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Overview

This manufacturing facility of the Seattle Soap Company was destroyed in a fire in 07/1898.

Building History

The Seattle Soap Factory #1, producers of operated at the foot of Union Street at Western Avenue up until 07/24/1898. A spark from the neighboring Vulcan Iron Works's chimney set off a fire that destroyed the soap factory and the adjoining Gurney Stables. The Vulcan Iron Works escaped with minimal damage.

An article in the Seattle Daily Times of 07/25/2021 reported on the fire: "As the Times goes to press this afternoon the east foundry of the Vulcan Iron Works, the Seattle Soap Works and the Gurney Stables, all at the foot of Union Street, are being destroyed by fire. The fire caught on the roof of the soap works by a spark from the chimney of the foundry. The long bridge at the foot of University Street is also on fire, and the firemen are powerless to to anything beyond the stopping of flames from spreading. The proprietor of the soap works says he is insured for only about one-quarter of the value of his stock. At 4o'clock the fire is under control, the three buildings mentioned being a total loss. Later--the fire was well under control at 3:45, and the long bridge was not destroyed. The damage to the iron works is nominal; the soap factory completely destroyed, as well as the stable adjoining."
(See "Fire! Raging on Western Avenue; Flimsy Buildings on the Water Front Burned Lively; The Loss Will Certainly Amount to a Large Sum," Seattle Daily Times, 07/25/1898, p. 10. This was an article reprinted from 07/24/1898's last edition.)

In the wake of this fire, the Seattle Soap Company moved its operations between c. 1899 and 1903 to a building located at the intersection of Olive Way and 6th Avenue. It stayed at this second location for a brief time before moving to a new factory in the Seattle tidelands designed by the architect John Graham, Sr., (1873-1955).

PCAD id: 24191