The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-07-25

expense This power can be subdivided
and distributed in large or small quanti-
ties wherever desired. 1t will be espe-
cialIy valuable to new manufacturing IN
stitutions or to small enterprises just
starting up possessed Of but limited
capital.
PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS.
The year 1891 is an important one for the
starting of new enterprises and the COM
pletion of valuable public Improvements
in Snohomish county.
The fine two-story brick courthouse,
completed last winter, is furnished and
occupied by the various county officers.
For the cost it is the finest building, the
most complete in its appointments and
furnishings of any similar Puget sound
building. The Mount Carmel convent,
Sisters of Mercy, is also completed and
school has been maintained there since the
opening of the year. The Plaskett grad
ing contract will cost the city $45, 600. 1t
is approaching completion and is q great
improvement every way to the town. The
Cypher's contract, just let. for grading
Avenue D, will cost 1850. The building
Of wagon bridge across Snohomish
river from the foot of Avenue d, connect
ing with the county road on the south side
of the river, will be of great value to the
town and county. The San Francisco
Bridge Company are now rapidly building
it. Tie contract price is $4,000. One
year ago the city assessment was about
100000 This year it is not far from
81, $50, 600.
A. Hagerty will spend not far from
$4,000 this year in building and similar
improvements. He has doubled the
capacity for business purposes of the
block formerly used by Blackman Bros.
as store and now owned by him. He
will spend not far from 81 900 in building
the four-story building now being put up
by him at the corner of Union avenue and
Front street. The excavations for J.
Often & Co.'S $4,000 brick block are
about completed. This block will be put
up this fall and winter. Within the past
six months great number of new stores
have been opened up, also several new
hotels. The old stores do their usual or
an increased amount of trade, while the
hotels are crowded to their utmost capac-
ity. There is also an immense amount of
Eastern money here seeking investment.
All these things indicate continuance of
growth for this region.
GROWTH OF sNoHoMIsH COUNTY.
The district court of Washington terri
tory, holding terms at Snohomish city,
in and for Snohomish county, was organ
lied in 1876 1t ceased to exist in Novem-
Der, 1889. During its existence of thirteen
and one-half years a total of $50 cases
were filed. 1t was succeeded by the
superior court of Snohomish county,
state of Washington. In something over
a year and one-half 450 new cases have
been commenced in this new court. Sno-
homish county, with Kitsap county,
form one judicial district. Judge Denny
spends two-thirds of his time here and can
scarcely keep up with the business. BY the
next session of legislature it will be neces-
sary to not only cut off Kitsap county but
probably also to appoint an additional
judge for Snohomish county.
A like state of affairs exists in the audit
or's Office. Prior to 1887 or 1888 one man,
with few days occasional assistance,
could do all the work of that Office. Now
the auditor, one deputy and five clerks are
kept constantly busy. On January 1. 1889,
the deed record in use was volume Z. On
January 1, 1891, it was volume IA, and on
July 1, 1891, volume 10 was in use. In
1889 about 1900 instruments were filed in
this office for record. In 1890 the number
was 4, 700, while during the first half of
1891 some $500 instruments were filed for
record. The business of this office during
single month equals all done there dur
ing the first twenty years OF county organ
ization.
The assessment rolls of the county footed
up1n
1887. 052,322ls90. $1,000. 4,625.l79
1888 ......... 1899 467ls9l tabout). 100000
SCHOOLS OF CITY AND COUNTY.
Notwithstanding the fact that two years
ago this place was extravaganza enough to
put up $4,000 schoolhouse, one that
many then deemed entirely too large for
the town, now the cry is insufficient school
facilities. There are now 624 children OF
school age in the town. The Snohomish
dictrict has secured site for new $1,000
schoolhouse in the eastern part of the
town. This building will be two stories
and basement; will be located north OF
the railway station; will be about seventy
feet square; will contain four school
rooms, heated and ventilated by the Smead
system, which is designed on a new plan
to secure uniform temperature and perfect
ventilation at the same time. The base
ment will contain furnaces, fuel-room
water-closets and two play-rooms. Every.
thing possible will be done to secure per
feet sanitary conditions in and around this
building. A schoolhouse site will be Sc.
cured in the western part of the town this
year, on which still another school build.
ing will be erected in 1892.
There are now fifty school districts in
Snohomish county. Over twenty school
districts have been organized in the past
three years, seven since January l. In
1880 there were 9, 243 children of school age
in the county. Now there are over 5000.
The following letter from Hon. B. H.
Dixon, county superintendent, furnishes
valuable information about the schools of
the county:
The schools of this county vary very greatly
as regards financial resources aud general excel
lence. The snohomish city schools are well or.
gsnized. The various departments are well fur
nished with all necessary apparatus The pu-
pills are as well graded as 1t is possible for them
TO be, when the fact is considered that the peo-
pie move about so much in this new country
Professor o. Moore, having resigned his position
as prineipal. will be succeeded by Professor j. s.
Adams, OF Edison, Ohio, who possesses an en-
vla6le record as principal in that place for sew.
eral years. His corps OF teachers in the sno-
honish schools will be, as in the past year in the
same place. the best available. With the COM
pletion OF the new east end school building ele-
ven teachers will be employed in Snohomish
during the next school year. The schools in
Edmonds, Stanwood, Florence, Sultan, Marys.
vile and few others possess ample funds, and
hence are in q comparatively hogrishing condi-
ton, but the majority of che county schools
have been placed under a great DISADVANTAGE