The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-07-13
SYSTEM IN STREET NAMES.
Two Are Suggested. Each With some
Merit Marking the Names.


Merit Marking the Names.
The proposal made at the meeting Of
the house OF delegates last Monday even
ing 20 have signs placed al the corners or
the streets in the center OF the city tell
ing their names. instead Of making mem
matter OF tradition, has brought 10 the
front the old question OF rearranging the
names OF the stree0 a systematic plan
and doing away with the present go-as-
you-please lack OF system.
The man who has made most study of
the subject is II. II. Dearborn. who has
before submitted pan TO the city. He
proposes that certain such main thorough
fares like Yesler avenue should be taken
as starting points for naming and num-
bering streets and wharves. so that the
name itself will be a guide 10 any street
Thus he proposes that the streets north OF
Yesler avenue and west Of Broadway Ia
given names beginning with the letters of
the alphabet in rotation. the first to begin
with A the second with b. and on.
Southwark from Yes.er avenue the same
system would be followed, another class
of names being used TO distinguish the
section of the city in which they are. He
would retain the present name of CONNER
cial street but would change Front 10
First and South Second to South First,
ultimately connecting the two by cutunf,
off the corner. and would change South
Third 10 South Second to correspond with
Second. OF which 1t Is an extension. The
wharves south OF Yesler avenue he would
letter A. B. c. and so on, following out
the plan begun by the oregon Improve
ment Company. the letter at the foot or
each street corresponding with the initial
OF the name of that street. Inc wnarVes
on the north of Yesler avenue would De
numbered to correspond with the street
numbers on Front. Second ana paraliei
streets. but would be called piers. Tnus.
Madison street cutting the cross streets at
No GOO. would have pier 10 at its foot.
and persons walking up Front street
vould know by the numbers when he came
10 Madison street that he would ma pier
10 there.
He also proposes change IN the NUM-
herring OF the streets south OF Nesler ave-
nue. At present 100 numbers are aI.oweu
for A block. but only about twenty-five OF
tbem are used on each side. Mr.. Dear
horn proposes that the first nifty or each
100 should be used on the streets running
north from Yesler avenue. ana the se0ohd
6fty on those. running south, so that tne
street number would furnish another gulue
to the section of the city in whlch any
address was to be found. Inc even NUM-
hers would be ON the east and nortn SIDES
and odd numbers on the west ana sou'h
gides Of the streets as at present
The alphabetical system or naming
straets would be followed out IN other sec
tions of the city divided off by main THOR
oughfares. such as Depot and broadway.
LYMAN Banks. c.erk of the board OF pup
lie works has evolved a scheme OF naming
the streets of Seattle which has the nearly
approbation of City Engineer thomson
II is to use numbers on all those running
parallel to the water front, beginning az
the waters edge with No. !; to give the
letters of the alphabet TO the streets rom
Depot 10 Yesler avenue running az rlsns
angles to the water front, as street. !,
street etc: to call streets north OF Depot
street avenues, and streets south OF hesIer
avenue WAYS. IN other .osIities he pro-
poses to substitute such terms as way,
road terrace. having each synonym TOT
street apply to one particular district.
Witch would at once give 1t approximate
,oration. using letters and numbers 70 IN
d,cate consecutive position
Mr. Banks and Mr.. Thomson ooth hgtee
that the best pace to put the signs Oh .ne
NAMES of the streets is on lamps az me
street corners where they may ne easily
raad nv day or night, and Furthermore VII
ha more out of the way OF the small pos
than IL affixed TO the fences or houses