The Republican journal., 1900-01-25
A Song OF Seattle.

sfAGrLE, WASH, January y, 1900. For
!. city II less than one hundred Thousand
population, Seattle feels thai she has
made record of improvement during the
year lust closed second to none of like
population in the [ nited States. Seattle
has undoubtedly passed he Boom le-
mod of frontier existence and has come to
bo rated among the steadily progressive
and prospective great cities Of the cont
nent Changing conditions have operated
il seattle favor as few practically new
cities are favored. Hel advantageous
position at the very centre OF thai extern
sive and ramifyiug inland sea known as
Puget sound al once made Seattle the
common gateway Of Alaska and her bene
tit from that source has already been
conn uted among the millions. And this
uas been but two or three years expert
ence
With 40 indication that Alaska will ever
be anything else bat marvellous gold
producing territory, and consequently the
LICiI dltf VI t70dhttt dH lIOiht Itlt-
here come the Philippines and growing
Oriental trade to swell Seattle's business
operations till few experts even care to
estimate the growth Of this highly favor
ed locality consequent upon the prosperity
and commerce which surrounds her.
The city has always been in advance of
The surrounding country in its efforts to
supply the wants Of her people. Agncul-
turists appear to be latuin locating among
the great advantages offered them by this
bountitul and prolific STATE Farmers
have every advantage OF climate, soil,
markets. etc, and vet hundreds Of thou
sands Of dollars are annually spent in
otLeI States Id the purchase OF that which
no Stale produces more bountitully than
does Washington.
Seattle rapid increase in general bust
ness incs is best shown in her bank clear
ances dming the past three years. In
lS47 the total cleaIaIces were SOB, 600, 600
in round numbers, i'll 1898 Sos, Ala, 900,
and for the year Just closed, Sl05, 2S4 1913,
-. This is a so per cent increase over the
business OF last year and 200 per cent
over the business of 1897.
seattle's total building improvements
III the city during the year 1899 amounted
TO The handsome sum of 81, 211.573, as
against - $50 9s- for the three previous
years Building still goes on almost un-
interrupted by our winter, or wet weather.
and the demand seems Impossible TO sup
ply. There were III building permits is
sued in December.
The Total realty transfers for the wear
were -, 1853, 800 as against 81, $40, COS for
1895.
Governor John L. Rogers of this State
has recently written letter to IA Boston
paper Il which he gives ID forecast Of the
coming year in Washington, full Of hope
RENAL kahly clear and concise statement Of
the existing conditions and what they
promise for the near future. One of the
strongest state ments made by the governor
is this. The future prospects of the
State Of Washington are fiattering in the
extreme. The immense and unparalleled
resources of the State are beginning to be
realized The development of Alaska,
made tributary to Puget Sound by natural
conditions, means much for us. In addition,
the mines If our own State are attracting
ft,a slrt i.t, e wit
promise of future profit.
ga statement has been made which, at
first thought, may seem extreme, that |
believe to be strictly true. 1t is this If a
point be taken in the center of the Cascade
range, midway north and south between
the boundaries of Washington, and circle
drawn OF 200 miles radius, this point as
center, the resulting circle of 400 miles
diameter will contain greater natural ad-
vantages than can be found elsewhere
within like space upon the surface of the
GLOBE
Governor Rogers, in closing remarks
that he "believes the commerce of the
United States is shortly to perform the
evolution of about face and that in due
time the commerce of the Pacific will far
exceed that of the Atlantic.''
The governor is not a bit more enthusi-
astic than the average Washingtonian, but
is in position to speak with greater assur-
ance.
And why should not the great West