The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-01-19
sEATTLE's RAPID GROWTH.
Correspondent Tells of the
Changes in Few Years.


To the Editor of the Globe:
If pluck, push and enterprise are truly
American characteristics-and they are
then surely a community famous for all
three-and much nlore-should stand In
favor with all sister cities, far and near
The Seattle spirit has become a
synonym with progress, grit, goaheadi-
tiveness and general hanging together
on public matters, recognized up and
down the Pacific coast Many years ago.
when the Queen City held but a few
thousand population, and, resenting the
efforts of a great railway to build up a
rival city on Puget sound, the little COM
munity undertook and constructed many
miles of railroad through a broken coun-
try and equipped the same for general
service.
When, in 1885, fire swept SIS, GOO 600 worth
of property out of the business center,
no time was lost in remodeling and re-
building the city an hundred fold better
than before. Her business streets, paved
with v.trified brick, are bordered with
splendid brick and stone edifices worthy
of more densely populated Eastern cities.
Pioneer Place is surrounded by some OF
the finest business blocks on the coast
the Pioneer building and the Mutual
Life built by the pioneer Henry Yesler,
being among the best.
The influx of newcomers to the chief
city of the sound has been so rapid and
SO constant for the past three years
that an army of carpenters and builders
have been engaged during the past two
years in building new homes and busi-
ness blocks, continuing operations
through every month of the year. Dur
ing 1899 the sum of $1,57O, 066 was expend-
ed in new buildings and for the year just
closed that sum was more than doubled
e,Io/ INxy11 ,jJIi,
permits issued by the city being 3d. 72,-
$50. The sale of real estate permits is
sued by the city being s3,272, $50. The
sale of real estate during 1900 amounted
to more than $4,000, 600, and showed at
no time any sign of booming. Little
property finds sale except for immediate
use.
The new year and century are
dealing kindly with the city which be-
award of the contract for build
ing a new battlship by the Morans
means an additional outlay of a quarter
of a million to make the local shipyard
equal to the occasion, and the work of
the actual construction will call for about
800 skilled mechanics most of whom will
come from the East, with an additional
monthly pay roll of at least $4,000, ag-
gregating, it is claimed, 100000 monthly
to be paid out for labor alone by one
concern.
The gift of 100000 by Andrew Carnegie
for a new library building, for which the
city promises an annual maintenance
fund of $4,000, will undoubtedly incite the
city to erect magnificent structure, and
probably be the means of a new city
building, now much needed.
While the government has been expend-
ing at least $4,00O,0OO here in the trans
port business for the past year. and still
continues, other vast sums are to be
expended in improving the navy yard
across the bay, in construction of forts
in the sound, completing the army post,
and in opening up construction work on
the government ship canal connecting
Lakes Union and, Washington with the
sound 1889
The transcontinentall railroads promise
new terminal facilities for the present
year, which will mean another million
for a new union depot and other Access.
series. Hills new ships now building
at New London, Conn, each 10000 tons
burden, will be on the Oriental run in
another winter, each requiring twenty
miles of freight cars for a cargo and
bringing with them a cutting in two OF
existing freight rates from the Atlantic
cease ports to Puget sound. Respectfully,
% M. Moore.
Seattle, Wash, Jan. 10, 1901