The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1879-09-03
THE RIVERS OF PUGET SOUND.


The Lummi rises in the Cascade
range, north west Of Mount Baker. flows
southwest, receiving the Nooksachk X
from the southeast, and empties into
Belliugh.m Bay. Both streams are
borderci With excellent land and gold
has been found OF the tributaries. Next
south is the Swincmish, its source in
the Cascades. and emptying into Bel
lingham Bay The tide lands at its
mouth and upon the Swinnmish Slough
Appropriated for cultivation are noted
.or their heavy production Of wheat. oats
aud barley. The Skagit rises IN the
Cascso. range. and enptiss by several
mouth. in Port Susan. The Skagi,
Valley i. All extensive and rich
mining i. carried on on its upper wa
ters. The S,ilaguamish also smptie-
into Port Susan. The timber on its
banks i. very valunb.e Coal is fpund
30 miles from its mouth. The channel
with the drifts removed would be navi-
gable for % miles. The Snohomish
empties opposite the south end of
WILDLY Island. Eighteen miles from
its mouth it divides into the SkykU-
mi.h aud Snoqualmie. Tide flats per-
mediated by several channels, stretch
across its mouth, back Of which are
extensive cranberry marshes. The
Snobomish and the Sno4ualmie are
navigable within few miles Of Sno :
quAlmie Falls. On the Snohomish and
both forks there is large quantity of
first class agricultural land. The Sno-
qualmie rises IN the Cascade range at an
altitude Of 3 900 feet, flows wcsterl ly 90
miles. when it maks a perpendicular
descent Of go feet; forming the cele-
brated Snoqusln.ic Falls. At the low
est stage Of the river, width Of the falls.
ten yard,; when the river is full. sew
enty-fve yards, Beyond the falls are
the famous Snoqualmie Prairies. Du-
vanish emptics into Elliott Bav, upon
which the city of Seattle is located. Its
main continents are White and Green
rivers On the! former occurred the
massacre Of October %, 2Sjj. in which
| unoifending men, women and chill
drcn WIRE surprised at early dawn.
murdered and shockingly mutilatcd by
the Indians All movable property
vas carried off AMI buildings burned.
Some bodies We're consumed. others
were thrown into wells. Lake Wash
iug,on lies back Of Seattle. Its outlet
four and ons half miles long, empties
INTO the Duwamish After leaving the
lake half mile. Black river receives
Cedar river, which rises in the Cascade
range An extensive agricultural area
IL afforded by the valleys of the DIVA
mish and its tributaries. with an in
laud navigation Of thirty miles. On
Black River . vein of coal was opened
in 1884. now the vicinity is celebrated
for extensive coal mining.
The Puyallup rises north Of Mount
Rainier. runs northwesterly, and emp
ties into Commencement Bay. on which
i. situated New Tacoma, the terminus
of the Northern Pacific Railroad. The
valleys of the Puyallup and Stuck af
ford large quantity of the best agri-
cultural land. The former has become
celebrated for the successful cultivation
of the hop, and for deposits of excellent
coal; tobacco is also cultivated with
considerable success. Nisqua'ly rises
south Of Mount Rainier. In 1888, the
Hudson Bay Company. at its mouth,
built Fort Nisqually. the first perma-
men. white settlement on Puget Sound.
On its banks were the stock farms and
upon the adjacent plains the sheep
ranges Of the Puget Sound Agricultu-
raj Company
The Des Chutcs empties into Buld's
Inlet. at the extreme head of the
Sound. At its mouth is the thriving
milling aud manufacturing town of
mwater-notable for the water
power. At this place. Col. M T Sim
mons made the first American settle
ment north Of the Columbis. The Sko-
komish empties into Hoods Canal.
Its two continents rise in the Coast
range and join 10 miles from the mouth.
The valley varies from to miles in
width, and is of the finest quality of
bottom land On both sides of Hoods
Canal there are other small rivers with
similar valleys. though not so extensive.
Along the southern shore Of the
Straits of Juan de Fuca, are several
streams heading in the Coast range
the principal are the Dungene.s and
Elwhs. with valleys Of excellent land.
All the above described rivers are
rapid. cold mountain streams abounding
with trout. Their deltas are the re-
sort of myriads of wild geese. ducks
and other aquatic birds.