The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-02-01
I'm the Wonderland
OF North America.
Twenty-Fifth Letter of Northwestern
Travel-The Peerless City of Seattle.

ton) ana twenty-five miles long, lying
parallel with the sound The land line
forms a semi-circle, rising in terraces
from the water front, quite similar to
her neighbor, Tacoma, and is encircled
In the rear by lakes Washington and
Union which are connected by small
narrow canal, virtually forming a con-
tinuous waterline in the rear.
On landing we are at once impressed
with the vim. energy and thrift Of the
people. manifested on every hand. We
hnd broad avenues running parallel
with the shore laid out over the
wharves, which are thronged with
drays and conveniences of every kind,
and busy people fastening to and fro,
while engines and cars are moving up
and down the numerous tracks upon
the thoroughfare. which is called Rail-
road avenue, laid out by the city for
public and commercial use. Going from
the wharves We soon emerge into a
proad street, Leading to a large triangu-
lar space or square, which Is the hub"
or the city, From this square. (occi-
dentaD the main lines of traffic radi-
ate and from here is the best place to
start to see the city.
The appearance of Seattle on Com
mercial and Front streets is that OF a
city OF 100000 inhabitants. There Is a
continuous stream of people on the
sidewalks, while carts. drays, cabs.
busses. carriages. wagons and also
cable and electric cars are found on all
the main avenues.
Like a Western Chicago.
Almost the entire business section of
the city covering sixty-feup acres. was
destroyed by fire on June 6, 1889, when
$2o'OOOOOO worth of property went up in
name and smoke. The ashes were
scarcely cold when the enthusiastic
citizens began to build anew, better.
stronger and more beautiful than be-
fore. Think of It! Within one year
thereafter. over mile and half of
business blocks. from three to eight
stories high. We're built in the burned
district by her indomitable citizens-a
record unsurpassed by any other city
OF its size in the known world. "A city
OF brick, stone. and iron has arisen,
monumental evidence of the energy,
pluck and perseverance of the people,
and of their feryent faith in the future
OF Seattle, giving it added beauty and
stability. 1t is impossible not to ad-
mire the marvellous enterprise of this
people. No evidence of this disastrous
fire of June 8, 1889, remains today, un-
less 1t is found in the great rows of
magnificent brick and stone structures
of imposing appearance and modern
architecture. where once was a mass of
oh, ,,s,I, .t,,., -r.s- =
Scattic's Marvellous Growth.
Seattle Is. we think, justly called the
Queen City of the Sound" for 1t leads
all other towns in the state in all
things, essential to prosperity. and will
keep that lead. The growth Of the city
has been simply marvellous. Thirty
years ago 1t was a struggling village.
In 1870, the town bad population of
LOO; in 1890, the census showed 43,S47:
and in 1895, it had over $1,000 souls
who live in an atmosphere of excite
ment and thrift and their business en-
terprise. push and responsibility and
go aheadism." would stagger the or
dinary eastern business man. This Is
the place for people to come. who have
pluck. sand and back bone, and come
to stay. An observing stranger will
notice at once how very few gray hairs
and bald pates are found among the
citizens Yes, this is the city of young
men. pre-eminently SO; and the driving
energy manifested on all sides shows
the material that they are made Of
1t Is estimated that there are fifteen
thousand young men here. Young men,
too. of fine quality, many of Puri-
tan stock. a'large proportion of them
being graduates of our best eastern col
leges. They have brought not only
their school training with them, but
their religion also. How grandly this
testifies to the influence of Christian
training In the families of the east.
There is an impression among some
that In these far western states the
people are without much education or
culture. I would say right here, that
anyone who has such a thought will
need only to take a tour through these
states to have his mind disabused
Both Tacoma and Seattle are composed