The Seattle Land Boom’s Elite Sales Pitch
A 19th-century real estate advertisement lists Seattle’s power brokers as testimonials for a major development push near Madison Street.
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.
Do You Want the Earth? But you need that part of it embraced within the limits of a lot in Seattle. And if there is anything in the testimony of well-known men, by making the list of at least purchasers, you will realize the reason. The following are a few specimens, selected at random, showing the character of investments we offer: Two lots at the southeast corner of Front and Seneca streets for $40,000; a house and two lots at the corner of Spring and Sixth; two lots at the corner of Madison and Sixth streets; and two lots between University and Union with double frontage. As work has been commenced on the Madison Street cable road, prices will be advanced in Renton addition, as previously advertised, 10 percent Thursday, September 12.
“Do you want the earth? But you need that part of it embraced within the limits of a lot in Seattle.”
This 1889 advertisement highlights the perennial Seattle struggle: rapid development fueled by transit speculation. Just as the arrival of the Madison Street cable car spurred a frenzy in the Renton Addition, today’s major transit and housing projects continue to trigger massive shifts in land value and concentrated ownership.
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