The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1899-10-05
Statistics OF Seattle.

periencing, or has recently experienced,
Seattle-the only Seattle on the map of
the world. During the past two years
the pioneer has become stranger among
us, and, virtually, the 'cheechaco,' or
newcomer, has captured the city. Old
timers walk the b usy streets and look al
most in vain for familiar faces. New
com ers and ''transients'' throng the
tleets, and eastern capitalists appear to
be buying up the city. 1t is safe to aver
that no city Of the Fan West has absorbed
so much of Eastern money during the
past year as has the Queen City, AS a
consequence real estate values are stead
lily rising, and the "bottom" of the
market has already been lost sight Of
The era of prosperity which has pre-
vailed il Seattle now more than two
years has resulted in the building of
many hundreds of new homes, more than
A,OO0 during the past year--and these,
almost without exception, apparently by
outstanding the great number of sub
stantia homes built, the demand still far
exceeds the supply. Rents are conse-
quently high and scarce, and yet the
building operations go merlily on.
50 little is known of Seattle through
out the East that something in the line of
statistics may be OF interest to your
readers
The population is now estimated at So
600, viii the probabilities favoriug an IN
crease over these figures The city linn
its cover an area Of IS square miles, with
12e miles of improved Streets over 100
miles IF watel mains; streets lighted by
gas and electricity % miles Of electric
and cable street railways; y public
schools, ~ teachers and Q ,577 pupils, oc-
cupyiuS III rooms. the cost Of public
school buildings being 500, GOO The city
is about to undertake in addition High
school building fol which prize of ., 900
has been out fo1 the best plans. As may
be inferred, Seattle prides itself on her
lu0Gc schools, as well as her System, "
of which the journal Of Education, edited
hyla Winship, says
'ludging 10y the supervisory and teach
lne foloe, by the course Of study, classi-
hcatous and prome;lor methods aud
spirit, and ~choolIoom ad prnment, there
are few cities between the seas to com
Yare With Seattle. What is known as the
Shearol plan Of promotion has been in
full working order in Seattle for seven
years, and promotions take place in some
schools almost literally every day in the
year, and this occurs so naturally and ad-
Nantageously to the children and the
school that they never think it strange
that child is slipped forward without
note on comment. This plan of promo
ton originated in Seattle in 1891 by Super
1ntendent Barnard, " who is still in charge
Of the city schools.
Seattle las splendid paid fire depart
meut with eight engines-fire and cbem
cal, SOC Lydrants, and first class fire
boat for the halbo1 There are between
8, 600 and 1000 telephones used in the
city, the underground system of wires
having been inaugurated but not wholly
IN use.
The public library containing 70, 600 vol
umes, fills the famous Yesler mansion
occupying an entire block, with parked
grounds me st attractive spot and model
institution
The secret and benevolent societies of
the clty number more than l00-possibly
every secret order existing in the United
States being represented here.
The value of improvements made in
August appro4imated 5000 600.
Al Institution OF the city is its free en-
ployment office, Which, for the month of
August furnished positions fo1 2, 40 per-
sons and for the year 1893, a, IS positions.
The daily capacity of the city water
supply is j /, 600, 900 gallons coming from
Lake Washington, by a system of pump
ing. The city now has under construc-
tion an elaborate gravity system, from a
feet above the altitude of Seattle. 1t is
expected the new system will be COM
peted during next year.
The vital statistics for the city for Au-
gust show AZ deaths-a death rate of Z GA
per 1000 inhabitants-one by diptheria,
three of typhoid fever, one of Group, three
of heart disease, one of cholera infantum,
1hree by drowning, and the 80 others of
general diseases, scattered among 80 diff
ferent ailments-three being the largest
number by any one disease. No suicides
no murders. To offset the A deaths,
there were II births,
O. NJ MOORE.
Valuable Indian Relics.