The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-04-14
SEATTLE. SUNDAY, APRIL IL.
TIE SEATTLE IDEA.

The success which is attending the Sc
curing OF the subsidy 10 insure the build
ing OF the Lake Washington canal and
the ,iaa fat waterway demonstrates
that the seattle idea has not lost iis
hold upon lhe people Of the city. and
that when IL comes 20 hanging together
aud working as one man for any project
which is demonstrated 10 be for the
best interests OF the city. our citizens
vii be true 10 the record which they
have made In the past In that direction.
The Seattle idea had It's origin In the
DAYS Of the infancy OF the town. when.
having only some 200 or 800 inhabi-
tantz. Il lost the prize for which II had
erasped-~to DE named the terminus of
the Northern Pacific raiiroad-and was
further oppressed by the active hostility
of all the then existing transportation
lines of the territory. who were heartily
enlisted tn the effort % cripple the re-
sources OF the infant city. and build up
q rival TO II on commencement bay.
In those days money was scarcer here
than ID is nj this time. even when a
blight seems to have settled upon the
Industries OF the entire world, No money
sn any amount had ever come here for
resident In the city as a rule had brought
little or nothing with them when they
came here.
The very existence Of the town was
threatened by the action OF the Northern
Pacific officials. and there was no help
20 be looked for from abroad. AZ a
means to secure the prestige OF the town
Il was thought necessary to start some
enterprise OF n magnitude and character
sufficient 90 demonstrate that there was
the making here OF city. The most
feasible suggestion was the building OF a
railroad line to open up the coal fields
lying east OF the city and then but in
she first stages Of development.
II was hopeless 10 try and enlist out
eide capital In such an enterprise. and
from the comparative poverty OF the
people OF the little town Il looked equally
hopeless 20 attempt such an undertaking
with nothing to rely on but local re-
sources.
But hopeless as II seemed. there was
magic In "a corporation which enlisted
every single inhgbitant Of the city In the
undertaking. When the railroad com
rsany was organised not a man who lived
IN the city refused "a contribute toward
It's construction. THE few who had a
nttie money subscribed laviahly and. In
deed. almost rcckiessiy from their small
fortunes. the merchants subscribed even
goods from their shelves the land owners
literally OF their land. although the latter
Was Of littIe Immediate use az the time
g. directly furthering The project. Day
fsborcrs and mechanics. whose sole cap
.,sI was their labor ard skill. gave as
freely az that and took blocks % stock
10 Ne r,aiA for BY work on the railroad
Finally. 20 give the project is FIRST
impetus, the town En- massc went 20 work
actually and physically on the roadhsd
and for tao days every man and halt
grown hoy "a the city not iucapacitsgel
hy sws or iafrrnfiy worked with axe. pick
49, shevel and thus graded sn that time
three miles OF the road While the mer
tolifd tie women turned out aud cooked
fer them.
TIE work never stopped until n railroad
Was built. equipped and IN running con
agtson 20 the Newcastle ana Reuton coal
mines. and ncw industry % great ira
portanco. tributary - the ci,y. was
created
This vas the spirit Of the Seattle al
twenty years aso and this was the birth
CO "the SEATTLE idea" which has built M
. city az present second only IN corn
sserclai importance On the Pacific coas,
60 san Franclsco and with prospects toI
the future brighter possibly than those
Of any city west a. Chicago,
The Seattle idea stln exists. Il - appar.
eut. and The succeas % the south cana
project viii demonstrate ~