The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-12-16

unb dppTOpIidtiu6 tile pTtCctuS-CdTle OIL
of course. in the old cookhouse. Justice
Maynard presided at this trial, and the
accused was discharged from the old
cookhouse with the wholesome advice
that In future he should be careful to
make correct return of all his private
sales of other peoples property.
who then, knowing the full history of
this famous old relic of early times. can
wonder that 1t has so long been suffered
to stand and molder unused, In the
midst OF the more .gaudy surroundings OF
a later cfvIlixationf And who can think 1t
strange when, at last. its old smoky walls
were compelled to yield to the pressure
of progression, and be tumbled heedlessly
into the street, that the old settler looked
sorrowfully upon the VANDALISM destruc-
ton and silently dropped tear over its
leveled ruins. Peace to the ashes of the
old cookhouse.''
In fact. there is much in the building OF
a great city that Is painful to him who
has been q witness and helper to its
growth. This has been particularly true
of Seattle. Stately and beautiful ever
greens had first to be sacrificed to give
standing room to the old mill, the log
cabins and the modest homes of the pio-
neers. These In turn were torn down or
moved elsewhere to make place for their
SUCCESSORS. and this went on from year
to year In an widening circle. until
the great fTe swept away Tue idTstI part
of the place that grew up during the
ffties and the sixties. The same fire
consumed nearly all the pictures of the
older town and the old houses. The writer
has been able to gather here and there
a picture from some old settler. until
n valuable collection has been obtained,
and In addition views have been taken or
old houses that often now stand many
blocks from where their builders set
them and the old pictures and the new
have made possible an almost complete
reconstruction on paper OF the old
town"
In early days tide marsh separated
the southern part OF the village from the
mainland, until Yesier's mill had produced
sawdust enough to MI the low ground on
First avenue south. Yesler way and First
avenue. At ordinary high tide the water
flowed through natural cut at Wash
ington street, and at spring tides II COW
cred many acres where now stand blocks
OF large brick buildings. The southern
margin of this marsh began little south
of Washington street and followed
around southeasterly TO Main and Occi-
dental avenue, thence 10 near Third ave-
nue. south and Jackson, ind near there
1oined the bay again. The northern mar
gin began about the north sidn OF fesicr
way and running nearly In the Same
direction as the southerlN bank crossed
First avenue and James street near their
intersection Yesler way and Occidental
avenue a little east of said avenue, thence
10 about Second avenue soutn,and WASH
ington street. and from here II can be
traced at the present time.
The land between the south margin OF
this marsh and about the present limits
of King street and Railroad avenue was
higher ground. covered with large trees,
ana on this island or peninsula most OF
the early homes were built Maynard,
Adams Mercer Plummer, Kinds, Har-
mon Felker. Conkiln ard Williamson
lived there. All the stores. tavefns ana
saloons We're ON First avenue south, UNI
tn in 1864 the Occidental hotel was bulk
on the site Of the Occidental block The
sa wmrl was on the north side OF Yesier
way. The western end OF the mill hung
cut over the water a few feet east 81
Post street aud the easteriy end extended
nearly to the present flower bed IN Pioneer
place IL was later moved 20 the north
side Of Yealer dock where Railroad ave-
nue. crosses a. On it's early site the POST
lnteiIigencer and Yesler-Taary buildings
we're erected early In the 'Sfs. The latter
was then the costliest and most ornate
structure that had been built here, aud
perhaps in the territory IL was destroyed
as The fire az iSS9, and then most OF the
ground on which 10 stood WAS condemned
and made into an extension OF First ave-
nue. south into fH%4 AktNAta Aaf tAis Al-
ton one of the most dangerous obstruc-
lions 20 street trafTic Ia that rcgson was
removed.
From the "sawdust" near James street.
First avenue rose gradually go a point
little north OF Cherry, oelng there twen-
ty-elght feet above high tide, thence was
a gradual but irregular decline 20 Madl-
son street where II was about seven feet
above datum. this was on the east side
81 First avenue; the west side % the
street is all filled ground and extends
over where the tide once cbeed and
flowed most Of the way irom Cherry 10
Madison; at Cherry the hll was eight feet.
al Columbia eighteen feet. al Marion
twcnty-one feet, and the same at Madison
with a all Of flve feet On the east side at
Marion and Madison from Madison was
an irregular rise 10 Pine street. but al
Seneca street there WAS d ravine twenty
five feet deep. The first city ordinance
for the grading of a street, was No. H.
approved June s. 1876. for this avenue. and
the accompanying illustration shows most
of the work soon after II was completed.
The large building on the right was
known as "Woodwards mill" for years,
having been erected for a grist mill, but