The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-02-22
I'm the Wonderland
OF North America.
Twenty-Eighth Letter of Northwestern
Travel-Further Facts About Seattle.
Written for The Tribune.

a. t5S
Written for The Tribune.
Among the pleasing characteristics
Of the Seattle people il their Cordiality
10 strangers. evidently genuine. Moth
ing could exceed the courtesy extended
to us by some OF her representative
citizens. and doubtless the,same Is ac-
corded to all eastern tourists, particu-
larly II they evince an interest IN Seat
tie and its enterprises. Thechamber nt
commerce has been Il potent factor In
shaping the destiny of Seattle. II has
aided very materially in the fostering
uf new industries and DEVELOPMENT or
old ones and also the general advance
ment Of all interests tending to the
prosperity and happiness Of Seattle
people.
Among the possessions of which Seat
tie is justly proud, none deserve more
credit than her press. Her news publi-
cations number twenty mine, of which
three are dailies-the Post-Intelligen-
Ger, Telegraph and Press and Times
the first two being morning and the
last an evening paper In editorial abil-
ity they are uneXcelled and mechanical
ly fully equipped.
Scattle's Manufacturing Interests.
Seattle, as manufacturing city. has
facilities unsurpassed. Here are 25o
manufacturing concerns, In over four
score different lines. with capital OF
nearly $1,000, 900. producing goods year
ly, valued from $40, 900, 0O0 to $15,OOO.OOO,
employing more than 1900 workmen,
who, with their families. compose near
~ one-third of the city's population. A
project is now on foot to utilize the
enormous water power Of the Snoquai-
mie falls, located about twenty-five
miles from the city. 1t Is estimated
that by converting this natural force
into electricity and conveying II 10
Seattle hundreds OF thousands or morse
power will be made available at much
less than 80 per cent. Of the present
cost This fall of 2S6 feet perpehuicu
lar, the projectors claim. VIII iurhisi,
mower for all the street railroads ana
machinery now operated In Seattle. and
have an immense reserve force To spare,
even enough to turn the wheels or lne
machinery of the coast. -,
In the matter OF rapid transit facil-
ties, Seattle has no equal among clties
of her size in the United States. Here
are three standard ns-continental
railroads and one narrow gauge, OIL
vergipg east, north and south to the
coal fields and through the valleys.
Seattles future as a railroad center Is
assured.
Mr.. William ]. -urafh0s," son of
Judge Grambs. of Honesdale. and
prominent electrician and manager at
Seattle for the North Pacific station of
the General Electric Co., and who was
appointed receiver for three electric
roads during the late financial strln-
gency, Is authority for the following
statement: NO city on this continent
hus u more perfect street car service
Here are fourteen cable and electric car
lines. The motive power and the equip
ment of these lines and branches Is
second to none i'm the country. They
ramify through every section or the
city, extending to the lakes. parks and
remote suburbs. The trackage covers
ninety miles and the various companies
have u total capitalization of S5.Ooo,OOo,
1t Is estimated that from 1000 To o,ooo
men are employed In this service either
on the roads or IN the shops, and II is
believed that 10000 passengers are daily
handled. This. considering the con
servative times which have fallen upon
,he entire community in which econ
omy In both large and small things is
the watchword Is a remarkable eX
hibit, indicative of the energy and en-
terprise of this bustling city.
The First Electric Road.
The Seattle and North End railway
road in the United States to adopt
electricity as a motive power for haul
ing freight. As an instance of this
traffic that may be handled by electric
lines. the Grand Street Electric Rail-
way company receives over their lines,
from adjoining agricultural districts,
over $500 gallons of milk daily.
Mr.. Grambs further says: Seattle
Is the best incandeScent lighted city on
the coast, having three electric light
companies using over one thousand arc
lamps and thirteen thousand incandes-
cent. The streets are lighted by cleo
tricity for which purpose ninety-one arc
lamps Of 1000 candle power. 27S incan-
descent lamps of thirty candle-p power
and 300 incandeScent lamps of fifteen
candle-power are used There is in
vested In electric Industries on the Pa
cific coast over $55. 900 900. and of this
Washington has $l3.OO0.OOO over ten
thousand men are furnished employ
ment and the electric cars carry an
nually fifty pilllon passengers.
Seattie's Water Works
Seattle receives its water supply from
Lake Washington. The water works
are owned by the city and valued at
one million dollars. One hundred miles
Of iron and steel pipe conduct the
water from the pumping stations on the
lake and the high service reservoirs to
the various parts OF the city. the high
est being $50 feet. The pumps have a
capacity of lifting four million gallons
per day. There are three systems used
to supply the city. besides the prospect
soon of gravity system now being
constructed by the city from Cedar
river which will bring an immense,
ever-changings stream of pure noun
tain water from the Cascades directly
to the city's door-a very important
consideration TO Seattle. ..t
The fire department is one of the
very best both in matter of skilled
employees and appliances. 1t has four
engine companies. seven steamers. six
hose carts. two hook and ladder COM
panies and seventy-one fully paid men,
The cost of the steamers and apparatus,
including steam fire boat at $50, 900,
aggregates $253,0OO The steamers cap
acity Is 1000 gallons per minute.
Cosmopolitan City.
Seattle is indeed cosmopolitan town.