The Forgotten Waterfront Auction of 1889
A court-ordered liquidation of the City Sawmill property on the Seattle waterfront provides a rare snapshot of the capital structures and industrial machinery that fueled the city's early, rapid expansion.
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.
Notice is hereby given that, under and by virtue of an order of the District Court of the Third Judicial District, on the 10th day of June, 1889, in the matter of the receivership of the City Sawmill, I will offer at public auction on the 16th day of September, 1889, the property known as the City Sawmill, including all machinery, boilers, engines, and outbuildings situated on the waterfront in the city of Seattle. The property includes one sawmill, one planing mill, and all associated equipment and tools. The site, located at the foot of Pine Street, remains a vital piece of the city's industrial landscape. This sale is intended to satisfy the creditors of the firm. The sale will be conducted at the site, and all payments must be made in cash at the time of the purchase.
“I will offer at public auction the property known as the City Sawmill, including all machinery, boilers, engines, and outbuildings.”
Today, Pine Street ends at the bustling Pike Place Market and the busy waterfront. In 1889, that same location was the site of a noisy, coal-and-steam-powered industrial sawmill—a reminder that Seattle’s iconic shoreline has transitioned from a site of heavy extraction to one of tourism and commerce.
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