria, twenty-tive dol- lars or more for a hard trip to Portland, and about seventy- five to San Francisco. Canoes and sloops were of necessity frequently resorted to. The sail vessels coming to Puget Sound in the early 50s were veritable traders. They were stocked with provisions, liquors, clothing, hardware and knick- nacks to sell to the Indians and whites, and their masters were commissioned to buy timber, oil, fish and vegetables in exchange for the San Francisco markets. From the goods on these vessels principally brigs, the first stores and people of Seattle were supplied. Almost the only meats consumed were fish, salt pork and the like. Seattle's first butcher shop was not opened until 1859, and like the first and only shop in the small towns generally, was not noted much for variety and quality of its stock. Eggs were scarce and sold usually at from 50 cents to $1 a dozen, and sometimes higher. Butter was worth as much as eggs or more. Wages were not high, as now, while eleven hours was a day's work.
Boren, Denny and Maynard agreed together early in 1853 to lay out a townsite on their claims, but they apparently did not agree in all respects as to the details of the plant. They did agree, however, to file their plats for record at the same time. Mr. Denny, who was a surveyor, thought the principal streets should run, as nearly as possible, parallel with the shore of the Sound, and the cross streets straight up the hill; Maynard made his plat with the streets running due north and south and east and west. Both used the boundary between
Pag. Thirty-two
HISTORY AND PROGRESS of
Boren and Maynard's claim as a base line, and along it laid out a street which was known for many years as Mill Street, but is now Yesler Way. North of this line Mr. Denny laid out twelve blocks, of eight lots each 60x120 feet with an alley sixteen feet wide between them. There were three streets, Front, Second and Third, running parallel with the shore line, and five cross streeets, James, Cherry, Columbia, Marion and Madison. The first block north of Yesler Way was triangular and was bounded by Yesler Way, James and Second streets. This plat was filed some time in the afternoon of May 23, 1853.
This is a tradition that Maynard was displeased, for some reason, with Denny's action, and that he changed his plat, which covered only a few squares south of Yesler Way, so that the streets would not be continuous. At any rate they do not meet with those on the north side of Yesler Way, as every- body familiar with the city knows. His plat was filed on the same day as Mr. Denny's, but later in the afternoon.
After the fire the name of Front Street was changed to First Avenue, and a right-of-way was purchased, or condemn- ed, through enough of the Denny Way plat to unite it with the principal street in Maynard's plat to make a continuous thoroughfare. The remainder of the block was dedicated to the public as Pioneer Square. It is a curious fact that the land on the west side of First Avenue opposite this little park, and for some distance northward, has never been platted. It is now very valuable and is owned by many different people, be- ing rescribed in their several detds by meets and bounds.
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Early in 1853 Thomas Mercer and Dexter Horton arrived, and later John C. Holgate returned to find that the claims he had selected three years earlier, for himself and his sister's family had been taken by others. He accordingly made a new choice, taking the claim next south of Maynard's while Edward Hanford, his brother-in-law, and Lemuel J. Holgate, his broth- er, and Samuel Hanford selected claims adjoining this, getting hill land which became a part of Seattle much earlier than the farms he had hoped to get in the Duwamish Valley.
Mercer brought the first wagon to Elliott Bay. When it arrived there was not a piece of road in King County long enough to receive it, but road-making began soon after its ar- rival, and for a considerable time it was used to do all the hauling done on the bay.
Dexter Horton was a native of New York, from which State his family early removed to Illinois. He came to Ore- gon in 1852 with his wife and one daughter, and thence over the Cowlitz trail with Mercer and others to Seattle, where he arrived without a dollar in his pocket, and fifty dollars in debt. He soon found work at the new sawmills then building on the Sound, and in clearing land at Port Townsend. He quickly paid what he owned and accumulated a little capital with which he, for a time, engaged in trade, and then started a bank, the first in the territory, and which still exists as Dexter Horton & Co., the name he gave it. He seems never to have taken a donation claim.
Those who took donation claims on the site of, or in the neighborhood of Seattle were the following: W. N. Bell, April 3, 1852; C. C. Terry, May 1, 1852; D. S. Maynard, April 3, 1852; C. D. Boren, May 13, 1852; A. A. Denny, June 12, 1852; John C. Holgate, Jan. 21, 1850; Edmund Carr, August 8, 1853; E. M. Smithers, Dec. 1, 1853; Edward Hanford, March 1, 1854; L. J. Holgate, March 26, 1855; David Stanley, April 15, 1855; John H. Nagle, Sept. 29, 1855; H. L. Yesler, Nov. 20, 1852; D. T. Denny, Jan. 24, 1853; H. A. Smith, Sept. 5, 1853; Wm.
Strickler. Feb. 1, 1854; Thos. Mercer, July 13, 1854; Jno. Ross, March 26, 1855; Ira W. Utter, July 3, 1855.
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The Moran Brothers' machine and repairing shop was established in 1882 in a small building on Yesler's wharf. Robert and Peter Moran were the owners, and their enter- prise and skill so advanced their business as to necessitate a new building, which they proceeded to erect on leased ground on Yesler Avenue.
Seattle in 1822 boasted of but little in the manufacturing line. During that year a company was formed by Moran Brothers with the small capital of $1,500. In 1889 the works were destroyed by the great fire and $40,000 went up in smoke. The enterprising proprietors were not daunted but immediately set to work on their tideflat property, and one week later had a furnace at work. Over that furnace now stands a magnificent plant, an honor to the city and state. The plant consists of machine shops, boiler works, foundry and blacksmith shop. The Moran Brothers Company, aside from these, owned and operated an extensive machinery depot on West Yesler Avenue, and controlled and managed the Seattle Dry Dock & Ship Building Company. The Morans sold for a great fortune to an Eastern concern and this plant is now the Seattle Construction & Dry Dock Company.
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The battleship "Nebraska" was launched October 7, 1904, at Moran's. The business men of Seattle subscribed $100,000 to make possible the construction of the "Nebraska" in a Seattle shipbuilding plant.
The rolling stock for the trolley system of the Seattle, Renton & Southern Railway Company were the first to be manufactured on this coast, and were designed and built at the yards of the Moran Company in 1909.
Seattle Construction & Dry Dock Company organized with $1,750,000 new capital in January, 1912.
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A brass and bell foundry was established before 1886 by John E. Good, near the foot of Commercial Street.
The Seattle Hide & Leather Company was formed in 1886 by Mr. David Kellog.
The cigar factory of Wa Chong was the first in the city, but in 1886 another was established by A. C. Miller who em- ployed only white labor.
The Seattle Soap Works were established in 1886 by Messrs. R. M. Hopkins and C. B. Bussell. They fitted up an old grist mill at the foot of Seneca Street.
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GAS INSTALLED IN SEATTLE.
A small tank was located on the tide flats and from it gas was distributed in 1874 to the business houses and resi- dences. The franchise was granted on June 6, 1873, to lay mains in the city streets for a period of twenty-five years.
The gas supply of Seattle a few years ago was controlled by a corporation operating under a perpetual franchise.
A new company entered the field in 1901, securing a fifty-year franchise by offering cheaper gas and holding out the prospect of competition in business. As should have been expected, however, competition was short-lived, the old com- pany soon being absorbed by the new. At the expiration of its franchise the city has the right to purchase the works at an appraised value.
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HOSPITAL
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COUNTY HOSPITAL AT GEORGETOWN, A SUBURB OF SEATTLE, AND IN KING COUNTY
King County Hospital
The history of the King County Hospital begins with the year 1877. Prior to this time the poor of King County were taken care of through an arrangement with the Sisters of Charity, by which they received a certain sum each day for the care of each patient. In 1877, however, the county hav- Ing secured possession of the farm, which is now occupied by the Almshouse and Hospital, they placed Mr. Merrick and his wife in charge of them through an arrangement wherehy they were enabled to utilize the services of such patients as were able to work for the sum of twenty-five cents per day with board and lodging included. The care of the sick and the poor was rather prefunctory during the time of Mr. Merrick, as there was no regular medical attention provided and it was not until 1892 when Dr. F. B. Whiting was placed in charge of the Almshouse and Hospital, that any systematic care of a medical or surgical nature was given to the patients.
The next year, 1893, through the influence of Dr. Whiting, the commissioners began the erection of the main portion and one wing of the present hospital building. In 1894 it was first occupied and at that time had a capacity of 125 beds. Singularly enough, Dr. Whiting, the first superintendent of the hospital, is now one of the leading surgeons on the staff of the hospital. Some ten years ago another wing was built, which increased the capacity of the hospital to 225 beds, while the Almshouse has a capacity of approximately 140 beds. The growth of the hospital in efficiency has been gradual but con- tinuous, each superintendent in charge having added to its betterment, until at the present time the patients receive as
efficient care and treatment as may be obtained in any hospi- tal in the city.
A few facts concerning the amount of work done at the hospital, together with the amount of money expended by the county through its commissioners for the support of the poor and sick, may be of interest:
Last year the number of patients admitted to the hospi- tal was 1,676; the number of surgical operations performed was 542, with only twelve deaths following. The total num- ber of deaths, however, from all causes was 165. The sur- gical operations, as well as the services of the entire staff, are performed by the leading physicians, surgeons and special- ists of Seattle, who cheerfully give their services without money and without price. The staff is appointed by the med- ical director and rotates each three months.
The average number of employes, exclusive of the work done by the convalescent patients, is sixty.
The pay roll for the Almshouse and Hospital for the past year was $28,000. There are fourteen trained nurses to care for the patients, five stewards and three house physicians. The entire cost for maintenance for both Almshouse and Hos- pital the past year was $86,000.
The amount of supplies for the same period will be in- teresting in the way of totals. During the year these institu- tions consumed 53,000 pounds of meat, 5,100 pounds of fish, 46 tons of potatoes, 10,000 pounds of butter, 6,200 dozen of eggs, 200 sacks of sugar and 19,000 gallons of milk, besides various other minor supplies needed. This will give the tax-
l'age Thirty-four
HISTORY AND PROGRESS of
payers a general idea of the way in which their money is be- ing expended for the care of the sick and poor of the county. Under the present management, and conducted in con- ection with the Almshouse and Hospital, is also the County Crematory, which takes care of the unclaimed dead from these institutions. In addition to this it also cares for private cases at a nominal charge. The expense of conducting the crema- tory for the past year was $2,000, which was nearly covered by the revenues from private cases.
It may be said in closing that the hospital has had, and is having, a continuous growth in efficiency and that the poor and sick of King County are being as well cared for as are
the same class of unfortunates in any part of the country. At the present time the hospital is under the following manage- ment :
DR. JAMES H. LYONS, Medical Director.
WILL A. CARLE, Business Manager, KATHERINE MAJOR, Supt. of Nurses, HARRIETT DEARBORN, Housekeeper, F. W. ELLIS, Chief Engineer,
GEORGE C. EVANS, Storekeeper,
HARRY MITCHELL, Chef,
LOUIS CARD, Supt. of Almshouse.
FRONT VIEW OF COUNTY LAZY HUSBAND STOCKADE. "UNDER THE LAW HUSBANDS WHO WILL NOT SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES MAY BE IMPRISONED AND FORCED TO WORK, THEIR EARNINGS GOING TO THE WIFE"
Purchase of the New County Farm
In their wisdom the County Commissioners have seen fit to purchase for County purposes "The Willows," a beautiful Farm in a fertile valley east of the further shore of Lake Washington.
This was purchased from (. D. Stimson and contains 420 acres, mostly in a high state of cultivation. This purchase was made in the face of strong protest largely from people who did not or would not understand the situation, i. e., that the county should raise for its wards all the meat, fruit and vegetables now bought at high prices in the public markets.
Not included in the main purchase was the blooded dairy and swine herds that the firm of Augustine & Kyer
had for its own nses and for which they had leased "The Willows." These herds, and all the tools and implements used on the farm were taken over by the county, so that the County farm starts off as a going concern. The "lazy husband" buildings which were recently erected near Bothell have been moved to the new farm, and the lazy men will help the county's indigent and its prisoners in the farm work.
King County, as well as other counties in Washington. now legally takes the man who will not support his fam- ily, introduces him to a farm or a road repair job, and gives the family the benefit of his earnings, a minimum of one dollar per day.
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SECTION OF GREAT PACIFIC HIGHWAY BETWEEN SEATTLE AND TACOMA
King County's Indian War
King County, at the commencement of the White River massaere, October 28, 1855, was in a fairly prosper- ons condition but now all was in ruins. The entire pop- ulation was compelled to seek shelter and safety in Seattle or elsewhere, and a great many were so discouraged that they left the country.
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The first volley fired by the Indians showed that their line completely encircled the town, on the land side, and that while not one of them could be seen, they were pres- ent in large numbers. Undoubtedly they might have cap- tured the town, in spite of the Decatur, if they had at- tacked it more boldly. Its defenders were not more than 175 in all, 120 of whom were from the ship, the remainder being citizens. But for the presence of the vessel the town would have been easily taken, even if its inhabi- tants had been on their guard, as they were not, and all would have been massaered.
But it was not possible for savage warriors to over- come the opposition they met. Concealed and protected by the timber, they made a vigorous but ineffectual fight during most of the day. Volley after volley from their rifles was poured into the town, but their bullets did little injury, most of its defenders being either beyond range or effectually concealed in the houses, or behind stumps and other objects, which saved them from injury.
Meantime the guns on board the Decatur, and the howit- zer at the southern end of the peninsula, continued to drop shells and solid shot, or to scatter charges of grape and shrapnel, at points along the Indian line where the smoke from their rifles indicated that such messengers would be most useful. All the forenoon the roar of the cannon and the sharp crack of the rifles continued. The ground along the hills beyond Second Street was torn up by exploding shells, and many of the trees along the edge of the forest were splintered by the grapeshot and shrapnel. Still the Indians held to their work and, above the crack of their rifles, their yells and whoops were fre- quently heard, mingled with the screams of their women, who were everywhere urging them on to greater efforts.
There was a lull in the battle about noon, the In- dians apparently having withdrawn to refresh themselves with a feast which their women had prepared by slaught- ering the cattle belonging to the settlers, which they had captured early in the fight. During this short respite the women and children were removed from the blockhouse, and other places in which they had taken refuge, and taken on board the Decatur, and the ship Brontes, which was then lying in the harbor, where they were cared for until all possibility of danger was past. Among these children was C. H. Hanford, a former judge of the federal court, who was then about seven years old.
Page Thirty-six
HISTORY AND PROGRESS of
The old block house, used as a refuge from Indians, stood on the west side of First Avenue opposite Cherry Street. It stood there as late as 1858.
The fighting continued, with more or less vigor, dur- ing the afternoon, but without any noteworthy result on either side. Occasionally when a shell would be dropped at some point on the attacking line where the Indians were thickest, its explosion would be followed by demon- strations indicating that some unusual damage had been done by it, and the marines and citizen-soldiers would take new courage. These shells were something entirely new to the Indians, and they were quite unprepared for them. They had never before seen guns which fired bul- lets that would shoot a second time after they had landed in their own immediate neighborhood. To their savage minds this was a very great medicine, for which no hi- dian necromancer could provide a counteracting infhi- ence.
As the afternoon advaneed, and the shadows of even- ing began to gather, it was discovered that the Indians were making preparations to burn the buildings which were nearest their line, as it was expected they would, and it was feared that as darkness gathered they might burn the town. To prevent this Captain Gansevoort's gunners continued to shell the woods, and dispersed the ineendiaries before their work was fairly begun. Firing along the Indian line gradually ceased until about ten or eleven o'clock in the evening, when it was discontinmed altogether, and when the morning of December 27th dawned the Indians had all disappeared after having burned a few of the houses which were nearest the tin- ber, and taking with them most of the cattle belonging to the citizens.
During the battle only two persons were killed on the side of the defenders of the town. One of these was a young man named Robert Wilson, who had been fight- ing behind the safe shelter of a stmmp: he was hit by an Indian bullet while changing his position for one further from the Indian line. The other was Milton G. Holgate, a brother of bemnel J. Holgate and Mrs. E Han- ford, who was shot and instantly killed, near the door of the blockhouse, early in the battle. None were wounded, although several had narrow escapes. How many of the enemy were killed or wounded was never known. Lieu- tenant Phelps says the Indians afterwards admitted twenty-eight of the former and eight of the latter. That some were killed and more wounded is certain, but as is usnal with Indians in battle, they were carried away and their umber carefully concealed.
The number of the Indians engaged in this attack has been varionsly estimated, but of course has never been accurately known. The Indians themselves probably did not know how many warriors were present, and if they did they did not then or afterwards give any informa- tion abont it. Lieutenant Phelps, who was an officer of the Decatur, and took an active part in the fighting, thinks there were at least a thousand present. But he is inclined to magnify the service rendered by the De- eatur, and the dangers her officers and men encountered. Others have placed the number much lower. It is eer- tainly known only that the attacking party was largely composed of Klikitats, and other Indians from east of the mountains, and that there were a h-i-n lot of them.
During the night of the 26th they disappeared as quietly as they had come. Many of them possibly retired across bake Washington, and recrossed the mountains to their own country. Some followed Leschi and his war- riors up the White River Valley, phindering and burning the deserted homes of the settlers as they retreated. Two days later there was not a house standing in King County, outside of Seattle, except at Alki Point.
A Few days after this battle Leschi sent word to Captain Gansevoort that he would return in another month and destroy the town, but this threat was hardly necessary to admonish the citizens that it was now time to make preparations for their defense. The work was begun immediately.
Mr. Yesler furnished a ship's cargo of limber which he had recently sawed for shipment, to be used for forti- fications, and with this and other material a barricade five feet high and surrounding the town, was constructed. It consisted of two board walls about eighteen inches apart, with the space between packed with dirt and saw dust. This made a fairly reliable wall of defense. Another bloekhouse, near the first was built, and the two were connected by a passage with a strong stockade on either side. These blockhouses were provided with two small cannon, one of which was obtained from the Active. Many of the stumps that still cumbered the streets were dug up, or burned ont, to clear the ground in case of second attack, and so the first publie improvements in Seattle were begun. A company of volunteers numbering fifty-one, of which Chief Justice Lander was made cap- tain, was organized and the defense of the city committed to its care. From that time forth the settlers felt that they were secure against any attack, and so they con- tinned until the end of the war.
First White Child Born
Orion O. Deny was the first white boy born in King County. Born in a log cabin on the shores of Elliott Bay less than two years after the first families had settled here. His boyhood days were spent along the trails that are now First and Second Avenues; his schooling was ob- tained in such institutions as the city boasted and later in the Territorial University; his early manhood was spent on Puget Sound as engineer of one of the first steamboats that plowed its waters.
The cabin where he was born stood on the present site of the Hotel Stevens at First and Marion. On Novem- ber 13, 1851, his father A. A. Denny had settled at Alki Point.
Mr. Orion Denny built the Seattle Athletic (Inh Building about eleven years ago and took a prominent in- terest in civic affairs.
Mr. Denny died February 26, 1916.
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NEW JUVENILE DETENTION HOME, BROADWAY AND SPRUCE STREET, SEATTLE. MODERN IN EVERY RESPECT
COST $30,000.
Tablet to Henry L. Yesler
King County always ready to reverence the memories of Washington pioneers, will not overlook the custom when the new Court House is completed. The immense pile of granite and terra cotta stands over the spot where was situated the residence of the late Henry L. Yesler, who built Seattle's first saw mill, back in 1852. And when the building is completed and houses its family of hun- dreds of county and city employees, its main corridor will contain a bronze tablet to the memory of the pioneer.
This was decided by the King County Commissioners, when they adopted a resolution authorizing M. P. Nielson, a Seattle sculptor, to make a tablet on which will be a medallion portrait of Mr. Yesler.
The tablet will cost $500, and its dimensions will be 24 inches by 26 inches. The medallion which will be full face, will occupy the upper part of the plate, and above the head will be entwined a border of Oregon grape leaves. At the bottom of the plate will be another border of either Oregon grape or salal.
Below the medallion will be the Following inscription : "In Memory of the honored pioneer HENRY L. YESLER,
whose home was on the site of this building, this tablet is erected by the people of King County in recognition of his publie spirit and helpful generosity."
COUNTY STOCKADE ERECTED UNDER THE LAZY HUSBAND ACT. FARM, "THE WILLOWS"
LOCATED AT THE NEW COUNTY
"Mercer's Girls"-The Story of Pioneer Womanhood
The Seattle Gazette of May 28. 1864, published the following: "We neglected last week to notice the return home of our highly esteemed fellow citizen, Mr. Asa L. Mercer. from the East, where he has been on a visit for the greater part of the past year. It is to the efforts of Mr. Mereer, joined with the wishes of the darlings them- selves, that the eleven accomplished and beautiful young ladies whose arrival was lately announced, have been add- ed to our population. We understand that the number, as at first reported, would have been fifty, but many were not able to prepare for the journey this season. The thanks of the whole community and of bachelors in par- tienlar, are due to Mr. Mercer, for his efforts in encour- aging this much needed kind of immigration."
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