The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-11-16
He Leaves a Reputation Which
Any Man Might Envy.
HIS BUILDINGS HIS MONUMENT.
A Man Whose Word Was Accepted ~ .
Funeral Arrangements.

devoted friends.
Mr.. Ranke was born at Rostock, Ger
many, on December 10. 1872. and would
thus have been 50 years old on December
10 next. He learned the trade of mason
and bricklayer and then came to America
at the age of %. bringing young wife
with him. He first settled in Chicago and
was employed as boss mason and brick
layer. After five years in that city he
moved to the Sound and settled at Vic
toria. He soon came over the boundary,
and made his home first at Steiiacoom and
then at Olympia.
Work at his trade was lot plentiful in
those days. when nearly all buildings
were of wood, but Mr.. Ranke early gained
reputation as good workman and a
square man, which secured him fair
share of work and enabled him to put up
home of his own at Olympia The first
big building he had anything to do with
was the United States penitentiary on
McNeil's island, of which he was superin-
tendent of construction under Isaac Ellis,
the contractor. He next took the con-
tract for the erection of tall chimney at
the old Tacoma mill. He also put up the
first brick building in Tacoma for c. B.
Wright; it has since been burned.
Nearly every brick building in Seattle
before the fire was the work of Otto Ranke.
Even at the time when his home was at
Olympia he spent large part of his time
at this city experimenting the work he
had on hand. He erected the old store of
Schwabacher Bros. d Co., on Commercial
street, on the site of the one which was
burned last summer and did good work on
it. for the walls stood after the great fire.
This was the first brick building in the
city and it was quickly followed by others.
Nearly, if not quite ali, of these were put
up by him; Front street from Yesler ave-
nue. to Columbia street was solidly built
up with brick, and on all of it Mr.. Ranke
was the contractor. At last. eleven years
ago last October. he moved to Seattle and
has made his home here ever since. Dur
ing that time he built the Yesler-Leary
block at the corner of Yesier avenue and
Front street. the Frauenthal building on
Commercial street and Mrs. Bells build
ing in North Seattle.
After the great fire Mr.. Ranke took a
leading part in the rebuilding of the city.
As superintendent he had charge Of the
erection of Schwabacher Bros. & Co.'S
store on the site of their old one at Com
mercial street and Yesler avenue, bought
the material, paid the workmen and so
complete was the confidence reposed in
him by that firm that it never asked him
for voucher for any part of the 800, 900 he
expended. He erected the State building,
at South Second and Main streets for the
same firm; the Pioneer block, the Ma
tional Bank of Commerce, the First
National bank block, the r-Boyd, the
Washington, the Union, the Boston and
the Squire building at North Seattle. Last
year he built a handsome residence for
himself at Madison and Tenth streets, and
last winter. in place of his old home at
Pike and Fifth, erected the tine structure
which bears his name.
Mr.. Ranke's work is also to be found in
the other cities of the Sound. He erected
the Cyrus F. Clapp building at Port Town
send and the Williams block at olympia,
besides several others in both those cities.
Of Mr.. Ranke it can be said literally that
his word was his bond, for i: was rare
thing for any man who let him contract
to ask bond for the faithful performance
of the conditions. Speaking Of this fact
last night Bailey Gatzert said: He was
a thorough mechanic and would not take
a job unless he could do good work, and
as he owned property himself nobody re-
quired bond of him. We never asked for
one." The story is told of him that imme-
diately after the fire August Mehlhorn
and Fred Gasch went to him with pict-
ure of the old Union block and said:
lotto, we want you to put up new
building just like this, but one story
higher"
Mr. Ranke agreed. and on the strength
of this conversation, aided only by the
photograph and his recollection of the for
mer building. he put up the Union block,
which now stands on Front street.
During his residence - Chicago Mr.
Ranke was leader among the Turner's,
and soon after his removal to this city he
took an active part in the organization of
the Turnverein, and aided in the erection
of Turner hall, on Jefferson street, which
is now used as the opera house. At
that period he frequently sang in
amateur operate performances, and
when the Turner's produced The Pr
rates of Penzance" he played the part
of Capt. Corcoran. He also aided in the
formation of the Deutsche Wohlthats
Gesellschaft. a charitable society formed
among the German born citizens He was
a member of AK Lodge, Ancient Order
of United Workmen. and Olive Branch
Lodge. No. 4. and Unity Encampment, No.
=, OF Odd Fellows.
Mr.. Ranke was director of the People's
Savings bank and the First Nationa nj bank.
He was also interested in some mines in
Eastern Washington.
While in business Otto Ranke was a
man of the strictest integrity, III social
life he was of such kindly. genial dis
position that he won all hearts, and his
soul was brimiui of fun. Though these
characteristics made him so popular that
he could not but have succeeded IN being
elected 10 any office which he might have
sought, he steadfastly resisted all tempta-
ton 10 go into politics. lie was several
times urged 10 be a candidate for mayor.
but always declined so positively that no
amount of persuas on could move him.
Mr.. Ranke leaves a widow. two daught-
ers, Miss Gretchen and Miss Mamie, and
two sons. Alexander and Frederick.
The funeral services will be held at his
late residence, at Tenth and Madison
streets. at O'Clock tomorrow afternoon,
and will be conducted by Rev. Il. G. Gar
rett. rector Of ST. Marks Episcopal
church. The funeral will be under the
auspices OF the lodges OF which he was
member. interment will be IN the Ma
sonic cemetery.
THE FIREMEN's GOOD WORK.
A House Saved From Destruction by
Prompt and Efficient Service.