Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1899-11-03
NO. %.
GROWTH OF SEATTLE.
OuADRUPLeD POPULATION ~ A SIM
GLE DECADE.

IncreaEed From 10000 In ISSs TO sO.-
OUO Ia IS9s-weaIth and Commerce
Grew In Even Greater Proportion.
Marvel OF the Northwest.
Less than 40 years ago the site of the
present city of Seattle was wilder
ness more wild ana lonely than any
section of the country now within the
boundaries of this Union, and there Is
no place ON the shores of Puget sound
SO small hut that it might serve as u
picture of what this city was for sever
al years after its first settling.
In 1892, when Captain George Van
cOuver of the British royal navy was
on his famous voyage OF exploration,
which resulted in SO many of the now
well known names being first applied
to the vicinity of Puget sound, the site
| and harbor of Seattle were overlooked.
The great navigator, with his two YES
sells; the Discovery and the Chatham,
was in the vicinity surveying Admiral
ty inlet, Port Orchard and the upper
sound. An occasional vessel found its
way into these waters during the first
half of the century, trading with Indi-
ans. Among these visitors was n fur
trader which arrived in 1876. One Of
its crew was young man named Dan
| lei Smith, who afterward served as
justice of the peace and died in Seattle
| in 1890 at the age of 50 years. His
brother followed him to Seattle and
afterward served two terms as mayor
| 1t was not until 1852, however, that
two brothers named Denny and sever
al others whose names are preserved
by association with various parts OF
the city, Bell, Boren, Maynard, Terry,
Van ASSET and Maple, settled in it's
neiGhborhoOd. The little town grew
quite rapidly and soon had its sawmill,
tannery, fishery, stores, school and
church. The early inhabitants suffered
severely from attacks by Nisqually,
/ Puyallup. Duwamish, Klickitat and
Yakima Indians, and one of the prnci-
pal features Of the town was a stock
adc roughly made of heavy timbers.
1t grew steadily until in 1888 with
G,000 people, it led all the towns of the
territory. 1t was already becoming
very prosperous place when In July,
1889, a fire swept over 200 acres Of
Seattle's business quarter, wiping out
wharfs, railroads and houses. stores
! and even the wooden streets them
selves.
! 1t resulted in 4 great impetus being
| given to the city. Fresh capital came
in, fine buildings took the place of the
| two story wooden structures, and there
was great influx of population. The
population in 1850 was only 3,533. BY
1890 it was 43,4s7. 1t continued grow
| ing until 1898, when the depression
/ which fell upon the whole country had
its effect, and for two or three years
! it remained stagnant
/ BY 1897 trade was already picking
up when the discovery Of gold in the
klondike gave it tremendous i'm
| pulse, and the momentum is still felt.
| The population is now about 10000.
/ But the increase in wealth and conf
mercial Importance has been even
greater. For time it was rivaled by
| Tacoma, in consequence of that city
being made the terminus of the North
ern Pacific railroad, but that rivalry
| has practically ceased, and now Seat
tie is entitled to figures which place 1t
almost on n level with Portland, which
/ for 40 years has been by long way
the leading city.
A visitor to Seattle cannot fail to be
/ impressed by its scenery. The busl-
ness part of the city lies along the wa
ter front at the foot of terraced hills
and extends across the tide lands at
the mouth Of DuwamiSh river. From
natural elevations in various parts Of
yond the calm blue waters of the
sound the dark and snow capped Olym-
pics, while to the east, extending north
and south as far as the eye can
reach, Is the mighty Cascade range.
with Mount Baker 70 miles to the
north, nearly 1000 feet high, and the
Stupendous, solitary Mount Rainier to
the south, towering $4,000 feet above
the sea level and capped with per-
petual snow. Between the city and
that scene lies Lake Washington, a
beautiful sheet of fresh water almost
80 miles long and as wide as three
miles. The water Is clear and cold, be-
ing fed by springs and mountain
streams, and ut places Is over 200
fathoms deep. Linking Lake Wash
ington with the waters of Puget sound.
to the north of the city, Is Lake Union,
and 1t IS to unite the magnificent lake
Of fresh water with the no less deep
arm Of the sea that the canal which
has attracted SO much attention, is now
under way.
Seattle has one Of the finest military
posts In the country, located on COM
manding bluff to the north Twelve
miles from the city is the newest and
one Of the finest naval stations in the
country, with drydock whose capaci-
ty is shown by the fact that 1t is now
comfortably entertaining the first class
battleship Iowa. which is being over
hauled after its experience at Santiago.
In the city there is also the newest as
say office. which in one year has han
died $T,000,000 of gold and become al
ready the fourth in rank in the United
States.
A few figures will serve to emphasize
the growth and present Importance OF
the city. In 1883 it was q town Of 16,
900 people; In 1893, including adjoining
towns, about $4,000. In 1883 it had g
miles of street railway; In 1893, &C
miles. In 1883 its brick and stone
buildings numbered SO; in 1893, 2+6
In the years 1889 over 800 houses
were built. In 1888 it had six banks
and no clearing house; In 1898. II
banks and n clearing house. with clear
IA.n ncnr