Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-03-08

Representatives Of the city govern-
nent. consisting Of His Honor Mayor
Strive and Councilnen Dav and Nc
Donald. yesterday Inspected the Jack
son street grade from Twelfth to Mar
ket street, Just completed by contractor
Alexander. BY invitation. a represent
alive of this paper accompanied the
party. The work jest completed be-
gins at the east side Of Twelfth street
and extends for 400 feet east on Jack
son to Market street. The grade is I'M
dolatino. conforming to the topography
of the country. There are no deep
cuts nor heavy fills. Two canyons, or
gulches. which cross the line of street
nj right angles, are spanned by very
substantial bridges. One of these
gu!ches. the westerly. is q feet in depth,
the other somewhat less. The bridges
are very strongly built, and would,
without strain, sust an the heaviest
locomotive. A double line Of sidewalk
extends along the grade the whole dis
lance, 50 that one can now 10 on plank
sidewalk along Jack son st .eet for full
mile and = half east of Commercial
street. The street il rapidly drying up.
The soil il in general sandy, or, what il
better, a blue cement, which hardens
on exposure and makes a superb bed
for driving. + .st of the completed
grade at Market street the road is
opened over TO Lake Washington. To
the top of the easterly ridge overlook
ing the lake 1t Is How in first class con-
ditiOn. From that point the view is
grand. Yesterday the atmosphere vas
very clear, and the range of observa-
tion was extensive. To the east from
this ridge the Cascade mountains we're
heaped up IN regular masses, tho dull.
preenish brown Of their heavily tim
bersd sides contrasting with their
snow silvered and suhlit peaks in pic
ture.que harmony. Between US and
the base Of taess mountains lay vast
undulatlng expanse of valley and bill.
covered densely with timber. At our
feet Lake Washington sparkled like a
gem III its setting of circlinR hills. To
the south Mt. Rainier, stern and maies-
tic, lifted his frosted head far above
the surrounding landscape. Yves +.
ward through openings in the tim
Der which fringes he intervening ridges
the waters Of Eilio. Bay could be seen
skimmering in the sunlight. Some day,
not far distant, lateral streets will be
opened along the three ridges which lie
between Twelfth street and the lake,
after which no pleasanter driveways
can be found in any city. The road
from Market street 10 Lake Washington
was opened and constructed entirely by
private parties, to the enterprise Of
whom our citizens and visiting stran2-
ers this summer vii be under obi i0a-
ton for very pleasant wav Of getting
over to the lake. All along Jackson
street improvement is marching with
swift steps. Trees are being felled on
both sides the street in great numbers,
and hero and there cottages are 50 n,
new and bright faced. in little GASES OF
clearings. That portion of tho Terry
estate just purchased by the new build
ing association Is already nearly denuu-
ed Of forest growth. jackson street is
already popular AZ a resort for pedes-
TRANS. Last Sunday afternoon hun
dreds walked out along the new side
walks to Market street, and many pro-
longed their saunter to the lake. The
one thing necessary to complete its pop
ul,rity - the Intersection Of one or
more .teral streets, SD that round trip
can he made either on foot. on horse
back or in carriages. This done, there
will be no reason to complain, as there
has undoubtedly been heretofore. that
Seattle has no pleasant prOmenades or
driveways. We desire TO say in con-
Guiding this sketch, that the work on
Jackson street is we'll done, and that
much credit TO Engineer Snow and Con-
tractor Alexander is due for the manner
in which it has been performed. A walk
or ride out that way will convince any
Of our readers that the excellence of the
grade and attraotiveness of jackson
street have not been herein overstated.