Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-01-01
THE CITY OF SEATTLE
uIstoPy Of the Settlement and Pro.
svess OF she Chief ttiy Of Washing
ten Territory.

oOA
Seattle is the chief town of Washing
ton Territory. It's exact location is IN
latitude AZ degrees IS minutes; longitude
122 degrees 10 minutes, on the ives.
shore Of Puget Sound, in King county.
Its first settlement dates back over
thirty years. In the fall of 1851 Charles
G. Terry. Lee Terry, a. A. Denny, ID. i.
Denny, C.. ID. Boren, w. n. Bel and
John n. Lowe, all recently from the
Eastern States, came by schooner to
Puget Sound, and located for the win
ter at point five miles south of the
present city, which point forms the
southern extremity Of the harbor. This
point they gave the Indian name "Alki,
signifying ''by and by" which name
has since been adopted by the Terri
tory az its motto. The Ierrys were
from New York, and for time the town
they projected at Alki Point was dub
bed New York. The Point, however,
did not entirely answer for the town
these far seeing pioneers hoped to estab-
lish, and early in the spring following
they settled on what il now the site OF
the city of Seattle, DR.. ID. ). Maynard
adding himself TO their number In
April. 1852, Maynard. Boren, Bell, the
wo Dsnnys and c. G. Terry taking each
$50 acres of Government land, adjust
ing their lines in October. 1852, 50 as to
admit III. l.. Yesler, who proceeded
forthwith to build the first steam saw
mill ON Puget Sound. In May, 1872,
the town was laid out by Maynard, who,
in addition TO doing what was required
of him professionally, traded With the
Indians, and entered largely upon the
packing of salmon. Seattle was head
of the tribes in this vicinity, and as he
was very friendly to the white settlers,
and in compliment to him. his name
was given TO the town. This little set
tiement Wa then one of four on Puget
Sound, the others being Olympia, Steil-
accom- and Port Townsend. The growth
of the Puget Sound settlements was
quite. rapid, and the population was
considered b. Congress in March, 1853.
sufficient for the maintenance of sep
arate form of Territorial Government,
and then Washington was cut of from
Oregon, the area of the new Territory
being about 100000 square miles, in
Guiding all Of what now comprises
Washington and Idaho and a part of
Montana. In this vast region we're
then, perhaps, 1000 white people, against
1900 ia 1860 and not less than 1900
today. No part of this great country
enjoyed q more rapid and satisfactory
development than that part in the in.-
mediate vicinity of Seattle. La three
years the little town had become place
of 200 inhabitants, while about as MANY
more were engaged in farming in the
country adjacent. Up to this time no
steamboat piled these waters and all
communication between points on the
Sound was by the canos of the Indian.
Az has been the case in all frontier set
Elements on the Continent Of America,
trouble finally arose between the natives
and the whites, and in 1856 it developed
into open hostilities. Massacres en-
sued, and in the course of few days
the country precincts were wholly de-
populated, not a house being left stand
ing outside the limits of Seattle. All
who could fled to the town, where a
blockhouse fort was erected. every man
drafted and armed, and all other pre-
cautions incident 10 such times taken.
The town was be sieeed and men shot
while engaged in its defence, 400 In
dams making bold assault upon it on
the 18th of January, 1856. The United
States sloop-of-war Decatur, at anchor
in the bay, aided the people with her
cannon and shells, and after an all days
contest the savage enemy retired.
Many persons left the country during
the war or shortly after its close, and
for long term of years progress was
retarded by apprehension of possible
repetition Of the horrors cf tina. time.
The town, however, could not be KEEP:
down, and though possessed of smaller
population than any of the neiShboring
towns, began to develop spirit of en-
terprise that constantly brought il into
public gaia and that to this time has
increasingly tended to It's advancement.
In 1861 it secured the location within
its limits of the Territ rial University.
In 1863 a citizen, in order to satisfy the
plainly felt want of more women, went
10 Boston and brought out party of
twenty marriagaable young women. and
in 1866 brought second company of
forty or fifty, chartering the steamer
Continental for the purpose and coming
via Cape Horn. These ladies were all
taken into private families and ma
jority We're married within six months,
many of them being now wives of the
foremost men in the Territory. In 1856
the first newspaper was established,
called the Gazette, a small weekly,
printed on Ramace press that had
previously done duty in Mexico, Cali
fornia aud Oregon. Thenccforth tho
growth Of Seattle was more rapid. In
1870 the town had population of iloo
souls, and in 1850 Of $500. while in 1852
an estimate of COCO is very reasonable.
Tie city is divided into three wards and
isgoyerned by Mayor and Council
OF seven members; an active, efficient
IRE department., with three engines:
public schools. attended by 100 children
and taught by thirteen teachers, with
graded streets and gas; mercantile es-
Establishments that will compare favora-
bly, with those in the average town of
lo.00o inhabitants, and elegant private
Residences.
The city may be judged by its church.
Is, schools and societies. OF the former
the churcbes-the Episcopalians have