Builidng History

A fire destroyed the Seattle Soap Company Factory #1 located near 100 Union Street on 07/24/1898. A chimney spark from the neighboring Vulcan Iron Works touched off the blaze that damaged the foundry, but destroyed the soap factory and the adjoining Gurney Stables. By 06/1899, the Seattle Soap Company moved to a new facility at the corner of 6th Avenue and Olive Street. During the latter half of 1899, classified ads appeared in Seattle Daily Times that indicated that Seattle Soap was also selling shafting, pulleys, boxes, barrels, hangers, as well as a "nearly new" boiler and engine, perhaps to raise cash after the fire. (See Seattle Soap Company classified ad, Seattle Daily Times, 10/17/189, p. 10.)

The company remained at this 6th and Olive between c. 1899 and 1903. At that time, the construction of a street railway near this intersection necessitated the relocation of the factory to the Seattle tidelands (now known as SoDo). An article in the Seattle Daily Times of 08/12/1903 describing city council activity of the week, said: "W.J. Bernard, successor of the Seattle Soap Company, asked for the privilege of changing the location from Sixth Avenue and Olive Street to the tide flats, near the Frye-Bruhn Company's packing houses. The street railway company had notified the soap company that it desired the premises now occupied, and to remove. The law makes it incumbent upon the soap company to get a permit from both the ity council and board of health. A soap company is placed in the same category as livery stables, laundries, slaughter houses, etc. The matter was referred to the health and sanitation committee with power to act." (See "Given More Time To Act," Seattle Daily Times, 08/12/1903, p. 8.)

PCAD id: 24190