The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-11-14
FORTY YEARS SPAN.
The Denny Brothers Celebrate
a Notable Anniversary.
FIRST SETTLERS OF SEATTLE.
The Ever Interesting Story of the Ar
rival OF the Pioneers-A Visit
to the Old Log Cabin.

Yesterday was the fortieth anniversary OF the
landing at Al-Ki point OF seattles earliest resi-
dents-A. A. end ID. I. Denny. W. y Bell, c. D.
Boren, Charles C. Terry and J. " Low, with
their families. A. A. Denny commemorated the
fortieth return of the day by taking his family
aud going over in little steamer to view the
old log cabin which still marks the spot. This
was the first white residence built in the vicin-
ity of Elliott BAY
The party left Illinois on April 10, 1851, trav-
cling overland with train of four WAGONS and
reached Portland on August D. Portland was
then city OF about 2,000 inhabitants. The
party contemplated settling in the Willamette
valley, but became interested in the Puget
sound country from what they had heard about
1t from man named Brock whom they met In
September Low and D. T. Denny left with
Lows cattle to find winter range
for them on the Chehalis river and also to ex-
piore the country at the same time. At Olym-
pla they fell in with Lee Terry and Captain
Robert c. Fay, and they all four started explor-
Ing along the Sound until they reached the
Duwamish river. They went up the river to
where Van Asset AMI Collins had already To-
Gated claims, and on returning to the Sound,
Low and Terry decided TO locate a townsite on
Al-Ki point. Low hired D. T. Denny to remain
with Terry on the claim while he returned to
Portland for his family. The interest of all
those OF the party who remained in Portland
sound country, and on Lows return they
all embarked on the schooner Exact then
hitting out for voyage to Queen Charlotte island
with gold prospectors The schooner left Port
Land on November 5, and touched at Al-Ki point
on the 18th. D. I. Denny and Terry had already
laid the foundation for log cabin and the
Work OF completing it was at once begun II
was raining more or less, and temporary camp
WAS lifted up in the brush, but it was not suffi-
cient to protect the women and children from
the rain, and so fororn were their hopes that
the women frequently broke down and cried
The cabin was finally completed, and thew
all lived in it until others could be
built. The whole party consisted of twenty
four persons-twelve men and women and
twelve children. 1t is therefore evident that
there was no spare room in the cabin.
During the winter the brig Leonesa landed at
the point, and the new settlers made a contract
to load her with piles, the first industry to bring
them an Income. The Snoqualmie Indians
gathered around the settlement verv numerously
and at one time battle was about to take place
right IN front OF Lows house between this band
and band of the Green river and Mukilshoot
Indians, but was averted by the settlers inter
fering.
Terry coming originally from New York.
named the point on which the townste was
located New York. but it was afterward changed
to Al-Ki, meaning "bye and bye" or sbefore
long," In the spring, Boren, Bell and A. A.
Denny began looking around for claims, and
located on this side on account of the natural
advantages for getting out piles and timber.
The three claims extended from the head of
Commercial street north to North Seattle
and included some of what has since
and is now the most valuable property
in the city. After locating the claims,
ID. I. Denny and Boren went back
to the Chehalis valley after the stock which
was left there the fall before. Later on D. T.
Denny and Bell took up claims adjoining the
others on the North, and thus the little colony
came into possession of nearly all the water
front north to Queen Anne town.
A. A. Denny has a very neat painting in water
colors of the old cabin as it now looks in its
half tumble-down condition