The Deadly Sidewalks of Old Seattle

A few days ago, men with lanterns peered into the horrible pit of a downtown street in answer to groans that tossed from its blank depths and there found Rev. A. B. McLaffarty, who had stepped off the sidewalk straight down to the muck. Of all the injuries that have been perpetuated in this city by the sidewalk and the sidewalk torn away, none can compare to this. It was on the dark side of a street that is poorly lighted, where a pedestrian might be walking on a firm board walk and the next step would be directly over the drop. This accident has had the effect of arousing public indignation and the attention of the proper officers has been called to the thousand and one dangerous places that mark the sidewalks of this town. The almost absolute absence of light on the streets, about which the people have been raising an unheeded cry for so long, is largely responsible for these accidents; but even with plenty of light and perfectly sober, a man may still break his neck with very little effort. The sidewalk on the west side of one street is at many places something like twelve feet above the roadway, and the pedestrian can walk over this precipice at any place, there being no guardrail whatever. Tacoma Avenue is lined its entire length with such dangers on the east side. Its grade is reached from the side streets by means of steps that lead up. From its grade they lead down, as well, and the wonder is that many persons have not been killed by the unexpected descent.