The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-01-17

~ ys.,er way and. finding him In
- mood, ASKED him for story
-. -os~s. he tncgghf over the mat
|. few minutes, and replied.
,<r ssen anything published about
- hsstory o. the gas WORKS. and j
80 IKE tina; stcry VIII ten IL
-, n ehe building o. the gas
80 nSxt 20 YegieTs mnl. the
- snt.rpslse Of Seattle, and as the
.ssns was for many years the oily
~ terr.tory, told Dir. Lea-y an
"a the difficulties. trials and tEi-
- "a, Undertaking would De read
~ .,.srsst by the old settlers, as well
: he nsv corners.
n. spring Of 1915" said Mr.. Lesry.
T~tarles Fl Burrows. 81 Salem.
..Ss6 Al the Office OF Mcknight &
- 81 faIk with re over the advis-
s -. - orranizing q company for the
49,. 49,. Al building q gas works IN Seat
80. sald he had just completed q
=, 4, gs.sna, Or. with . capacity sui
-. sar a town OF 5.e0e people. at an
- a not 70 exceed SO 90: and he
-. = ne opinion that similar works
- ~ busIi here AZ about the same
"A shat when built they would pay
ss-.'~-rAIv. He further stated that he
- $500. in Southern Oregon who
- ss,rn,sb one-hslf tbs capital necss-
70 th4 peoole Of Seattle could be In
80 70 furrlsh the remainder.
sss.s.rs. nat tire /" Continued SIR. Leary.
80 had only about 800 Inhabitants.
:. hsA great faith In the future out
- ~ ire place. and from Burrows
.-.-s.sn,zt.o.s I grew quite enthusiastic
-. ne mater. and talked II SO much 20
2. ,~ocsafes that some OF them nick
..rss ne Classy Lsary.' However. met
- sorns announcement, and We con-
800 "a forri a corporation nader the
-. ~ The Seattle Gasiight Company.
- . ez,ltal stock OF $1,000. one half
.~hlsn should De subscribed by the peo-
Z. = Seattle. and the other half by Bur-
=. and his Oregon associates b. many
=. srfsrprse was looked upon az
sssms Of chimerlcal and gassy nature.
q sane urged that II Il proved success
49, sogld be detrimental 70 the trade In
nsdlsz coal oil and fish oil; others
srs6 hat even II we did make gas here
rculd be so expensive that people could
=, ssYara 10 use II; others hooted at the
a. 81 bidding a gas works In town Of
In people. and recall that my old and
.<o<rtec friend. McGflvra. frequently al
40 10 the enterprise as Teary's Gas
nsnsasr,' and one fscetious individual de-
sxrss The scheme would become inflated
az tsDiode before the city would be bene-
tsd BIZ the Hight. | must confess that
st,stimss when I took into consideration
j. Htsle handful OF people here at the
ga. Il di5 seem doubtful Il IL would prove
1 very profitable investment. The pro-
rsss however. had an idea that this
vs the queen city OF the territory, and
a, within a year or two the population
sssN Increase so as TO warrant not only
~ sliding Of the works. but insure a
pc return on the investment
When the company was finally organ
BE- Burrows subscribed for half the
sssk, and the remainder was taken by
barter Horton. John Collins. IT. L. Yesier,
Aass Gaixsrt. Cyrus Walker. NJ 8. Drew.
anes McNaught John I,eary and others.
rsss 81 90 Of the subscribed capital was
er required or called for. Soon after the
ruhtsstfon Of the company. We acquired
~ property whore the present works are
stated. and vert TO work on the plant.
sst % January :. 1874 the works were
mnsls,sd and the frs, light furnished 20
e cssy. was the first president o< the
srsany ard Burrows was superintend-
e.
ar those DAYS iron pipes were too ex-
fsssss for mains. and we used instead
Asysf pamp logs. which we bought In Tum-
vztsg At Horizons wooden water pipe
sssn. and shipped to Seattle. These
~aefsn mains were laid from the
ssfks down Jackson street. across the
warp 10 Commercial No trenches
rsre tag: the pipes we're laid on top
TIE ground on supports 20 keep
Zen out Of the mud. and covered
vc With sawdust from Yesler's old
~ While the wooden pipes answer