The Klondike Gold Rush Arrives in Seattle
When the steamer Humboldt pulled into the Arlington Dock, it carried a fortune in gold dust and the dreams of men hoping to strike it rich in the North.
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 steamer Humboldt arrived in port shortly after 1:30 yesterday afternoon, carrying what is estimated to be a million and a half dollars in gold. The Arlington Dock was crowded with people eager to greet returning friends or to view the arrival of the big vessel. The scene was an animated one. Purser Carroll reported that gold dust and drafts represented a fortune, with about $100,000 in gold dust alone brought by passengers. Two of the wealthiest men on the boat, M. B. Bainer and P. Handert, declared they had drafts in their possession for $100,000. Among the other lucky miners were O. P. Williams, Dr. E. J. Hill, and E. R. Jacobs. The passengers, many of whom were disappointed, were contrasted by the lucky miners who guarded grips and boxes that represented thousands, and were speedily driven to their hotels. The golden stream from the Klondike has just commenced to pour into Seattle, and if the passengers on the Humboldt speak truly, it will continue to come in this direction, as 'On for Seattle!' is now the cry in the northern gold district.
“'On for Seattle!' is now the cry in the northern gold district.”
The Klondike gold rush turned Seattle into a boomtown overnight, establishing the city as the primary gateway to the North. Today, that same spirit of rapid urban transformation and influx of capital echoes in the city's tech-driven growth, though the 'gold' now arrives in the form of corporate investment rather than dust in a purser's safe.
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