Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1864-01-16
Ruinous Monopolies.


Mr.. Foster, Of King county, has introduced
in the House bill to incorporate the Dwam-
ish Log Driving Company. The following
are among its provisions
rtory Of Washington, Thut T. d. Hncklcy, VIM. Glen.
ing, Perry Dunield, NJ. II. Maddocks, NJ. S. Drew,
John NJ Thompson, their legal and as
signs be and they hereby constituted body corpo-
and private with power to sue and be sued, under
the name and style ofthe Dwamish Log Driving Com
pany. for the purpose Of clearing the Dwamish river
and its tributaries White, Green and Black rvers In
King county, W. I. of all distractions to floating logs
and timbcrs down the same.
Sec 2. That said company shall, within three months
after the passage of this act, commence clearing the
channel Of said river and its tributaries White Green
and Black rivers, of jams and other obstructons TO
floating logs and timber down the same, and SHALL with
in five years, complete clearing the channel OF White
river for distance of twenty miles from its mouth-the
channel of Green river for distance Of seven miles
from its mouth-the channel of Black river for dis
Of two miles from its mouth, and as much farther
as said company may deem advisable. Said company
shall also within eight months after the passage OF this
act, construct and maintain at some point within two
and one-haf miles of the mouth Of the Dwamsh rves,
good and substantial boom or booms so as not to OBJ
stuct hinder navigation, and sufficient to catch and
preserve all logs aud timber foated down said river
its tributaries.
SEC. 8. That the said company, whenever and so far
as they have complied with the provisions Of this act,
have the right and are hereby to charge
--'-~N-
down said river and its tributaries, or either any sum
they may deem reasonable, not exceeding fifty cents
1900 feet and said sown saS
its tributaries until such charges are paid put
said company shall not be obliged to retain in their
logs
the booms.
*"
company shall be continued to them, their legal repre-
sentatves and assigns in the full enjoyment thereof,
for the term from til. passage Of this act
We think the title of tho bill should have
been "a bill TO Grant Democratic Monop-
DIV of all the Timber near the Dwamish river,
its Tributaries and Lakes, and to Obstruct
The Navigable Waters of tho United States, :"
for such will be the inevitable results whatever
may be the intentions Of the recipients of this
exclusive bounty. And for so great boon
villa, do these gentlemen propose to do in re-
turn9 Why simply to remove the obstruc-
cles in Green. White and Black rivers, when
there are no distractions to remove, and
charge fifty cents per thousand feet for BOOM
ing logs or timber belonging to any one not
member of the company, and if not paid liz
reasonable length of time the same can be
taken away. Is not this swinging the BOOM
erang with vengencel
Another feature of this bill is its legality.
Can boom be placed near the mouth of the
Dwamish river which will hold any consider
able number of logs without obstructing havi-
gationl Certainly not; for wherever logs
will float steamers can 60, and wherever a
steamer can 60 the waters are navigable, and
especially is this the case in tide waters.
Still another singular feature in this bill is
the fact that the timber-land upon which tho
bill itself is predicated, are not sxrreycd-
very little except the bottom lands are sur
veyed. Is this bill asked for orgranted in an
ticipation of trespassing upon tho public
lands? The charitable answer would be in
the negative; and the excuse, hasty legisla-
ton. There are some half.a-dozen other clog
driving" or rather log-rol2ing bills, either
passed or before the Legislature, Of a similar
nature, Of which, perhaps this is not the least
Objectionable one. We propose hereafter to
examine them, and soma other exclusive acts
passed by the Legislature.
- q. D.