The Steel Giant That Will Double Seattle’s Population

It is impossible to comprehend at first thought all that the location of the Moss Bay Iron and steel works on Lake Washington means to the people of Seattle — primarily, of course, of the county. It has a new and extended development of the mineral resources of the county and the building of a manufacturing city of fifteen or twenty thousand inhabitants at the point selected for the works.

What, however, has been the immediate result? The remote consequences will be of more advantage to Seattle and King County, and it is these which should be considered when an effort is made to comprehend the magnitude of the benefit arising from the inauguration of this great industry.

First, of course, it will largely increase the business and population of Seattle. The existence of such a city as Kirkland within a few miles of the city limits cannot fail to have this effect. The supplies of the people of Kirkland will for the most part pass through the hands of Seattle's merchants. Of course, Kirkland will soon have a business community of its own, but it must always depend very largely upon that of Seattle and the business relations between the two cities will be close. It is safe to say that a very large proportion of the money annually put in circulation by the Moss Bay company will find its way into the coffers of Seattle merchants.

This is but one of the ways, however, in which Seattle will be benefited by the location of the great works. More important still is the fact that it will make this city a great manufacturing community. With iron and steel produced here, everything necessary for successful manufacturing will be as cheap and as easily obtained in Seattle as in any other city in the United States. The location hereof will invite manufacturers, and foundries and machine shops of various kinds will follow as a matter of course. Such a growth of manufacturing industries will double the population of Seattle in a short time.

Seattle, however, will not be alone in feeling the benefits arising from the establishment of these works. They will be shared by the entire county. The solitude of the mountains will be broken and the forest will become the habitation of busy men. A large mining town will spring into existence at the Henny mine, and there will be a dozen busy cities on the line of the Seattle, Lake Shore and Eastern railroad between Lake Washington and the mountains. The marble quarries and coal fields which have never been developed will give up their mineral wealth. The coke making industry, which has heretofore been untouched because of the lack of transportation facilities, will now become a most important factor in King county prosperity.

In short, King county will become one great manufacturing community.