Jackson Street is Quiet Thoroughfare On Sunday

One of the most abused streets in Seattle is Jackson street. It is the butt of jokes for comedians, and is sneeringly referred to by residents of other sections of the city. Because it is the leading thoroughfare of the South business section it attracts persons from all sections of the city and numerous migrants who are attracted by the bright lights and other allurements. And there are allurements, if you know where to find them.

Daily, nightly and weekly, Jackson street assumes the brisk business atmosphere found on State St. in Chicago; Wiley Ave., Pittsburgh or Central Ave., Los Angeles, but Sunday on the ill famed street is as quiet and as well ordered as on any of the others of Seattle streets. Early in the morning there is a frantic rush to supplement Saturday night's marketing by securing forgotten articles for the Sunday breakfast and dinner. Japanese merchants open their doors and sell without apparent molestation by authorities. Wearing apparel may also be obtained and the stores are well patronized by Negro and Filipino sheiks.

Japanese have an apparent monopoly on the restaurant business with the exception of a few eateries in the hands of Negroes and Chinese. Jackson Street might well be called the "Poor Man's Playground." Here all races meet on common ground and rub elbows as equals. Fillipinos, Japanese, Negroes and whites mingle in the same hotels and restaurants and there is an air of comradeship. They address each other as "buddy," "brother" and "pal." A white man sits between two Negroes eating their breakfast at a counter. The meal ended, the white man pays the bill and together the three saunter on down the street.

Sunday styles in dress vary on

Jackson Street. The lower end frequented by Fillipinos presents its individual styles in men's clothing which run to varying [illegible]. Some of the more daring of the sheiks affecting brightly colored suits with enormously wide pants, and Stetson hats with extreme crowns. Some of the suits are adorned with weird fancy trimmings and one suit was seen with the coat decorated with large white pearl buttons and white stripes on the sleeves and white stripes on the trousers. Styles for the upper end of Jackson Street are very much in contrast to the lower end. Here you will find colored men attired in the latest fashion. They wear tailor made clothes of expensive make. The clothing of the ladies was uniform on both sections of the street. Evidently the ladies keep up with smart styles and they wear them. Expensive furs are common with the females that parade Jackson Street. Contrary to many misleading reports a Sunday morning trip found everyone orderly and evidently pleasant.

This writer, known to many residents of the district, was invited at least a dozen times to breakfast. He did accept several bids to "hoist a few."

The nearest to a tragedy was the action of a poodle who ran away from his mistress and insisted on "parking" on a Jackson street car track. Frantic signaling by the lady caused the car to be stopped. Fido was rescued, carried on the sidewalk, spanked and scolded and carried home by a somewhat agitated and displeased mistress.

Other than this byplay, Jackson street may have been a boulevard in the exclusive Laurelhurst or University district.