New-York tribune., 1889-12-23
PART II.
DEC. 23, 1889.
THE FIRE AT SEATTLE.
THE CITY BEING REBUILT ON A GRANDER
SCALE THAN BEFORE.


lFRoM STAFF CORRESPONDENT on THE TRrBusEl
Seattle, Wash. Nov. 3o-The scenes at Chicago after
tho great fire Of 1871 being reenaced In this far
corner OF the continent Five months ago, the over
turning OF gluepot started blaze which swept away
thirty-two blocks Of buildings and laid bare sixty
OF the hillside above Puget SOUND on which
Seattle stands To-day the city is chaos OF bricks
mortar and mud. The rainy has overtaken
It a little earlier than usual, and the steep streets arc
largo puddle through which schoolgirls PICK their
way in iackboots and mounted ettercarriers splash
about their daily rounds. Charrcd beams, tangled
masses Of bulldng-iIon, and piles of scorched stone
asfgure the sodden thoroughfares. Saloon keepers,
gamblers and the OF cheap lodgnghouses have
been driven to turn honest penny in tumbedown
tents and wet day the prospect dreary enough.
But Seattle is brimming with energy and
push. Its great misfortune is likely TO prove
prOdigous boon. Already city is being reared
in the burned district twenty times solid and sub
stantial as it will replace. The hillside is dotted
with the foundations of sky-Scrapng structures
fve-stOry brick offce-building erected inside or
sixty days, and a handsome four-sory hotel, with
nearly 200 rooms IN seventy days. Most OF the
burned wharves have been restored Nine street-car
lines. worked by cables and electric motors, over
grades as steep as any in Francisco, either in
operation or building Work has been begun on
100000 rong-mil and iron works 10 cost
SO. 100000. What Seattle describes with pride as
the finest vaudeville theatre in the United states is
Just completed. and a company has been organized
build the finest opera house on the Pacific Coast
at cost of SO 100000. Another $350o00 hotel. 10
he placed on a commanding eminence and chrstened
I'm honor Of the pioneer named Denny, who on No
vcember 13, 1851 purchased the town site from
Chief Seattle and his tribe Is already under way. In
some parts OF the city rushing business Is done
In the lower floors OF buildings which lack roof and
several stories. and merchandise is stored and
a
limited space in Seattle than in perhaps
any other town In the country. Bus
the most remarkable feature is the height at which
the basement lines OF the buildings placed
above the street. In many places a ten-foot lad
der IS used to reach the ground-hoor from the sidewalk
and much of the foundation IS exposed above the
street This IS architects freak and the mud has
nothing TO do with IT, IL means simply that the
Seattle people tired Of climbing the slope which
their houses stand and propose to reduce it to common
level. The undertaking is little less formidable than
that Of " de Lesseps Panama But Puget Sound has
resources which She great Frenchman lacked and the
boast that seattle mountains seems
likely be verified
Robert Moran, the Mayor Of Seattle, is Of her
most public-s plred citizens. On the night Of the
fire he personally took charge of the city, and issued
orders against the unruly part of the population as
stringent and effective, though not so brusque
those of General Butler at New-Orleans. He closed
the saloons in special police superntended tho
work of the salvage corps invited ladies TO cook for
the militiamen. ordered the arrest Of persons found
the after in the evening without the
countersign, and at took steps to repair the
ruin wrought by the fire In spite of the destruction
of a great part of the city records, he presented
elaborate report the municipal affairs TO the Com
Council In september, and In this report an
nounced the reorgan zation of the Fire Departments
and the repat of the city, and recommended inn
proved water and sewerage systems the bonding OF
the city debt and the purchase of a large tract Of
land for Central Park. With this example before
them, It is no wonder that the citizens Of Seattle
assembled among their smoking ruins the morning
after the fire, alsed 100000 for the erection of =
hotel and refused to divert TO their needs the
IS 900 or $4,000 they had just subscribed to the
Johnstown Relief Fund In the words of who
the meeting, Everybody just yelled Let the
money CO. ana u went % sbc MaOn @ n
generously the support Of the sufferers by the fire.
the city, where he has handsome residence.
The result Of all this enlightened enterprise Is
the population has increased from 10000 TO 10000,
progress great that the tax levy Is inadequate TO
meet the city expenses. Land on principal street,
fire. is held ~ 900, and the real estate broker
who on the morning Of June opened his office in an
the bumed-out hoel-keeper who at the same time
stared open air restaurant among the ruins with
kitchen-range and stOyeppe connected with the
only tall brick chimney left standing Between
ardent rivalry. seattle calls herself the Queen
city, and Tacoma etaliates by assuming the title
of City OF Destiny Tacoma boasts of It's railroad
facilities and seattle points with pride' TO the little
railroad its inhabitants built with their hands and
their expense, as to force connection
with the Eastern trunk lines. But both are well
served by the Union Pacific steamboats, between
Tacoma and Victoria, b. c. The perennial bone OF
contention mountain, about . 900 feet high visible
from both points. To speak OF IL Mount Rainier in
Tacoma would he invdiOus TO call IL Mount
Tacoma in Seattle; and. unless it IS abated by
BY dSncrested Arbitrator deadly feuds may spring
mp. which in the dim future will be traced back
directly this Incident. Seattle has never thought
of getting even" by christening the mountain with
rs own name. But that towns independent position
Is msracd by story told In Tacoma. What Is
tie future Of - stranger Is said to have asked
a Seattle real estate man. Well ] don't know
rep'ied the broker To be candid ! have told
many lies about It's future, and many of them
come true, that I will say anything yon want-and