, 1878-06-12

any pIlCC IL iShuCleh Lhv UuiiuiHS WI
town OH the Bay an lmpossibility. The
delta OF the Noutsack Il tract of over 20
sections OF almost uneoualed fertility,
situate between the Lunmi and lower
| Nootsack, constitutes the Lummi Indian
reservation. AS if these things were not
enoogh the administration of affairs by
the B. B. Coal company were always the
reverse OF public spirited and entcrpris
ing, AS Tar as other people were concern
ed. Some way or other their agent
managed to he in untugonism to their
interests, real or fancied, of most OF the
est of the county. 1t is only within the
past two or three years that the superior
advantages offered Ior settlement on the
Nootsack were generally known, and
when it wns known that so much good
lannd could be obtained there, the re-
naming obstacles were 50 great that few
wished TO make the venture. In the
lower N0Utsack most ol the land was
o yncd l,y non residen. spectators who
would not sell and were unwilling To
pay the county a reasonable tax on their
land. Above, where there were plenty
of iunds, the river was blocked by 80
many jams that it was deemed impossl
he ever to get it open to navigation.
Their only alternative was to purchase
their supplies of the b. 3. Coal company
haul them from Is to 20 miles over u
ruff road, with no cash market for their
produce and no chance to sell except to
the company odious to them, as all mo-
nopoles are, whether just or unjust in
their dealings, for trade at price fixed
by the company for what they bought as
we'll as what they sold. The suspension
of the company is indeed a fortunate
thing tol these settlers as it enables a
number OF stores to spring to lite, creates
competition with al. its attendant bene-
benefits. Except to few people
around Sehome its suspension is an un-
mixed blessing. For some six or eight
years past no lands in Snohomish county
have been taxed less than So so an acre
valuation, Few non resident land own
ers in Whatcom county would be willing
to claim that their fine agricultural
lands were worth less than the poorest
agricultural lands in Sn0humish county
Probably there are still fewer bona fide
settlers who own only 1850 acres who
would object to paying taxes on aNalu-
alton Of 80 so per acre on their lands,
provided they knew thar all non resi-
dent spectators lands were taxed at the
same rate. For some time past no lands
have been assessed by the sheriff at less
than So 90 per acre, yet these spectators
have been able to get their assessments
reduced to 81 20 per acre, while it is
claimed that the land of residents has
rarely been reduced, but raised above the
original valuation by the County Board
OF Equalization. Certainly very eff
cient means of driving population from
the Bay.
North of the Nootsack river there are
some three townships where there are
now speculators' lands. South of this
northerly row OF townships along the
British line, are three more townships
where spectators own but little land
These six townships are all level, good
agricultural land. All the land filed on
would not, all told, exceed one out of
six of these townships. Leaving full
townships still open to settlement. Not
over one hundrcdth part of the timber
land has been filed on, and nearly all of
it can be put in the water with less than
one mile hauling, by reason of the num-
erous creeks that run into the the river.
With lands so cheap, OF such excellent
quality, so much good timber, the jams
out this seasou. and u steamboat on the
river, with new stores, convenient to the
settlers, and mill going up, it will be u
wonder if the population of that valley
does not more than quadruple during
| the next two years.
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