The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1900-01-11
The Growth of Seattle.

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, Jan. /, 1900.
! James j. Hill said in Boston recently that
within fifteen years Seattle will have
population of 700, OOO'' That is more
than Seattle people claim, but not more
thansthey hope for. With the present
population steadily and rapidly creeping
up near the 100, 900 mark, the task set by
President Hill of the Great Northern
Railway would mean an increase of 80. 600
annually. But the growth of a large city
would hardly be as regular as that-as the
| increase would more naturally grow with
the years. SO, if Seattle gains 10000
next year, and Is, 900 the year 1901, before
the year 1915 has arrived Mr. Hill
prophecy may be fulfilled.
A any rate, there is much encourage
ment in Mr.. Hills MISUNDERSTANDING his
faith in Seattle and giving warrant of his
further good intentions. Hills proposed
operations from which he unQuestion-
ably tigures-will have as much as any
/ other line of enterprise to do with Seattle's
",
900, 600 in docks and warehouses for his
freight operations, and is now arranging
for splendid passenger station for Seat
tie. 1t has already been announced that
President Hill was having built several
steamships of mammoth size for the
traffic between his Seattle terminus and
Oriental ports.
Hill is doing his part to make true his
recent prophecy
The growth of a city is shown in vari-
Gus ways, when it is impossible to keep
| account of the increase of population, ex-
cept once each decade when the census is
taken One thing we do know, that the
population is rapidly increasing, that the
building operations for eleven months of
1899 amounted to the sum of 81 ,313, O13-
rather running riot with unlucky num-
bers, some might say.
Notwithstanding the immense amount
of building, still going on through the
winter OF rainy months, the city is to- day
crowded with people, making rents high
and scarce. Consequently as good a
business as can be entered here to day is
that of building houses, which are taken
up for cash before completed.
Then, too, the city banks have money
in plenty, even loaning a goodly sum to
New York banks recently to help the
hard up banks over some financial difficult
ties. The banks Of the city-Six "Na-
tionar' and four ate''-Sept. 7th had
on deposit $12, 349, s34 10, and Dec. I'd the
sum total was increased to $13 ,7SS, OIL. 81
an increase of 81 43S, 237. 10 or III per
cent. Giving Seattle a population of ST.
600, the amount on deposit would be
92 to every inhabitant. The total is
about so per cent. over the deposits of
, one year ago. The percentage of gain
for the national banks for the past three
months was 10 l 2, and that of the State
banks, a.. per cent.
Then another good index of city S
progressiveness is found in the real estate
transfers, as we'll as the building record.
For the six months ending Dec. 31st,
Seattle's transfers will considerably ex-
coed four millions of dollars. The actual
figures, as far as possible to ascertain, up
to Dec. Goth, were SO, $50, $50, and during
those months 495 transfers simply gave
the nominal sum of 81 90 as the amount
of transfer. Allowing an average of $3.50
for each of these 495 transfers and the
total would be 81, 113, $50. If the ratio
of transfers keeps up for the balance of
the month, the grand total will aggregate
between four and one-quarter and four
and one half millions dollars for six
months.
Not bad showing for far western
city, which disclaims all intimations of
the boom order O. M. MOORE.
Takes the burn out; heals the wound ;
cures the pain. DR.. Thomas Electric Oil.
the hOusehOi0 remedy