TY  - BOOK
AU  - Rogers, Nat S.
TI  - Seattle prepares for a real big Rotary convention / 
N1  - The Rotary Balita no. 738 (January 28, 1954)
N2  - As thoughts of Rotary's 1953 Convention slip into the past and we recall the grandeur of a Paris steeped in history, art, and tradition, let us look forward to our next Convention—Seattle in 1954. Yes. it's just "six months to Seattle" and Seattle will be ready and pleased to act as host to some 7,000 Rotarians and their ladies.

Seattle—the largest city for its age in the world—lacks entirely those attractive features of the Old World, but it possesses many most interesting features and a distinct character of its own. Just 100 years ago the first white man settled on Elliott Bay at the site of what is now Seattle. From this small beginning it grew successively in to a trading post, a sawmill town, a struggling seaport, a supply center for Washington Territory, and by 1889 it had attained the status of a "boom town." Then disaster struck and the town was practically wiped out by fire. Before the embers had cooled, plans were underway for rebuilding, and Seattle rose from its ashes a more robust youngster than ever before.

The discovery of gold in the Klondike was the spark that started Seattle on its way to fame; when the "gold ship" Portland arrived from Alaska and the story of its ton of gold was flashed to the world, Seattle was "in." 

Located on an inland sea, 110 miles travel by water from the Pacific, Seattle sees the sun rise over the Cascade Mountains and dip into the west in a blaze of glory behind the Olympic Range. 

Built like a modern Rome on seven hills, with Puget Sound as a western boundary and with 22-mile Lake Washington on the east, Seattle has a spectacular setting unequalled on this old globe of ours. This unusual topography, adequately landscaped by Nature, has challenged the imagination of citizens and architects alike, producing array of beautiful homes with storybook views.

Those unfamiliar with Seattle will be surprised to learn that its latitude is that of Southern Newfoundland, its maximum Summer temperature is almost always in the 70's, and Winter temperatures below freezing are infrequent. The rains are light rather than tropical and the normal annual rainfall (31.92 inches) is less than that of most major cities in the United States.

As cities go, Seattle is in her "early teens." At the age of 100 years, with a population of 550,000, it is the booming metropolis of the Northwest. Alaska, our huge northern outpost, with a shoreline greater than that of the entire continental United States, looks to Seattle as a supply base. Seattle is truly the gateway to the Orient, the shortest route by air or sea.

Now, don't feel sorry for this City of Flowers and modern homes because of its lack of Old World tradition. It has numerous features that are impossible in older cities. We are not saddled with old streets, difficult to negotiate by automobile, and we have no slums as that term is generally understood. Seattle is a clean, modern, well-lighted city which during the year just closed had fewer traffic fatalities than any city of its size in the country. For many years, Seattle has had the lowest fire loss per capita of any major U. S. city. Seattle, King Country (in which Seattle is situated), and the State of Washington enjoy the distinction throughout the United States of having governments well above the average—all are particularly free of rackets, organized vice, crime, and graft, and this produces an excellent climate for home, family, and business.

Seattle's Symphony Orchestra is currently celebrating its 50th consecutive season. The Seattle Art Museum, particularly its exhibit of jade and priceless Oriental art, is a "must" for visitors. The University of Washington, with 15,000 students and its many modern buildings and facilities, is located on its own 640-acre water-front campus, just ten minutes' drive from the city center. The University of Washington School of Drama operates three theaters on the campus.

The Lake Washington Floating Concrete Bridge is a major tourist attraction and, of course, there are many other points of interest, such as large natural parks and the Government locks and ship canal.

What about Seattle's business future? Thirty-seven percent of the potential hydroelectric power in the United States is in the Northwest. As this is developed, well over one million acres of new land will go under cultivation in Washington State alone. More than 300 billion feet of commercial timber are to be found in the State of Washington, and the industry is on a perpetual—yield basis, brought about by intelligent cooperation between the major logging operators and the State government. Alaska, an area of over 600,000 square miles, is developing fast. Wheat from the Big Bend country in eastern Washington and apples and other fruits from the famous Wenatchee and Yakima areas make a huge contribution to our economy each year.

In western Washington, dairying, seed and bulb growing, truck gardening, and general farming make a most important contribution to the economy of that area. The position of the fishing industry is being maintained by intelligent planning, and yields millions of dollars annually. Crude oil is being piped to new refineries in the State and natural gas is on the way. The Hanford Atomic Project, which promises atomic power for industry in the near future, is most important to Seattle, and let's not overlook the huge Boeing Airplane Company plant in the south end of the city. This industry was started in 1916 in a shed in the south end by William E. Boeing, who was then a young man. The industry has developed into one of America's greatest, employing over 35,000 people in the Seattle area alone. Boeing is currently carrying on an expansion program costing in excess of 50 million dollars, and whether it is commercial planes, military planes, or guided missiles that are required, Boeing will take a back seat for no one. Now, we might ask, "What do you think about Seattle and its business future?"

You must plan to save some time for short trips, using Seattle as the base of operations. Snoqualmie Pass, at the summit of the Cascades, is less than an hour and a half's easy drive from your hotel room, and in two hours and a half you may reach either Paradise Valley or Sunrise Park on the sides of 14,408-foot Mount Rainier. Bremerton Navy Yard is a beautiful hour-and-ten-minute boat ride across Puget Sound through Rich's Passage, or you may make a round trip to Victoria and return in a day. You should spend some time on Vancouver Island, returning by ferry to Vancouver, British Columbia, and driving back to Seattle. Two days will do this one. Then, if you can possibly do so, a boat trip to Alaska should be included. This is a comparatively inexpensive ten-day trip up the Inland Passage through British Columbian and Alaskan waters, and will never be forgotten but please take your camera.

Any number of auto trips may be arranged after arrival and you may head for the mountains or the ocean as your fancy dictates. You may also arrange to charter any one of hundreds of small boats for any size party and get a glimpse of Seattle and the Puget Sound country from "your own cruiser." It is not surprising that this is possible in Seattle when you realize that 32,000 boats are registered here, giving us the highest per capita. in the nation, and that Seattle boasts of 193 miles of waterfront inside its city limits.

Seattle has a habit of going after what it wants, and this so-called "Seattle spirit" has been exemplified numerous times. Asa Mercer, who was a schoolteacher in Seattle nearly 100 years ago, was disturbed by the fact that men outnumbered the women settlers by 20 to one. He felt that without womenfolk about, the new settlement would retrogress. The men would become dissatisfied and the growth of the area hampered. He scraped together all the loose change in town, went East, and advertised for teachers and young women willing to go to the new Northwest to help settle the country. He paid their fare by boat to Seattle, and, although many difficulties arose, finally landed in Seattle with his wares. That these young women were rapidly absorbed into the life of the community is a gross understatement, and the names of many of the "Mercer girls" appear in the family trees of most of Seattle's older, prominent families.

Seattle needed a railroad, and when the first transcontinental line passed by, the citizens banded together, raised some money, and with their own hands started to build themselves a railroad. That their effort was successful is indicated by the fact that today four transcontinental railroads serve Seattle and the "Seattle spirit" displayed by this little band of early settlers must be given some of the credit.

You may make arrangements to participate in any of the usual sports, such as tennis, sailing, cruising, skiing, water skiing, golf, and fishing. If you are a golfing enthusiast, some of the best courses in the country will be glad to have you test your skill on their courses. Fresh and salt-water fishing is excellent and very close at hand. If you happen to have a particularly well-located hotel room with a westerly view, you will see hundreds of fishermen spinning and trolling for king, silver, or blackmouth salmon right in our harbor of Elliott Bayall this in the shadow of shipyards and flour mills and sometimes, unfortunately, in the path of our cross—Sound ferries. We truly fish right in our own front yard! Many fishing derbies are held each year and prizes are awarded ranging from automobiles to minor items of fishing equipment.

Those who enjoy the unspoiled woods and wilderness areas will thrill at the almost tropical nature of our woodlands. There are seemingly limitless stretches where this type of growth adapts itself to hills and mountains, broken only by lakes and rushing mountain streams.

There you are, my fellow Rotarian. That's a bit of the background of the city which is going to entertain the Convention of Rotary International on June 6-10, 1954. Plans are well in hand for your pleasure and entertainment and inspiration. Hospitality and fellowship of an outstanding nature are our target and we expect to run up a high score.

On Saturday, the day before the official opening of the Convention, the Council on Legislation will be in session. As an unofficial pre-Convention feature for early arrivals, late in the afternoon we shall have a salmon barbecue, and the opportunity will be afforded you to ride in one of our small boats on Lake Washington. Tickets will be sold in advance, and an attendance of at least 1,000 is anticipated for this event. The barbecue will be put on by the "Buccaneers," a group of hunters and fishermen, all of whom are Rotarians, while the water-transportation feature will be in the hands of another group of Rotarian boat owners known as the "Mariners."

Sunday will be the main registration day, with plenty of opportunity for you to meet your friends at the House of Friendship and arrange your own program for your happy days in Seattle. Sunday evening the Convention will open with a musical program, including a concert by Seattle's Symphony Orchestra and other features.

Monday the plenary sessions and discussion assemblies begin. Monday evening will feature the acquaintance dance at the Civic Auditorium. Preceding this will be a large number of dinners in Seattle homes to which as many visitors will be invited as can be accommodated, with preference given to those the farthest from their homes. That evening will give our visitors a glimpse of Western hospitality as understood by Seattle Rotarians and an opportunity to visit with us in our homes.

Tuesday's plenary session and vocational craft assemblies will be followed by the major entertainment feature of the Convention, a show to be held at the Civic Field in which acts and attractions indigenous to the Northwest will be featured. That afternoon a huge tea will be held for the ladies and a program of interest is being arranged.

The Wednesday plenary session and balloting will be followed by various discussion assemblies, and in the evening many regional dinners will be held. 

Thursday morning's plenary session, during which a half hour of entertainment will be provided, will lower the curtain on Rotary's 1954 Convention.

But you can't possibly see the city and the Northwest during Convention hours. Make your plans now to spend at least a couple of weeks in Seattle and the Northwest—in this "country of the future." You will never regret it.

(Reprinted from THE ROTARIAN)
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