The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-06-06
What Seattle Was Like in the
Days Before the Fire.
BRICK BUILDINGS WERE RARE.
Some Historic Structures and Popular
Resorts Wiped Out.
The Wonderful Transformation Made
in Two Years Described in Detail
what Tour OF the City With Rem
fnisccnt Old Residents Recalls.

Il Is but two years today since the Sc
rattle of old days passed away in few
hours, licked up by the all-devouring
flames. and made room for the new city
whose rapid upbuilding and whose mag
nificent appearance are the wonder Of all
visitors. The old city was what all old
cities are which have begun existence as
struggling settlements and have grown
first to village, then to town and at last
begin to assume the airs of metropolitan
city. The humble structures which be-
come the modest character Of a village are
found still standing on the principal
streets, frowned upon by the imposing
brick and stone block which betoken the
birth of city. The humble frame build
Ings of early days yield slowly to the
march of modern improvement and are
only replaced one by one, as they fall into
The hands of the more wealthy and pro-
gressive citizens. Thus the signs of the
village remain for many years and jostle
The city as il grows up among them. These
village buildings yield inevitably to the
new generation of buildings, just as the
sborigines have yielded to the resistiess
advance of the white race. but they yield
but slowly. and a new generation grows
impatient at their tenacity of life.
Bat in Seattle whirlwind of fire cleared
The way for an improvement which would
not under ordinary conditions have been
accomplished in several decades. 1t swept
out the remnants of the village from the
center of the city and left the ground I'M
sncumbered for the building Of city
worthy of the high destiny which had
been predicted for her by the people.
There was never any question Of their re-
building, and that point settled, it was de-
sermined to rebuild on such scale that
the city should outshine all her rivals and
establish her supremacy once for all.
What the change has been can only be
conceived by those who knew Seattle be-
lore that change took place. Fully half Of
The present population have come here
since the heart of the city lay confused
mass of ruins of the old and material for
building the new. 1t was difficult for the
uniformed stranger to distinguish
whether any particular spot was part of
street or part of lot. As the work of re-
building went on, the traces of the old
city became fainter and fainter until now
they are all but utterly wiped out.
Thus. in order that the new popula-
lion Of Seattle may know how great
ID the transformation which has been
sffected in these two short years, it is well
10 tell of what the old Seattle consisted,
what were its streets, its chief buildings
and its favorite public resorts-it is well to
tell it before the picture has faded from
he memory of those who lived in it, for
few more years of the busy life of the new
city may render it impossible to make the
contrast.
The residents Of the old city will also
enjoy recalling to mind the scenes of
former times, when they knew every build
ing, It's owner and its occupants, and when
svery house had its pedigree and was asso-
riated in the mind Of some person with
some friends or events which stamped its
picture on his memory.