The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1880-05-13
The Rivers Of Puget Sound.


The Lummi rises in the Cascade
range, northwest of Mount Baker,
flows southwest, receiving the Nook
sack from the southeast, and empties
into Bellingham Bay. Both streams
are bordered with excellent land and
gold has been found on the tributaries.
Next south is the SwinOmish, its source
in the Cascades, and emptying into
Bellingham Bay. The tide lands at
it's mouth and upon the Swnomish
Slough appropriated for cultivation are
noted for their heavy production of
wheat, oats and barley. The Skagit
rises in the Cascade range, and empties
by several mouths in Port Suzan. The
Skagit Valley is an extensive and rich
agricultural section, and considerable
mining is carried on its upper waters.
The Stilaguamish also empties into
Port SuZan. The timber on its banks
is very valuable. Coal is found 20
miles from its mouth. The channel
with the drifts removed would be nav
igable for % miles. The SnOhomlsh
empties opposite the south end of
WILDLY Island. Eighteen miles from
its mouth it divides into the Skyko-
mish and Snoqualmie. Tide flats per-
meated by several channels, stretch
across its mouth, back of which are
extensive Gran berry marshes. The
SnOhomish and the SnOqualmie are
| navigable within few miles of SnO-
qualmie Falls. On the Snohomish
and both forks there is large guam
| tity of first class agricultural land.
The SnOqualmie rises in the Cascade
| range at an altitude of 5000 feet, flows
westerly 20 miles, when it makes u
perpendicular descent of go feet form
| ing the celebrated SnOqualmie Falls.
At the lowest stage of the river, width
| of the falls ten yards; when the river
is full, seventy-tive yards. Beyond
| the falls are the famous SnOqualmie
Prairies. Duwamish empties into
Elliott Bay, upon which the city of
| Seattle is located. Its main continents
are White and Green rivers. Lake
| Washington lies back of Seattle. Its
outlet four and one half miles long,
empties into Duanish. After leaving
the lake half mile, Black river re-
| ceives Cedar river, which rises in the
Cascade range. An extensive agricult-
ural area is afforded by the valleys of
the Duamish and its tributaries, with
an inland navigation of thirty miles.
On Black River vein of coal was
opened in 1854; now the vicinity is cell
ebrated for extensive coal mining.
The Puyallup rises north of Mount
Rainier, runs northwesterly; and emp
ties into Commencement Bay on which
is 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 cultiva-
ton of the hop, and for deposits of eX
cellent coal; tobacco is also cultivated
with considerable success. Nisqualy
rises south of Mount Rainier In 1888,
the Hudson Bay Company, at its
mouth, built Fort Nisqualy, the first
permanent white settlement on Puget
Sound. On its banks were the stock
farms and upon the adjacent plains the
sheep ranges of the Puget Sound Agri-
cultural Company.
The Des Chutes empties into Budd's
Inlet, at the extreme head of the Sound.
At its mouth IS the thriving milling
and manufacturing town of Tumwater
notable for the water power. At
this place, Col. NJ. T.. simmons made
the first American settlement north of
the Columbia. The Skokomish emp
ties into Hoods Canal. Its two con
fluents rise in the Coast range and join
10 miles from the mouth. The valley
varies from to 3 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 Dungeness and
Elwha, with valleys of excellent land.
All the above described rivers are
rapid, cold mountain streams abound
ing with trout. Their deltas are the
resort Of myriads of wild geese, ducks
and other aquatic birds.