The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-06-06
WEST SIDE OF FRONT STREET.
Historic Buildings Gone-Where the
Brick District Was.

Historic Buildings Gonc-Where the
Brick District Was.
The greatest change has been effected in
the character of the buildings and the
general appearance Of the main streets.
The building in which the fire started, at
the southwest corner of Front and Madi-
son streets, was one of the oldest in the
city. having been erected by Mrs. NJ. j..
Pontius early in the '70s. 1t was a
rather dilapidated frame structure, rising
two stories above the street and having
double basement below. For many years
it was the most northerly business house
in the city, being formerly occupied as
wholesale liquor store by S. Baxter & Co.
After that firm s removal, it was occupied
as a shoe store by q man named Smith, a
Iodging-house being on the second floor,
the little paint shop OF James MeGougn,
in which the fire began with the upsetting
OF glue pot, being in the second base
ment. This corner is still vacant. Next
TO it was two-story frame with 10 feet
front, owned by A. A. Denny. 1t had
been twice set on fire by incendiaries, and
was sold about year before the fire to
Mr.. Noyes.
Across Marion street, on the same side
of Front, stood an old frame building, two
stories above and two below the sidewalk,
which had been erected on piles above the
water which then reached TO this point.
For years it was unoccupied except by a
secret society called the Occidental Broth
erhood, whose sole object was to play prac-
teal Jokes on their unsuspecting friends,
under pretense of initiating them. The
lodge room was in the top floor and Sc
- of taI Hn1
TO the dirty salt water below. The victim
was put in harness suspended from the
roof and tied in scuttle. He was then
run down through the building into the
water below, being pulled up and down
again so often that he would imagine in
his terror that he was descending to the
center of the earth. One man,
who is well known in the city,
tainted with terror, and when hauled up
again was only revived by having the
spigot of beer key set running down his
throat. The victims were also subjected
to severe cross-examination as to their
past life, and all manner of humiliating
confessions were extorted from them.
When business extended to this point a
saloon was opened in the building. The
remainder of the block was occupied by
old one-story shacks. The Grand hotel, a
handsome four-story brick, and Robert
Knipe's building, occupied by the Union
Hardware Company, now cover this block.
Where the Colman block now stands,
destined to be six stories high and extend
ing from Marion to Columbia street, were
two low frame buildings. At the corner of
Marion was a two-story structure, of
which the upper floor had been intended
for the Young Mems Christian Associa-
ton, the ground floor being divided into
stores. The remainder of the block was
covered by q one-story wooden building.
The brick district of the city then began
at Columbia street. First came the three
story store of Toklas, Singerman &
Co., where their magnificent five
story block now stands. Then came
the Union block, which had been
built three stories high by Fred Gasch,
August Melhorn and Judge J. r. Lewis,
and in which Judge Lichtenberg, Wood e.
Osborn and many other lawyers had their
Offices. After the fire Otto Ranke repro
duced this building, four stories high, with
no other guide than a photograph of the
old one and his memory. Next to it,
where the Washington block now is, stood
u,
which, with large bay windows, was con-
sidered one of the handsomest buildings in
the city. In it were the offices of Strive,
Haines & McMicken, P. P. Carroll, Attor-
ney-General Metcalfe, Drs. Smith
g. Willard and other leading law.
yers and physicians. The Safe De
posit building, then only three stories
high, stood where its seven-story sue.
cessor now is. The Gordon Hardware
Company had three stories on the site Of
its present five-story building, and had
lust moved its tenants out to use the up
per floors for its increasing business, wher
the fire swept away everything. G. P
Stone had three-story brick, occupied by
the Seattle Hardware Company, where
Kline g. Rosenberg are now located. w
P. BOYD and the Starr estate had a three.
story block where their Union building
now is, except that it continued in G
straight line, while they have now beer
moved back to meet the line of Com
mercial street. Then as now w. III. Pun
phrey had the ground floor of the STAR
block and Offices composed the upper
floors. Next to this, on the corner o
Yesler avenue, stood the Yesler- Leary
building, which was about the best bricl
structure in the city, with entrances OF
both fronts, and enjoyed the distinction
of having the first elevator. On the From
street side was Charles Goldstein's ha
store, the First National bank was in tn,
corner corresponding TO its present plac,
| in the new Yesler building, and the Guar
antee Loan and Trust Company and tint
Rosenfeld-Smith Company occupied tn,
| ground floor on the Yesler avenue front
| In the upper floors were number of rea
estate Offices, Booth & Briscoe, the alb
| stractors. Reed & Clark, w. W. Newlin
Paul d Hierry, land attorneys, and various
| other leading men. The land Office hat
been removed shortly before the fire from
this location to the Columbia street side o
the Boston block.
| Turning the corner of Yesler svenu
towards the wharf. the new Yesler build
| ing was 10 be found, also o three-stor-
brick, with z. c. Miles & Co., Albert Han
sen, the Western Union and Pacific Posta
telegraph Offices, the American Distric
| Telegraph aud the Budget, with polio
headquarters in the rear on the groun,
floor, and the offices of Crawford & Como
yer, Scurry & Owens, Samuel Liyesly. tn
hop merchant, Osborn & Dyer and tn
Lowman & Hanford printing Office on tn
upper floors. Then came the Post build
ing, two-story brick with basement. Tn
PosT-ISTELLI6KScER occupied the groun,
door, with the business and manager
office in front and composing rooms in tn,
rear, the editorial rooms being on the sec
end door and the press-room and nape
storage loom IN the back basement. /,