, 1872-07-04
gu9et Sound 9ispateh.
SKAGIT RIVER.

Messrs. Hill and Sweeny, on behalf
Of the Skagit River Company. having
made a thorough exploration of that re-
gion, make the following report to the
Board of Directors
Gentlemen Acting under your spe-
cial instructions, and bearing in mind
the general objects and purposes for
which the "Skagit River Co" was in
,tituted, we procured a sraaltoutft and
left Seattle on Monday morning, June
18th, by steamer J. B. Libby. arriving
at Swinimish Reservation the same day,
at seven o'clock p. NJ.
Here obtaining such further supplies
as was thought necessary. we hired a
canoe to take US up the North Fork, or
mouth of the Skagit, to Conner's Store,
situated at the Forks, or where the main
river divides, about eight miles from the
Sound and two and q half miles below
the Jam.
This being the period of the Spring
freshet, and the river high, the North
Fork at this date would now be naviga-
BILE for good sized steamers, but proba-
bly, would not be for any but of the
lightest draft at low water. The South
Fork is known to be navigable at all
seasons for any of our river steamers.
The river is affected by tie tides up to
the lower part Of the Jam, which rises
and falls with it about two feet. The
land on and around the delta Of the
Skagit, from the salt water to the Jam,
is of excellent quality though mostly
heavily timbered it is district of sew
eral miles in extent, and is said to be all
taken up and oc ,upied by actual settlers,
who hold their claims at high prices.
"THE JAM"
which has heretofore been the great
barrier to any further progress of set
tlement up the valley of the Skagit, is
mass of drift timber which has been
accumulating probably for ages-mam-
moth trees with all their roots and
branches drifting into narrow bend of
the river, became embedded in the sand
of the bottom and locked in with fallen
trees from the banks, and among this
impenitrable network of large timbers
several sand bars have formed, making
it a formidable, impregnable and perma-
nent obstruction to the navigation of
this, the largest tributary of Puget
Sound. The appropriation of $4,000
asked for IN memorial of the last Ter
ritorial Legislature would, in our opin-
ion, be sum entirely Inadequate to re-
move the Jam, but it may be possible to
open a channel around it, for that
amount. Private enterprise will never
be likely to risk an OUTLAY of capital to
do either. The jam will be undoubted-
ly removed some time, or new chan
mel opened, but not until the country
above becomes settled up and contains
a population with trade of sufficient
importance to ask of government an
outlet for this river but those who de-
sire to secure homes and good farms in
that valley need not wait for this result.
We are assured by Mr.. David Kimball,
and other settlers in the vicinity, that a
good wagon-road will soon be opened
from Mr.. Kimball's house, below the
Jam, around on the south side to point
on the clear river above. This road,
the great desideratdm as a portage for
freight and travel, will be perfectly level
and less than two miles long. So, real
ly, the jam may no longer be regarded
as a material obstruction to the naviga-
ton of the river, or to the settlement
and development of its rich bottom
lands. though the timber will probably
be locked up until by action Of Con-
gress the river is cleared. With this
road opened, steamer of light draft
might be placed above the Jam and run
without any difficulty to the he ad of the
Skagit, go miles above, and for some
distance up many Of its tributary
streams. We made the portage over an
Indian trail. on the north side (only
1, 100 yards long) Wednesday, June 18th,
and with Skagit Indians, assembled
the river in three days to the Forks of
the Sokh and North Branch. or head
of the Skagit, 70 miles from the Sound.
Our reconnaissance was as thorough as
could be made under the circumstances,
and as the wild nature of the country
would permit. We derived much val
liable data relative to the lay of the
land, quality of soil, etc., off the river,
from members of Capt. Sheets party,
now engaged in making ; preliminary
survey for the N. p R. R. to Skagit
Pass. We have also been diligent in
making enquiries and noting all reliable
information obtainable from other
sources, and to sum up in brief des-
cription.
THE sKAGIT VALLEY
contains at least 1000 acres of land
suitable for agricultural and grazing
purposes. some of which Is of most ex-
cellent quality, and nearly all would be
rated first class soil.