, 1876-06-10
rORRESPONDENCE.


lid not expect, when wrote you
..torc, to tarry thus long in The City
The Saints" But owing to the sick
,.. OF ms little daughter, Minnie, nave
teen unable to get away AS soon as |
,,-.ul. am inclined to doubt the truth
.. lie qppcllation, which have heard
,iied 10 Salt Lake Valley, viz The
..a,.arium of the Continent We hat
IL rain on yesterday, and this morn
the mountains, which seem u smut
III around us were covered with snow
The very foot. Three or four times be-
re has this been the case since arrived
go. Consequently slight change III
- direction Of the wind produces u
.rHcd change in the temperature, aud
: happening, perhaps, several times in
sc day, you can well imagine that ca
-rhs have here made permanent abid.
= place. 1t causes me, howevever, to
nprcciate still more highly the uniform
d delightful climate OF Washington
'e:ri;ory. Again the alkali dust which
here forever except just after rain)
wen hither and tlither by the winds
in marked contrast with the pure air
d; our forcst.sheltered and grass-covered
,a.leys.
have had it in contemplation for
me time to write a short article for
ADlr paper concerning she importance Of
lcreasiag the taxation OF timber lands
1 Snohomish County. 1t i'd well known
:rst logging is the chief interest in our
lanty, and largely exceeds that Of agi-
,ll,ure. Heretofore agricultural and
.iabcr lands have been assessed at the
same value, viz $3.50 per acre. This
unfair and unjust. The farming lands
iaye an added value each year, by reason
Jfmorc extensive clearings, larger barns,
otter houses, fences &C.; whereas the
timber lands are only of value while the
.inlbcr remains upon the same. Now we
are comparatively young county, and
-rc extremely desirous to attract with
N our borders at least our share Of the
aiuscle and money coming into our Ter.
ritoiy On the stream of immigration. As
yet we have no county buildings-our
GRIP is not quite worth its face value
nor are we whoiiy free from debt. These
thing must be remedied if we would at
tract capital to our county. And now
before our timber wealth is exhausted, is
our only opportunity to place ourselves
in that desirable condition. The large
mill companies altho' holding thous-
nads Of acres OF our best timber, still
havc their agents exploring our forests
As each township is surveyed, and are To-
cEting upon all our best timber lands.
And no wonder; for their taxes are
chiefy paid in scrip, purchased at half
% value upon an assessed valuation of
$3.50 per acre. These claims in all justice
should be taxed upon an assessment Of
Sen dollars per acre. They are held as a
profitable Investment until small loggers
between whom there is such strong
competition at present Ms to almost cx.
clude all profit--shall have exhausted
themselves, when they will step in and
monopolize the business, leaving US in a
few years, but fir stumps upon which to
assess taxes for the payment of our debts
and the erection ofa court. house and
Jail.
I trustour County Commissioners will
give this matter their earnest attention,
for ere long it will he too late. adyo-
Gated this policy at our last meeting.
and it is so obviously just that 10 not
think it will meet with single objection
save from the mill companies themselves;
and do not doubt chat they will accept
it without a murmur, for they must have
wondered why il has not been done long
ago. This plan will compel these con-
panies to operate upon theirsown lands,
thereby Furnishing employment TO =
greater number Of men. and unlocking
our natural wealth which has lain d0r-
nans already too long for purposes OF
speculation. 1t will q. once make our
credit as county ans class. /. will
give our County Scrip at once l double
purchasing value. !; vii! give Us the
means 20 firl;sh permanent office for
1ug county officials, 20 purchase = safe,
ouild jail s.. view this matter