The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1925-11-17
by n. G. BuGERT
Secretary Associated General Con-
tractors

Secretary AN~ocinleu hthFtA WI
tractors
CEATTLE H. IA many ways a peeu'
y liar city, lt Is said 90 be tho
Youngest town OF lbs slao In the
country. and possibly e Is.
Old timers tcll us that. unlike most
settlements. Seattle did not just hap
pen. as DO most of the original way
stations on lines Of travel, but that
SITS site was deliberately chosen by tho
original settlers, IN thu SOS, as tho
most likely Pugct Sound terminus OF
rhe uanscontinental railroad then
nuthorlzed by congress.
. We arc also told that the first
ianding was made near Alh point
and that the name attached 90 The
settlement was New York. thus civ
ing an early start 20 the tradition
that this was 20 be the New York of
'the Pacific east. an idea that we
who are now here need no; abandon
SITE AT ALkI
MAS DISCARDED
II seems that on second thought
rome Of the pioneers rather doubted
West Seattle. and after crossing FL
lott bay. they hewed their way into
the steep hillside. coming down ale
most 70 the water. and named their
settlement after Chief Seattle
Yeslcr built hts sawmill AZ the foot,
of Yesler way. A planked road 20
the south and north. now First ave,
housed the original business section,
with a rather select residence distric,
On that part OF the Jackson and King
~. hlll. long ago sluiced away.
As the town grew. some % tho
more yeniuresomo advocated an eS.
l1ansion OF the business district, and
lfhis was attempted on Second ave
The writer was told BY local doctor
that when he left First ave. FOR an
office on the present site Of tho But
Ter hotel he was the first professional
man to make the move. aud was
warned OF impending disaster to his
practice. The elite were now moving
TO Beacon HUI.
SECOND AVE.
LOTS COST LITTLE
The march up Second ave. was
slow. the barrier OF woods and hills
being formidable. IN 1852 one Of the
pioneers was offered the northwest
double corner OF Madison ST. and Sec
ond ave. at s2T5 per lot. a relative
" his was tempted with the lot where
the Savoy hotel now stands, includ.
ing a shack, at exactly the same
price.
But neither could SEE Il. and they
bought adjoining lots on the jackson
81. hill at about Ninth ave-. whore
tho air was more pure and the view
unsurpassed (ths value of view In go
attic being an ancient invention
potent even IN those dnyst
The fire gave the town chance
10 rise out OF its ashes. 10 continue
! the move uptown. Then tit hit the
bumps in the early eos. over which
Il hobbled until Alaska gold again
put Seattle on the map.
The long struggle to realize the
hopes OF tho first settlers for the
Puget Sound terminus OF railroad.
with its final successful issue. sounds
like a romance. but cannot be
touched on here.
BUSINESS REACHES
PIKE ST. IN 1900
Around 1900 the march Of prog.
.ycss. so far steadily northward,
/. reached Pike St and. with the optl-
. fnism Of present prosperity. the
knowing ones saw the need Of fur
Their and inevitable expansion.
The trend OF population and other
factors seemed to insist that this
move should continue north. bu,
there ut Pine 81. stood Denny Hill
more than a hundred feet high, and
IAN effective stopper in the bottle that
@containued a practically level area
from the foot Of Queen Anne hill and
Lake Union. direct to the busines,
section.
:. The Seattle spirit boldly decided &c
remove the hill and thus insure III,
-noTthward spread OF the business dis
rtrict along the initial avenues. Join,
ing the level areas beyond. and set
Ting the location Of seattIe's heart
afor all time.
eMISTAkE MADE
IN FIRST GRADING
Y But in carrying out this project
the Spirit made a bad sllp-two o.
three Of them, in fact. First, II
,sshaying down Second ave. the FOL
was botched BY leaving the hump a
Virginia st. Second. no provision
was made for q diagonal street q
'sserye as an artery through the new
district Third. most serious error 0
AL, the work was only half done.
e That part OF tho hill still standln,
mas been constant and insurmouni
~able obstacle in the path Of tina
1iorthward progress. so clearly seci
by the original promoters and 3,
amply Justified by present hindslght