The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-06-06


the alley, on the rear half of the site of the
present Butler block, was the old Butler
block, two-story frame arrangement, in
the upper floor of which Fisher. the archi-
tect, and others had their Offices, while
Taylor q Burns and nest of real estate
men were below. On the Second street
front was another two-story and basement
frame, also known as the Butler block, in
the basement OF which was the Real Estate
Exchange, while the ground floor was oc-
cupied by the Offices Of the Kittingers,
John Leary and others, and the second
floor was a lodging-house known as the
Henrietta Kelly house, in which many old
residents dwelt. And the building on the
rear of the lot was the Foster house. o
fashionable clearinghouse. Where the
six stories of the Harrisburg stone block
now rise skyward were a number of
wooden buildings of various heights, the
one at the corner being windy two-story
shack in which the Western Union tele-
graph Office formerly was, and in which
there were 15-cent barber shop and the
offices of several land locators on the day
of the FIRE.
Opposite the present PosT-ISrELLrGEx-
GER Office onCherry street, about where the
Western Union Office now is, stood two
story frame, which had been built in 1875
by Mr.. Yesler, for the old INTELLIeENcER
at Front and Cherry streets, and moved to
its new site. The. word IsrELLIGrScER
could be seen staring out from behind the
sign "Model Vienna Cafe" which had
been painted over it. On the northwest
corner of Second and Cherry was an old
fre-trap, of two stories, built in very old
times, and belonging to Mrs. Foss. In the
rear OF 1t was row of one-story frame
shacks, owned by DR.. III. B. Ragley. cx-
tending to the alley. For this lot the
Washington Territory Investment Com
pany afterward paid $1,000, the highest
price paid for one lot up to that time.
Next to it, on the lot where the Rengstorf
building now is, was the st. Charles hotel,
the only temperance hotel in Seattle,
which was conducted by Swan Lewis and
mother. Then came two residences which
had been converted into secondhand fur
niture stores. On the southwest corner
of Columbia street was the one-story
Bodega saloon, famous for "clam juice"
Below it on Columbia street, where the
Times buildins is, was the old No. engine
house, two-story brick. At the north
west corner of Columbia street, where the
Halter building stands, was network of
one-story shacks, owned by G. Morris
Haller and occupied by milliners, tin
shops, plumbers, etc.
Adjoining them was the residence of
Charles Macdonald, where the Douthitt
building is, and from this point the build
ings became scattered. A vacant lot had
little shed on it, occupied by wandering
photographer, the site of the Epler block
was vacant and then came two-story
wooden building owned by Gamma Pom
Gin. The Burke block stands where the
old Shoudy residence was EMPOWERED in
its orchard, and the vacant lot at the south
west corner of Madison street, was occu-
pied by frame dwelling, in which was
negro colony.
Above Madison street was Rev. Clark
Davis "Brown" church, and still further
up was Rev. Daniel Bagley's old original
Brown" church, which had been con-
verified into lodging-house. and was
about the last building burned to the
northward on that street.
On the east side of Second street the
flames skipped the Colonial and Boston
blocks and the buildings to the north of
them, which have, howeves, undergone
some changes subsequently. Where Dex-
ter Horizons new block is going up at Sec
where he had lived for many years up to
within year or two, surrounded by
fruitful orchard. The corner where Amos
Browns old building stands remains as it
was. inviting unfavorable comparison with
its neighbors across the street. The Lew
ellyn-Dodge block had been run up just
before the fire, and the Kilgen block was
in course of erection. The next lot had
been cleared for building, the old house
which now stands behind the Kilgen block
having been moved back, and on the cor
ner was a one-story cottage which was
used for offices for some time afterward.
The Pacific Postal Telegraph Company
moved into it the day after the fire.
On the high ground to the south of
James street, which has been graded down
considerably stood John Collins residence
in goodly orchard and surrounded by a
beautiful lawn, and next to it, where is the
row of one-story brick stores owned by w.
e. Bailey, was the st. James hotel, a large
two-story frame structure, high above the
present grade of Jefferson street. Above
it on Jefferson street were Trinity Episco-
pal church and rectory, the former hand
some frame structure, and several frame
shacks, all of which were wiped out.
II