The City of Vancouver Helps Seattle Rebuild
A neighboring city responds to Seattle's devastating fire with a generous donation of $500.
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.
Nine months of misery and a year of hard work were the lot of many who had to bear the burden of the great fire of June 6. The report of the relief committee shows how the generous people of Vancouver, Washington, responded to the suffering here. The Vancouver committee took charge of the relief and had their own committee at the scene of the fire. Secretary Gleason, authorized by the Vancouver city council, drew on the local bank for $500 for the relief of those who suffered in the fire. The amount was equal to the amount sent by Vancouver for the Seattle fire sufferers. Mayor H. L. Yesler sent a letter expressing Seattle's gratitude to the people of Vancouver for their kindness during our hour of need.
“Assuring you that the people of Seattle fully appreciate the kindness you have shown.”
This article highlights the immediate, desperate need for regional mutual aid following the Great Seattle Fire of 1889. It serves as a reminder that Seattle's rapid recovery was not solely an individual endeavor, but bolstered by neighborly support from towns like Vancouver, Washington.
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