siːˈæɾəl ɪnðɪ ˈɜːli nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd z, wɪð ɪts lˈɔŋ wˈɔːɾɚfɹˌʌnt ʌv wˈʊdən dˈɑːks, wˈɛɹhaʊzᵻz ænd mˈɜːtʃənt vˈɛsəlz, wʌz ɐn ɪnˈoːɹməs ɹᵻspˌɑːnsəbˈɪlᵻɾi fɔːɹ siːˈæɾəlz fˈaɪɚ dᵻpˈɑːɹtmənt.
Seattle in the early 1900s, with its long waterfront of wooden docks, warehouses and merchant vessels, was an enormous responsibility for Seattle's fire department.