The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1877-11-19
A BIG JOB WELL MANNED.

ED. ISrEL'IGENcER lit is impossi.
ole for any person to properly appreci-
ste the magnitude OF the undertaking
which the Skaget Jam Company start
ed about two years ago. unless they
have bsen on the spot. walked over the
ground. and had it explained to them
~ l have. When they started, the
jam was mile and thee quarters long
and at its mouth was covered with riy-
er deposit five feet deep. There were
Alder trees growing on it nine inches in
diameter, and it often took four men
whole day to shovel the dirt off single
log, without the hope of fee or re-
ward. These four men struggled
through hardships and dangers innum-
cradle. expecting to realize a living
from the saleable logs they might get,
and that the Government or the people
would friendly recOmpense them in
som. way. The logs they have taken
ont have been twice washed away bv
frsshets. and the tools they have lost,
mot through carelessncss. but from the
peculiar danger of the work. would
amount to more than they have receiv-
ed for subscription from all sources.
They are quite often obliged to jump
for their lives and abandon tools, boats
and every thing else. Often they saw
through log which releases five or six
tiers of logs below it. and az the cur
rent is very swift. they bound to the
surface in the opening end first, max
ing it necessary for the man to jump
for bis life. Another disagreeable
feature of the work is that nearly all
the saving has to be done from the bot.
tom of the logs. for when theylstart it
on top the current raises the log aud
binds the saw. They have cut chan
mel 300 feet wide at the lower end and
one 500 fest wide, where they are at
present. nearly all solid cutting. They
have nov but IS rods to cut through,
aud the river is unusually low for this
sason Of the year. which makes the
work more difficult. But even if the
water should remain 1t its present stage
they will cut through aud complete
their work by next June. aud if it
should raise over the banks as it often
does. the jam 10 liable to 20 out any
day The river above the Jam is set
tied nearly 80 miles. aud only one set.
tier dared venture above it until
they commenced to cut it away.
There is vast amount Of good agricul-
tural land up there vacant. and the river
is nsvigable for light draught vessels
for SO miles and over. The Skagit Jam
Co. are Marvin Minnick. Daniel Hines,
Donald Mcdonald. Fritz Dibborn and
Dennis Storrs. They have received by
subscription from oil sources, in tools,
cash and provisions since they started
two years ago. just @il6. Ons subscrip-
ton taken up for them was without
their knowledge or consent. and vas
only recovered by consulting lawyer.
They have realized 5000 from the sale
of logs. and their actual expenses over
aud above this entire amount Is about
81 900. not counting their own labor ct
oil. They have had ten men employed
ct one time, and have been employing
men constantly since they commenced,
and of coarse these men bad to BE- paid
out Of the proceeds Of their logs.
Mr.. Ivrrson, OF Snohomish county.
had bill passed through the lest Ter
ritorial Legislature memorialixing Con-
grcse to grant two thousand dollars for
the removal Of the Skagit and Stilla.
guamish jams. and appointed - conn
missioners two men ct work on tho
6tillaguamish jam. and one other. The
men were hard ut work when was
there, and bound to finish. d.