The Waterfront's First Industry Ends in Smoke
An abandoned barrel factory, once a symbol of Seattle's early industrial ambition, was destroyed by a fire lit by local children looking to warm up after a swim.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The old barrel factory, which has for more than fifteen years stood on Water street, between Eagle and Lake streets, was burned yesterday. The property was valued at $5,000 and was not insured. The fire was started by boys ranging in age from 9 to 12 years who wanted to warm themselves after swimming near the factory in the almost icy cold water of the harbor. They built a fire in the largest of the three factory buildings, and were enjoying themselves immensely when they suddenly discovered that the floor was ablaze. The fire boat arrived but was hindered by bursting hoses, and the factory, which had long been empty, was destroyed. It stood as a monument to one of the first industries ever undertaken in Seattle, organized by local capitalists like A. A. Denny and J. J. McGilvra, but it had remained idle since 1880 after being crushed by the barrel trust.
“The barrel factory has long stood as a monument to the first industry of moment ever undertaken in Seattle.”
The waterfront districts where this factory stood—now roughly the area near Alaskan Way and the northern edge of Belltown—have transformed from hubs of barrel-making and industrial maritime work into the densest residential and commercial corridors in the city. The story highlights the tension between the 'industrial city' that once was and the way local youth claimed those spaces for play long after the work stopped.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.