, 1876-04-08
The Shilrii lsiYcr.

The Skagi. aud Snnhomi,h nTe the two
largest as well as longest rivers flowing into
Pur.t Sound. Tho Skagiti the longer river
and if cleared irnm ohstsc'rs TO nnvig ,tion
would be navignblr. for light draft steamers
| hout rs mlps. A'ou. the same az the Sno-
homi,h There is about an quail amount Of
agricultural land fit for cultiYHtion nn .hrs"
rivers. This river rises ,nst nj the Cascade
Mountains. Much Of its waters are received
from streams draining Mount Baker and Other
very high peaks; consequently the waters Of
the river arr higher in Summer than Win
ter, yet rise slower, and overflow their banks
less, thNn the SrnhomiSh.
The Skagit drains the southern portion Of
Wha' com county, reaching the Sound by
two mouths, called the North and South
forks. Skagit City, new town site, recent.
ly surveyed and plated, is situated near the
head Of the delta or forks of the Skagct, and
within the forks II is located upon bottom
land above the reach of treshets Edward
McAlpine is proprietor. Al present most of
the business is done adj ining to hut of
from the plated town site. Sksgit City is
At present the business c inter- Of the river.
The North fork Of the r.v,ris about five
miles long r,arhrs the Sound about three
miles from La Conner. in fact all Of the
Swinnmsh flats are considered part Of the
river valley, although We have described
them separately. briicve steamers have
never tried to ascend the North 10 k, its cn
trance being very shon ut low water. The
South fork is the main river channel, It's
mouth is just ut the south line of Whatcom
and north line Of Snohomish Counties
This fork is about eight miles long. Steam.
ers like the Ziphyr ar Fanny Lake can easily
asccndat all SEASONS Of tie year.
The first settler on the river was W.. H.
Sartwell, who stopped while on III. Snoho.
mish, then settled ON the Skagit in Fcbru
ary 1863
By tie spring of 1865 there were five 81,
tiers IN the river, w. II. Sartwrll Wm Al.
exandrr, Vim. johnson, ]. V. Abbott. and
Edward McAlpine. T. II. Jones brought
the fist family to the river. Tiny srtll d
in 1870. BY 1871 t'ee were six families.
In 1872 there was fifteen. now there are
about tify families, and some three hundred
white people on the river, not including the
Swinomish fats. There IL about 1900 acres
Of land in cultivation on the river, bcsidcs
| great deal dlked near the mouth, but moi
yet cultivated.
M logging has ever been conducted on
the North fork. For several years camps
have been in operation .neur the mouth Of
the South fork, hut this year is the first that
regular logging has been carried on any dis
tance up river. Now there are four camps
on the South fork, and two more situated
near the Jam.
The Jam is the peculiar fature of the riy.
err the lower end of il is abont two miles
above Skagit City; is divided into u lower
anil upp,rJ.n. The lower Jun is about
1,4O0 feet long Then the river is clear for
about Z ofa mile 10 the Upper Jam, which
il over half mile long. This Jam acts MS II
check upon the SETTLEMENT of one o. thu
finest regions in the Territory. Only two
famili 3, and som" fifteen people having SET
tied above the m All Of the set lemen
being crowded within the delta, or along
the forks Of the river, while a magnificent
country along a fine nayigaI le stream. for
over sixty miles nj owe the JAM is ly this
means prevrnh d from hrirg opened to set
Element and cultivation. TO say nothing Of
the numbrrlrss mines OF the best coal found
on the Sound. or the great amount Of the
finest timber th the Jams prevent com
my into mark't. Logging can he carried on
only to q limitcd extent until o1er their re-
moval, as the high hand is too far back from
the river 10 haul lumber from even the most
favorable town site, Shagit CITY, hring situa
ted on the bottom land. near tie forks for
the reason OF there bring no high lanI on
the river below the Jam. Perhaps M river
in this T,rri ory of, ~ greater Inducements
than this for settlement, provided This Jam
WIS removed. It's bottom land, rmbpred
mainly with aller, maple &C., is
more easily cleared than the Stillaguansh.
Snol omish, or most other river bottom lands
in the Territory The timber, on the high
land, il Of excellent quality above the Jam,
as well as easy to get out, and float down,
there being few Obstacles in running logs,
after the removal OF the jam. to what are
found IN other rivers. The current Of the
Skagit being Steadier and slow,I than the
Snohonish; while something over half
dozen coal mines are prospected, and some
work done toward opening them; two of
the mines are situated below the Jim, and
between the South fork of the river and the
Stilnguamish. Tie rest are above: the re-
moval ofthe Jam is necessary to secure their
early Development Such icing the ease.
Can VIZ order that the whole energies Of
these people orr turned toward trying ~ Sc.
cure the removal Of this Jam