This twisted piece of metal was once a dynamo mechanism, possibly the first to cross the Rockies. A dynamometer or "dynamo" for short, is a device for measuring force. This one was melted nearly past recognition in the Great Seattle fire of 1889. The June 6th fire was a significant turning point in Seattle's history and changed both the physical and political landscapes of the city. The fire started in a paint and woodwork shop at Front and Madison and swept southward across 100 acres of Seattle's business district and waterfront. The inferno completely consumed the business district's wooden buildings, and it gutted the newer brick buildings. After the fire subsided, residents picked up mementos from the ashes.