The Great Sound City Feud of 1888
A Spokane visitor to Tacoma and Seattle observes the intense, pre-statehood rivalry between the two cities as they jockey for economic dominance in Washington Territory.
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.
Mr. C. H. Gilman, who has been on a two weeks' visiting trip to the Sound, extended his journey as far as San Francisco but spent most of his time at the principal points on the Sound. In Tacoma, he heard all kinds of talk, in part ridiculous and in part reality. Many who have entertained the idea that Tacoma has a smaller population than the 'Sound City' [Seattle] will be surprised to learn that even the most boastful of the 'City of Destiny' are also to say that their city outnumbers the 'Seattle City.' As a matter of fact, it is now generally admitted on the Sound that Tacoma is the second city in the Territory in population. It is only a question of time when, once it is encircled and interconnected with railroad facilities, she will, in a measure, dispute the commercial prestige of the Sound. Mr. Gilman said that it is fair to assume that Tacoma does as much business as the Sound can well have in a great extent.
“Many who have entertained the idea that Tacoma has a smaller population than the 'Sound City' will be surprised to learn that even the most boastful of the 'City of Destiny' are also to say that their city outnumbers the 'Seattle City.'”
The late 19th-century competition between Seattle and Tacoma mirrors modern-day urban jockeying for tech investment and infrastructure, proving that Seattle's 'booming' reputation is a mantle it has fought to keep since its founding.
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