The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-11-13

Valuable Tract Overlooking the
Lake TO Be Reclaimed.
PAVED STREETS AND DRlvEWAYs

Walks, street Lights and Other
Urban Conv~nicnces-LarG sum
to BE Expended-Te Build Houses.
most important urban improvement
involving the expenditure of large sums
Of money and the identifying OF large
and slightly tract Of land overlooking
Lake Washington. is under consideration
BY the Puget Mill Company, of Port Lud-
low, Port Gamble and San Francisco
The company owns large tracts of real
estate in Seattle and its environs. One OF
its most valuable pieces Of property is
tract OF 21 acres on the side hill over
looking Lake Washington, divided by
Madison street. People will readily locate
the tract when 1t is stated that on one
part of 1t was fought the sham battle
during the Fourth of July celebration
last summer.
The company has under consideration a.
proposition to grade streets through a
tract eighty acres in extent, pave ii with
maeadam and lay out residence lots and
blocks. Under the scheme proposed, and
which will In all likelihood be adopted by
the company. there will be no unsightly
board sidewalks, but the streets Will be
bordered by hard, smooth walks made OF
the screenings from the macadam. The
streets will not be laid off in rectangular
form. but will follow the natural contour
Of pa fnr MY ma
tistic effectiveness governing the engin-
GERS who are to lay out the streets.
1t Is further proposed to supply the
tract with water. sewerage system and
electric and gas lights. No expense will
be spared TO make the tract Q most de-
sirabie city residence neighborhood.
OF course. the company will not under
take this enterprise from motives of phil
anthropy. 1t is planned to improve eighty
acres and possibly erect a number OF
modern dwellings thereon, and place the
whole tract on the market. If the propo-
sition of building houses is not adopted
the Improvement of the eighty-acre tract
will be carried out, and 1t will be placed
on the market. That property lying near
est the Madison street cable road will be
first improved, and following this the
company will take up its outlying property
and put IL In shaps for the real estate
market.
John w. Ferris we'll known civil en-
gineer of San Francisco, was ordered to
Seattle by Pope & Talbot, the controlling
owners In the Puget Mill Company He
was told TO examine the ground, inquire
carefully into business conditions In Sc
attic and make an exhaustive report as
to the feasibility and advlsability OF car
rying out the plans of the company.
Hammond Hail. formerly state engineer
OF California, had been employed several
months ago to draw plans for improving
the tract owned by the company, follow
Ing the general lines Indicated above Mr.
Halls drawings have been approved by
the company. but there was still a ques-
ton of material interest and practicable
ity 10 be considered.
The company therefore employed Mr.
Ferris to come to Seattle and spend
week here. He arrived last Sunday and
met Mr.. Cyrus Walker. of the company
at the Rainier-Grand Monday Together
they visited the tract and consulted about
the matter. The city engineers office
was visited and Mr.. Thomson's views
were obtained. Mr.. Ferris spent part Of
nearly every day during the week on the
ground. and during the remainder OF the
time he has looked carefully into the
business conditions in Seattle He has
inquired from real estate men as 70 the
demand for building lots. and was in
formed that at present the inquiry fo-
desirable buildings locations was greater
than for several years past
II did not take man Of Mr.. Ferris ex-
perienre in business matters and keen
judgment long 20 learn that in it's com
merciai life and activity Seattle is the
equal OF any city OF ne Coast II not actu-
ally the superior Of them ALL MIR Ferris
may admit even This. but as Il loyal san
Franciscan he cannot. NJ course h. ex-
p"cted 10 say for publication that he has
learned enough 10 make him see tina, az
far as Alaska and kiondike trade is con-
cerned and the development Of trans-pa-
ctic commerce. San Francisco might as
well he off the map altogether when com
pared 10 Seattle.
Mr. Ferris said last night that he would
recommend to he company thai its OK
teHs!ve plans Tor the Improvement of the
large tract mentioned he undertaken at
once and pushed rapidly 20 fruition.
4 believe the tine Is right for s,ieh an
undertaking as il proposed by nv emplov-
trs." s,iid Mr.. Ferris. Il can plainly SEQ
that Seattle is moving rspidiv forward
and that ~ all the avenues Of commercial
lifr ard development a healthy and prs-
GTeSSive spirit - encountered [ can SEQ
Their. js = Keen demand for both business
MessrS, Pope & Talbot that the time il
op0or.u7e for the Improvement If their
valuable property and placing "a ou the
market"
MIR Ferris asked - ;,e excused from
going su;o details concerning the grad
inE ara Improvement - the urone1tv or
ire prshshle -est thereos It = understood
that. II the coupsDy's plans arc carried
out ~ All ,hree miles ~ streets VIII h.,
graded ard covered win an excellent
! usacadam pavement. Thc who'll scheme
emhosies tbe identifying IF the tract as
Nsil as p'a,'t..- jt 81 shape tor marketing
resiGEure lcts- only thaSo who evaet hand
Some residences WI Pee encouraged n
twv. T1e streets ali be parked and every
available method az making she tract
orHsmsct1l ju the way ~ landscape gar
aeniHv w;l} be employed. Water mains
all te lsi& and prov SION made for hight
srS the streets. oT winding ways. ard ina
Aoa~ss TIE property lies overlooking
lake Washington snd commands a Splen-
aia view
The uDstghtlneSs that marks many ~
ghe streets - the city. where tas residences
aa 9ue SHE are several feet above t5,s
street level ard jsasa on :he e.her a~n IN
a h>ie ~ ~ ohv{sted- TIE streets and
avenues nj conform 10 THE las ~ ma
land
The roCpasy owns - .~reS - al ~as-
tas lake aad extending nearly 70 T.ni,n
bay. lis present i.tecriaa IS rot - -hrow
al tais property Oh thA r,arxet. ht,f -
ultimately extend streets throsseA - ara
market x IL lzrSe hooks. as .he demand
arises.