Waddell & Miles Stocked 50 Stove Styles in 1877
A look at the bustling specialized trades and supply chains that built a growing Washington Territory city in 1876.
The story, cleaned up
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Waddell & Miles, wholesale and retail dealers in stoves and pipes, boast the largest stock and greatest variety of cooking and box stoves in Washington Territory. With over 50 different kinds and styles to select from, including the old favorites 'Diamond Rock' and 'Superior Chief Cook' for wood or coal, the firm offers plain or extension tops. They also carry iron pipe for gas, water, or steam, whether black or galvanized and in all sizes, alongside malleable iron pipe fittings. Their inventory includes suction and force pumps, tinned hollow ware, and various brass goods for steam and water. Having the largest pipe-cutting and threading machine on the Sound, they are prepared to cut and thread iron pipe all sizes from 1/4 inch to 3 inches. They are also agents for Van’s celebrated wrought-iron ranges and patent coffee urns for hotels, steamboats, and restaurants.
“Having the largest Pipe Cutting and Threading Machine, and the most complete Pipe Tools on the Sound, we are prepared to cut and thread iron pipe all sizes.”
In 1876, Seattle’s economy was defined by its ability to import, manufacture, and repair the heavy infrastructure needed for a rugged frontier town. Today, while the 'General Store' and local hardware forge have vanished in favor of digital logistics, the city remains obsessed with the same core issue: having the specialized tools, materials, and infrastructure to keep a rapidly expanding population fed, housed, and functioning.
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