Free Water, No Horse Basin
The W.C.T.U. won permission for three small free fountains downtown—one basin for people, one for dogs, none for horses.
At the regular weekly meeting of the board of public works yesterday a petition of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union was received asking permission to establish drinking fountains at the following points, and to have the fountains supplied with water free at cost: the corner of Third and Washington streets, the intersection of James and Front streets and Yesler avenue, and the corner of Second and Pike streets. The petition was referred to the council with recommendation that it be granted.
Mrs. F. [—], chairman of the W. C. T. U. fountain committee, in a letter to the board accompanying the petition, says: 'For several years the W. C. T. U. has been trying to mature plans for the erection of a fine drinking fountain to be placed on Pioneer square. The 'hard times' have interfered. In the meantime there are but one or two drinking places (free water) in all this city. We have therefore purchased, and they are now on their way to Seattle, three small fountains, which we propose to erect. These fountains provide a man basin and a dog basin (no horse basin), and are to be set on the edge of the pavement.'
“These fountains provide a man basin and a dog basin (no horse basin), and are to be set on the edge of the pavement.”
The WCTU's free fountains were a temperance strategy as much as a public-health measure: give people an alternative to the saloon. Seattle still argues about public amenities, water access and how to make downtown hospitable to everyone; the dog basin, with no horse basin, is a small reminder that urban design has always made choices about who belongs.
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