Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1888-01-27
The Stillaguamish.
A RIVER FIFTY MILES LONG RUNNING
THROUGH A FERTILE VALLEY.

A RIVER FIFTY MILES LONG RUNNING
THROUGH A FERTILE VALLEY.
The valley of the Stillaguamish riv-
er is from one to four miles in width,
and extends almost the whole length
of the Stillaguamish river, which
rises in the Cascade mountains and
after course of about fifty miles en-
ters the Sound at a point almost di-
rcctly opposite the Straits OF Fuca.
Though the tide flats at the mouth OF
the river have been settled for some
twenty-five years, still it is only within
the last ten years that any considera-
BILE portion of the valley has been
opened up and occupied. Later,
within the last year, the valley of the
north fork of the river which COM
prises nearly one-half of the valley Of
the whole river, has been settled, and
settlers are still coming in. There
being no railroad facilities, and no
means of communication with the
outer world except by water naviga-
ton. the general development of the
valley has not been so rapid as it
would have been were better transpOr-
tation advantages enjoyed by the peo-
pie. 1t is not only probable, but an
absolute certainty, that the sound of
the great civilizer-the iron horse
will soon be heard in place of the In
dian war song, or the Wassail;" and
the primcval scenes, which the aborig-
ines have with sacred regard allowed
to remain unchanged for ages, will
shortly receive new creation. "The
crooked places shall be made straight,
and the desert shall rejoice and be
made to blossom as the rose." The
Seattle and West Coast Railroad, pro-
jecting from Seattle to some point in
British Columbia, and already graded
to Snohomish City, will next season
be ut least completed to cross the
Stillaguamish valley, from whence it
will be pushed northward to its pro-
posed terminus.
The hop industry in this valley has
not as yet that prominence which it
should and doubtless will receive in
the near future. Mr.. Koch, of the
Stillaguamish, cultivates ten acres in
hops, which has yielded as well as the
best hop lands in Puyallup or White
river valleys. w. r. Stockbridge for
merly of Puyallup, who recently
bought farm at Stanwood, purposes,
it is reported, to plant an extensive
hop yard. 1t is to be hoped that the
opening up of the valley (Which con-
tains thousands of acres OF the very
best hop land by railroad connec-
tions will induce persons of wealth to
seek the valley as u proper field in
which to use their capital in planting
extensive hop farms. No better field
for such investment could be found.
These lands, though equal to the best
in White river valley, are not valued
at One-third figures Still this will be
materially changed upon the approach
of the railroad. Now il the time to
secure cheap lands, if ever. There
does not seem to be any special enthu-
siasm on fruit topics by our people
generally. Nearly every settler plants
out an orchard of greater or less pro-
portions, but may say, in short, po-
mology receives but tithe of the
energies Of the farmers of this valley.
Mr.. Price, of Stillaguamish owns the
most thrifty and best cultivated or
chard in the valley, so far as I have
seen. No one has yet dreamed OF
making specially of Embarrassing.
In order that the people may know
the great possibilities III the fruit in
dustry in this section, it is necessary
that they should be educated by facts,
figures and statistics in regard to the
business. Though the whole valley is
admirably adapted to the production
of fruit, still think the lands on the
north fork Of this river are the best,
and that for such purposes they can
not be excelled in Washington Terri
tory. They are warm somewhat po-
rous, and rich with subsoil from two
to four feet from the surface. During
the past season raised from the seed
60 peach trees, some of which are now
81 feet high. ! propose to try the ex-
pertinent of raising seeding peaches.
B. H. Diron in Puyaliup Commerce.