The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1941-12-01
Pictures Show Old Glory OF Tacoma
When The Fife" Was Modern HOTEL and.
By Governor! Trains Ran Above Tree Tops

uoW thoroughly the pioneers
A Of Tacoma helifYed N their
City Of Destiny is indicated m
copy Of an illustrated hook
let found among some ed pa
ners the other day. Il was pub
lshed IN 1855 BY Allen {. Ma
son, a fine type OF citizen vho
put much OF the nancy he made
here back INTO improvements
for the benefit Of the commun-
ity. As he did everything, Ar.
Mason went the limit to pro-
duee a fine prospectus for in
formation concerning invest
ments in Tacoma and Washing
ton territory
Illustrations in the book show
some of the then modern build
ings looking very much as they
do now, and apparently as
sound as the day they were
built A photograph of the west
side Of Pacific avenue looking
south from a point near Ninth
street, made in 1857, has a IA
miliar look.
The Wright building on the
corner, then occupied by Chss.
Reichenbach's London and Liy-
erpool Clothing House." with
offices upstairs. still hears a
close resemblance To the orig
inal. Gross Bros building, next
on the south, aith it, pointed
turrets and flag staff, was given
a new front when IL was remod-
eled for q fheater. From that
point south TO the Rust build
ing there has been little change
in the street.
The chief difference between
the illustration in Mason's book
and photograph made from the
same point today would be the
horses and carriages. the Fife
(later Donnellyl hotel bus just
rounding the corner; the car
riages and delivery wagons
parked" along the curb, and the
Sixth avenue car heading up
Ninth street.
Another illustration shows the
original Tacoma hotel with the
walk down the face of the bluff
to the waterfront which then
was one of Tacomas advertix-
inF points. The foreground
shows several boating parties
composed presumably of hotel
guests.
On another page lie q sketch
of the new and elegant Hotel
Fife. a large five story brick
structure recently built at cost
of $125.000," containing 126
rooms and supplied with all
the modern conveniences of gas,
water, electric bells, elevators,
etc"
Then there was the ''H0tel
Rochester" Bonneville, Tacoma
avenue, near Diyisionl pictured
as 1t was originally built 80
wears ago with the two corner
bay windows ON the north end
extending into observatory tow
ers. The Rochester was the
home of many of the elite of
those days. Among other things
II was noted for the Turkish
baths operated for the conve-
nience of hotel russts, Who may
have INDUCED well but not
wisely.
Another interesting reminder
is a sketch of the old Germsnia
nail. then at 1888 c ST. The
building for many years was
nota bile for the hot political con-
ventions and athletic bouts held
there. Some of the political con-
ventions made more casualties
than the boxing matches and
prize fights staged there by the
old Tacoma Athletic club.
Among the finer residences of
that day are shown the former
home of John ;. Baker. 43S q
ST. then one of the most hos
pitable in the city. This fine old
home is nov Mahogany Hail.
with the number changed to is6
Broadway.
The vacant lot on the Tacoma
aveflue corner just south OF the
Olympic apartments, with the
heavy stone wall around the
front and side, was the site of
the former home Of Gen. J. w.
sprsgue, first mayor of Tacoma
after the consolidation of OLD
and New" Tacoma, and one OF
the city's financial and indus
trial leaders.
Other fine old homes shown
as Of that day were those of
Isaac Anderson. land company
executive. adjoining the old
Chester Thorne home on Broad
way near Sixth ave; J. NJ.
Buckley, Northern Pacific off
eial. corner of Division and