Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1883-01-13
snIp H.HBOH, rIDALGo ISLAND.
HISTORY,

named il and located it with other islands
ON the charts. De Fuca doubtless saw
it, three hundred years ago, but without
particularizi1g II, or any other single
island in his account Fidalgo was a
merry man. Some of his 'quirs and
cranks" have lived after hum, in the
records of his contemporary voyagers. The
name of Fidalgo itself was common
"old Spanish" word, the equivalent of
IIidalgo, and its history is quite interest
ing. In its Latin original it WAS Flo, son
i.. Of: alguno, somebody. 1t became
abbreviated in use to Fiiodalgo. and then
IT, Fidalgo, the Specification attached to
Il bling that the father acknowledged his
paternity to the son, that the mother was
honored, and the son entitled to the
standing of the family. The word evil
IDENTITY dates back to the tpies when 80,
cety WAS In al aboriginal state. Ship Hai.
Dor derived it's name from the clrcum-
stance that the United States war vessel
Massachusetts,, in early times, when Ore,
gon and Washington were both outlying
territories and wards of the United States,
was in the habit of ststioning herself TOR
several years at this central point OF our
inland sea of the northwest coast. Mr..
A. c. Kittles, Mr.. S. Wooten and other
old settlers remember this ship, and testify
further to the fact that the naming is due
to Capt Diggs OF the ship Amethyst who
WAS in the habit IN the years 1902 (and
later Of stopping here 10 trim ballast and
tor shelter, while iu the business OF carry.
ing coal from Bsllingham Bay to Sun
Francisco. Ship Harnor fret rose to i'm
portance IN connection with the explora-
.tions and reports OF Governor Isaac /.
Stevens, the first Governor of Washing
ION Territory IAN engineer as we'll as
statesman OF abil,ty.) IN behalf of the
Northern Pacific Railway. Gov. Stevens
first directed the government explora-
tiops in search of route; aud after the
organization OF the corporation known as
che Northern Pacific Railroad Company he
performed services for and made reports
TO that company, If We mistake not, in
capacity of engineer, or engineer in chief,
slough of that we would not be certain.
He institu tsd careful examination of all
the available harbors OF the upper and
lower sound tor terminal purposes, and
in the same interest dispatched numerous
explorers accompanied by Indian packers
hfoot, into tbs several passes of the Cas-
cade Mountains presenting spproachcs
thereto going over the whole ground
with zeal aud thoroughness, degree
of enthusiasm and pride in the performs
-aace OF his great work which Tor oil time
have marked Sseyeps the first hero of the
Territory. In much Of this work he was
seconded by Gen. Tilton. It the time IN
charge of the United States land office.
smother engineer, father Of the present
Chief Engineer OF Construction en- the
Canadian Pacific Rrailway, Pacific Di
vtohOUs l<bhCt abo
CONSTRUCTION along his routes have proved
in remarkable manner the practical eff
fciency Of Stevens preliminary explo-
yations, and the 'skookum" character OF
the map. Stephens fixed upon Fidalgo
Island on Fuca Strait as the proper ter
minus, and Wards Pass vt the head Of
the south fork Of the Skagct River as tue
proper route for the main lins Of the
Northern Pacific Railway.
He so reported in his tirst report to the
Board Of Directors OF the Northern Pacific
Railway Company. The company adopt,
ell that route tor thsir main line AS is well
known, having fixed il by the records in
the interior department. They made all
thtir dispositions with regard to 1t and
distirc ly adhered to that policy up to
tho tune of the financial crash OF 1912,
when the financial agent, Jay Cooke,
Jailed, and the company was all but
ruined. 1t is not necessary to anslysr
here the operations Of the land specula-
tors who on the outside traded on the in
formation derived from their connection
with the Northern Pacific Railway Com
pany 1t that time. nor to detail the very
natural manner in which the struggling
company, grasping Ut straws, to escape
the alternative Of drowning, accepted the
assistance Of the Oregon Congressman, in
order TO save their land grant, whereby
the direct ropte to the straits GANG to be
officially abandoned for q time. It 10
enough to state, in 90 far ~ the subject
relates to Ship Hsrber, that frontage of
seven miles, comprising nearly the entire
frontage ON Fidalgo Island had been Sc
cured By Hazard Stevens, son OF Cover
nsr Stsyens, acting ~ attorney for the
railway company. or land company under
the supposed approval of the managers
Of the railway company; the grading
having passed Tacoma lnorthwardsl on
Nhat was then the Oregon branch of the
y. p. R. R. before Tscoms was declared
10 be the ierminus of said branch line
OF Of the main line as designated for the
Arst time long after the crash.
Governor Stevens view or the situation
WAS very naturally taken advantage Of by