The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-12-01
THE STILLAGUAMISH.
Rich Valley With Vast Area Of
Government Land.
TREES. MINERAL AND GOOD SOIL.
Great and sure Reward % Those who
Camp Little while In me
Wilderness.

sfanwoed Times
Early in 1Ssl Captain naniel Marvin,
who now lives opposite i H. Perkins place
81 Florence. pulled up the Sfiilaguamish
river on the lookout for land. The river
vas then lined with dense forests which
stretched away many niles On both sides
Of the hanks Vast trees towering many
feet above the ground whose huge stnmps
still remain: great naples larger than any
the captain ever saw. had served hereto
fore 70 keep the red mans land intact in
all It's primitive glory. Bur Mr.. Marvin
was not 70 he deferred BY this and settled
upon good piece Of bottom land, which
be proceeded 20 clear. Ne sooner had lie
settled down than be was followed by
others. Among these we're Henry Mar.
shall T. A Adams, ]. III. Irvine,
Willard Sly, James cnthbcrt and
GardRer Goodrich. These all came in lisa
and were the pioneers of the Stillaguam-
ish. Times were hard and the position
OF the settlers was not enviable. Ii was
necessary 10 60 10 Coupeville and Utsa-
lady for supplies. indeed Mr. cuthhert has
informed the writer that he was often
times Obliged 10 30 clear TO Seattle In
skitf. Stanwood was At that time existing
NOT even in name.
As time went on other settlers came up
the river and gradually the country from
the Sound 10 the forks began to be cleared
up aud IL was seen for the first time what
marvellous section il Was 70 be. Hay was
the first crop raised ard brought most SAT-
islact0ry results. Frais was then tried as
an experiment and was even more surpria-
ing In It's variety and llayor. Many orch
ards we've set out between 1870 and 1875
and every season weighted 10 the ground
with most abundant crops. Finally AZ log
gers and mill men began TO establish
camps and furnish to the FancheFs near
and convenient source Tor the sale OF their
produce. others came and have kept COM
ing until today il i an assured fact that at
least 900 people are located on the river
and It's forks.
As one pulls up the stream he can get
but . faint IDEA OF the wonderful country
which surrounds him. On both sides Is
valley from two TO twenty miles In width,
sparsely settled, but which viii grow nil
that man can ask. The soil. unlike the
Skagit, which Is sandy, il a deep clay loan,
and is well adapted 60 trait. hay grain and
hops. As one goes beyond the forks the
country becomes wilaeff. dense forests
stretch away on both sides; the land Is
rough and broken, and numerous logging
camps are established on claims which
foot up four. i've aud six million feet to the
quarter section.
Following the forks of the river 70 tie
mountains a rich and uns1eveioped mineral
country Is struck which viii some day sur
PRISE even those who are most sangaiine as
to is future. Vast deposits Of ceAl and
iron are known 10 exist the precious
metals have also been found. and In re-
cent week fifteen silver claims were said to
have been taken up. Much OF the land
here is unsurveyed and Il Is confidently
hoped and expected that the general gov
eminent viii take steps looking 10 It's
speeding location and entry.
At numerous places settlements have
been made. as al Florence. Norman. Stisla-
guamish, Sloman, Glendale and Allen. At
these points the back country Is more
thickly settled up and roads or trails lead
OF to the homes Oh the hardy pioneers.
The land Is generally held In LOO acre
claims. though In some eases ii u cut mp
into smaller tracts and thus becomes more
speedily cleared and brought under enlti-
walton. What farming IL done. as general
thing, is on a small scale, and there are
few ranches than have more than thirty
acres CltAIta &tAo w aEt1. Va TIC tlFGf
banks, however, there is considerable good
land either in fruit or has. which will
average four, FIVE and six tons TO the acre.
Gardner Goodrich ard james Cuthbert
have two specially fine places, the
former realizing this year over seventy tons
from d thirteon-acre patch. He alao sold
500 worth OF stock aad 81 GO in fruit from
hardly 100 trees. The place operated by
C. r. Hanson It Florence Is also worthy OF
mention It consists Of so acres, about
go Of which are sowu IN oats. During 1857
1000 sacks OF oats we're harvested from
this place, which az two and three-fourtbs
bushels to the sack made che enormous
total OF p $50 bushels. or Ito bushels to the
acre. Upon this place we're kept forty
head Of cattle and over 00tons OF hay were
cut IN addition 10 the oats. The place IF
John sether. adjoining H&nson's, was fully
up to this and the crop ives nothing mere
than usual. IL is easy then 10 figure out
the profit In flaming. and tbs markets OF
Puget sound viii always demand more than
can be raised.
Farming. timber and mineral lands are
very cheap IL comparison - other points
IN Western Washington There ssill re-
main large tracts Of government lands yet
TO be surveyed and entered. The chances
70 secure a foothold yet are good, ard the
enormous influx OF capital and population
10 this section the next few years viii
eventually make the rtillaguamtsh second
10 no valley on Puget SQUAD. ard wake Hp
our latent resources into an activity ard
development that can hardly be snrmised.