New-York tribune., 1907-05-14
A CITY OF DESTINY.
Why Seattle Seems Likely to Be
come q Metropolis.

From an Occasional Correspondent Of The TrbuneI
Seattle, May 10-In a recent issue of New YORK
newspaper there appeared protest from an in
dignant Constant Reader whose ire had been
aroused because the paper had stigmatized Seattle
a remote hamlet" That hamlet. he wrote.
has population of more than two hundred thou
sand its bank clearngs exceed those Of Buffalo,
Denver Milwaukee; its building permits for the
year to date surpass those Of Pttsburg, Washing
ton or Buffalo, its sea commerce, including Alaska,
cOastwse and Oriental, reaches total of about
Sl59,00000 These figures to furnish just
cause for the indignant correspondents criticism.
yet he did not say tithe that he might have said
TO prove that the City of Destiny is a very
superior sort of hamlet indeed.
writer recently said that Seattle is one of the
biggest little" cities in the United States He
might have added that in few years il is
destined to be of the largest cities. eliminating
the diminutive altogether Further, he might have
said that It Will not take many years for this
summation to be achieved. for Seattle is growing
in population at the rate of from - TO 10 per cent
a year faster than almost any other city in the
United States-or, indeed. anywhere in the world
The passing Of the wilderness in the Pacific
Northwest is ore of the most interesting stories
in American history. Only little more than eighty
years ago United States Senator MahlOn DicRerson,
of New Jersey. in a speech in the Senate upon
bill providing for grant of land to settlers to in
duce them locate in Oregon Territory, said that
Oregon could never become one of the United
States and that II could never be or any essentaI
benefit to the Union. To-day that territory con-
sttutes three OF the great states OF the Union and
a part OF two more, with population of more than
100000, represented in Congress by ten Senators
and eight members Of the House of Representatives
OF these states it seems likely that Washington
will develop more quickly than its neighbors. and
Seattle faster than any other city. The town was
founded only about fifty years ago, and in 1900
there were only 80 600 IN its city directory.
and its population about $4,000. To-day It's
population nearly 100000; that is it has trebed
In six years
But there are other evidences of the growth OF
this City OF Destiny In 1900 the bank clearances
amounted to S9O323 Sl in 1906 10 SS5 920o2l an in
crease of 273 per cent Postofce receipts Tor lSoe
were Sls6,762 but in 1896 they had grown to more
than $55oOOO. Building permits issued in 1900 num-
bered 1850 of value of $3263O22 in 1906 they num-
bered las, of a value Of Sl1,92o,4Ss
If figures do lie, then the foregoing speak
most truly and eloquently for this far western
city's claims to consideration as one Of the most
progressive of municipalities in the country And
the reason Is far seek. Beautifully situated
Puget Sound with unsurpassed advantages as
shipping centre it possesses the nearest good
harbor to the densey populated Orient by many
hundred miles. All the railroads in the racine
Northwest have extensive terminals there, ana
these terminal facilities are being greatly in
creased by the construction of union depot. with
miles Of tracks and extensive freight yards The
Pacific Coast Company has roads running 10 the
cihc and Burlington lines radiate from Seattle and
tap all the rich mineral country lying east ana
creasing year by year with leaps and bounds. and
in no direction is the Increase so marked with
the Far East For this trade. the natural outlet
IS Puget Sound. and Seattle is not only The near
port to the great manufacturing cities and centres
Of the United States There rex exist only two great
waterways, on the Pacihc Coast where large yes
sells Of modern type can enter in s9fetysan fh Fran m
America. Africa and Australia.
amount Of business done by its street railways.
Here again hsgres back up ssattles @ claim mas, as the he
tracks and few thousand passengers carried each
and the passengers carried more than six mill
ION. And this recalls the fact that Seattle and It's
trolley line and that successful has it been that
another Is projected work on which Will shortly
Wightman OF No. So2 Broadway, New York one or
ths distance between the two cities TO about thirty
miles a saving of six miles who came here
asm for the future OF seattle and Tacoma. Incl
dentally. he had much to say in praise of the eli
age New Yorker usually thinks Of a combination
OF the Arctic and the two tropics
The splendid weather enjoyed along the Puget
Sound coast during the winter was revelation 70
commserated with when they learned I
going to Seattle, but my pity. is for them after
York. While the mercury there was flirting with
he % Il E e IN got nT TnP three h q he
last ten years. according 70 the United States
weather Bureau, mas tbe mercury gone down 70
y degrees above zero"
or the future of both Seattle and Tacoma Mr..
Wightman said there could be no doubt. THE To-
cations OF the two cities make It Inevitable that
they become the shipping centres OF the Pacific
Coast for all time" he said. They hold the key
TO the commercial situation l have heard Of many
Industries supported by Eastern capitalists that will
locate in Seattle and Tacoma. Wise capital, that
only goes where the returns certain and large,
Is engaged In these projects.
I'm connection with the short line electric trolley
road I am building I have had occasion to go
the country between Seattle and Tacoma carefully.
have been struck by the richness of the country
and the marks of progress. One of these days
many years I'm the future. OF course one
huge city formed by the joining OF Seattle and
Tacoma"