Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1882-05-16

Eprros Pcsr-IErxrlrorscrn:

There ere some things citizens can do
without. waiting for the action Of Legis-
ative bodies. Uur streets are all
named. l see the new map shows two
Pine streets. Perhaps there may be
other complications. but surely it is a
very easy matter for owners Of corner
lots to put CD plain sign giving the
names of the interesting streets. l
think there is but one corner in this
CITY thus named. l refer to the corner of
Second ard Marion streets.
But as Artemus Ward SAYS: This is
all turin to the subject of my lecter ar
ter ALL" / wish 20 call attention to a
system for numbering streets which the
citizens at tritiing expense, can put
Immediately into use. A few examples
will explain the whole plan. Let us
start from Mill street On Front, going
north, OF towards Belltown, and num-
Der the buildings, not The lots. We will
use odd Numbers for all business places
and residences on the left hand side of
the street. Mr.. Cosper's store would be
number 101: the barber shop number
1O3; the shoe shop 10J; and SO on antI
We reach Cherry street. On the other
side opposite Nr. Cosper's store, the
corner building would be numbered 1G2;
Mrs. Burroughs store number l0i: Miss
Tibbitts' store and Mr.. Tibbitts' store,
as there Is a coKmon entrance for both,
would be number 1G5. and so on to the
corner of Cherry street. From Cherry
stl Get We number the meat market on
the corner number 202; Pon;ius' drug
store 20f. On the opposite side, kel
logg II Snyder's store would be num-
bered 20l; Treen Il Raymond a3; &c.
The idea embraced in this plan is that
any number given tells Us the number
of the block or square between two in
tersecting streets. For example, if We
are directed TO any number beginning
with 4. We know it is in the fourth block
from Mill street. thus: Number 402 we
know to be in the fourth block. also
that it is on tho corner and on the
right hand side of the street. One more
example: Suppose We We are directed
to number 50i, Front street. The tells
US that it is in the fifth block, the tells
us that it is on the night hand side and
the second building or entrance from
the corner. Taking Mill street AZ q
starting point, all the streets north or
south can be numbered by this system,
always remembering to put odd num-
UGIS Otl tuo hkI anu CNCh oh
the right of each street, thus: The
bank on the corner of Commercial and
Mill streets would be number l0l; the
drugstore on ths opposite corner lO2,
&c. Follow the same plan in number
ing streets running from the bay.
Now for tho practical application OF
this system. A tin sign, 3xf inches
square and painted with the proper
number of the residence or building,
| would not cost more than half dollar,
if it did that. Suppose all the build
ings between Cherry and Columbia
streets were numbered and labeled with
such tin signs; then should another
building DO erected between any two
numbers it would be a very easy matter
to change the numbers from tho new
building to the corner by ndding new
number 10 tho last or corner building,
and rcarranging the others in proper or
der. Any new arrangement of numbers
in one block would not affect those of
another block. 1t does seem as though
there should be individual enterprise
sufficient t. put this plan into immedi-
ate pra elise, so that long before tie
Fourth Of July our citizens and stran-
gers can be able 20 find any part Of the
city by oral direction, without the an
noyence and yexation which now besets
us. SEAUEH.