, 1876-12-16
Chr Aurthrrn Star.


fOWlnG INTO luLcl Sbl'iu, ne HhhS'l
!, the longer river and if cleared from
obstacles to navigation would he nav
gahle for light draft steamers about 10
miles. About the same as the SnOho-
mish. There is about an equal amount
OF agricultural land fit for cultivation on
these rivers. This river rises east of 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 are
higher in summer than winter, yet rise
slower, and overflow their banks less
than the Snohomish.
The Skagit drains the southern por
ton of Whatcom county, reaching the
Sound by two mouths, called the North
and South forks. Skagt City, a new
town site, recently surveyed and plated
is situated near the head of the delta or
forks of the Skaglt, and within the forks
1t is located upon bottom land above
the reach of trcshets. Edward Meal.
pine is proprietor At present most of
the business is done adjoining to but off
from the plated town site Skagit City
is at present the business center OF the
river.
The North fork of the river is about
five miles long reaches the Sound about
three miles from La Conner, in tact all OF
the Swinomish flats are considered part
of the river valley, although we have de-
scribed them separately. l believe
steamers have never tried to ascend the
North fork, its entrance being very shoal
at low water. The South fork is the
main river channel, its mouth Is Just at
the south line Of Whatcom and north
line of Snohomish counties. This fork
is about eight miles long. Steamers like
the Zephyr or Fanny Lalo can easily
ascend at all seasons OF the year.
The first settler on the river was VIM.
Fl. Sartwell, who stopped while on the
Snohomish, then settled on the Skagit in
February, 1858.
BY the Spring Of 1865 there were five
settlers on the river, VIM. II. Sartwell,
VIM. Alexander, VIM. johnson, j. V.
Abbott, and Edward McAlpine. r. r.
Jones brought the first family to the
river. They settled in 1870. BY 1871
there were six families. In 1872 there
were fifteen, now there are about fifty
families, and some three hundred white
people on the river, not including the
Swinomish flats. There is about 1900
acres Of land under cultivation on the
river, besides great deal diked near the
mouth, but not yet cultivated.
No logging has ever been conducted
on the North fork. For several years
camps have been in operation near
the mouth of the South tork, but this
year is the first that regular logging has
been carried on any distance up river.
Now there are four camps on the South
fork, and two more situated near
the jam.
The jam is the peculiar feature of the
river the lower end of it is about two
miles above Skagit City, is divided into
lower and upper jam. The lower jam
is about 400 feet long Then the river
is clear for about threefourths OF mile
to the upper jam. which is over half a
mile long. This Jam acts as a check
upon the settlement of one of the finest
regions in the Territory. Only two fam.
lilies, and some fifteen people having set
tied above the jam. All Of the settle
ments being crowded within the delta,
or along the forks of the river, while q
magnificent country along fine nav.
igable stream, for over sixty mines
above the jam, is by this means prevent.
ed from being opened to settlement and
cultivation, to say nothing of the mum.
berless mines Of the best coal found on
the Sound. or the great amount of the
finest timber that the jam prevents com.
ing into market, Logging can be car.
ried on only to a limited extent until
after their removal, as the high land Is
too fur back from the river to haul lum-
ber from; even the most favorable town
site, sksgit City, Icing situated on the
bottom land, near the forks, for the rea.
son OF there being no high land on the
river below the jAH0. Perhaps no river