The Brick Block Mandate: Why Your Empty Lot is Killing Seattle's Economy

Every property holder should be convinced of the fact that by refusing to build a brick block on his land he is driving a tradesman out of town, and that by putting up such a structure he will not only keep that tradesman here, but also induce others to come.

What we need now, perhaps more than all else, to build up the city are additions to our present list of manufacturing industries. Hundreds of small enterprises could find openings here and with possibilities that would warrant the expenditure in the aggregate of a large amount of capital.

There are at the present time a large number of articles manufactured in the East and to the West which could just as well be made at home, and putting up small plants for their manufacture here would not fail to prove profitable to the investors. There is a field to be found in the Pacific Northwest as population increases. That space has never been drawn from the Eastern markets; freights paid for services across the continent are contrary to the natural order of things. A country should, to a measure, be self-sustaining and with the splendid resources back of Seattle there is no reason why a large number of small enterprises should not be put up in this city and made to yield a handsome profit.

A manufactory for tubs and buckets would pay a good return; it would make a quick return on the investment and be a cash business of a sound character. We want other furniture factories, carpet mills, and carriage and wagon manufacturers. With the resources behind us and a trade with the coast growing larger every day we can make some money by such industry.

Manufacturers of small machinery are certain to be established here before long and in this way we will have our own iron works, a sash and box factory, and an umbrella factory. All these and many more we want.