The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-20
SYSTEM IN STREETS.
The Committee to Revise Names
Receives Suggestions.
PIONEERS LIKE THE OLD ONES.
Dearborn Explains His System I'm De-
tail-Knox Offers Another Plan
The Committee in Doubt.

The street naming committee met at the city
hall last night, the members present being Al
dermen Pontius and Ingraham and Delegates
Krug, Willis and Cowden. There were also
present Judge McGilvra, Messrs II. H Dear
born, d. T. Denny, John B. Denny, Andrew
Knox, DR.. G. II. Randell, J. NJ. Frink, R. W.
Jones, W. W. Easton. w. Hodgdon and many
others
The committee contented itself for the session
with listening to suggestions. Opinions seemed
to be pretty evenly divided between adopting an
entirely new system and limiting the reform to
providing new names where there is more than
one street of the same name
In the absence of Mr.. w. H. 7. Barnes, the
choice of the committee fell upon Delegate
Willis as chairman, but Mr.. Barnes soon after
arrived and assumed the Office
Mr.. Dearborn explained his system as pub
lished in the observation-disclosures yesterday
morning, with the additional explanation that
the numbering of houses would be equally
systematic, all streets north of Yesler
avenue to be numbered in blocks from
101 up to 150, 2o1 to go, and so on; all houses
south OF Yesler avenue to be numbered in blocks
from 15l to 1879, PSI to 299, etc.; streets TO be
numbered on the west side with odd figures
and on the east side with even figures He gave
as particular instance Philadelphia where the
best attempt had been made TO systematize
street names, but which was still very incom-
plete. he gave numerous illustrations or the
perfect simplicity and clearness of his plan. By
the numbering alone it could be at once seen
whether a house or store was north or south of
Yesler. For instance any house numbered under
$50, say 149, 231. or 3l3 would be known to be
north, but If above 80, say 165 Iva, 1S3 would
at once be known to be south of Yesler
Mr. d. I. Denny was asked by the committee
to express his views. He said he did not doubt
that Mr.. Dearborn's plan would have been very
good forty years ago but it seemed to him to be
too late in the day to make so radical a change
He thought it the duty of the council to i'm
mediately change the names of all duplicates,
but further than that he did not think it would
be wise.
Judge McGilvra said he fully concurred with
Mr.. Denny, who had expressed the speakers
views better than he could himself. He be-
lieved Mr.. Dearborn's plan would have been
good il system had been followed in the plat
ting. Such a system had been adopted In
Washington City and Philadelphia, but 1t had
never been attempted in cities irregularly
built He would suggest that it was not expe-
dent at this time to reverse the entire town
plat, but restrict changes to such streets as
were duplicated in name.
The old settlers were somewhat attached to
smes; som & of them would much regret to
see lie old ones changed.
Mr.. Dearborn asked if they would rather re-
tain a name that had no meaning in preference
to one that would indicate locality.
Judge McGilvra went on to say that the E