The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-12-23
The Delta Lands of the Skagit.


FRANK W llkesOu IN New lOrk Times.
At short intervals III the course OF last summer
wandered up and down this remarkable valley
and its tributary valleys. Here riding In wag
ous, there travelling in canoes, yonder labori-
oGsly walking through unbroken forests that
were tropical in luxuriance of growth, Chamber
ing slowly up the steep side OF this mountain TO
enter a tunnel that cut a ten-toot seam OF eoking
coal, descending into deep shaft Oh yonder
mountain 10 inspect twenty -cight-foot seam of
hard bItuminous coal, and over there, behind
the twin mountains, stamping disdainfully on
asbestos leads that varied from four 10 fifty feet
in thickness. lit is the most productive freight
valley OF its size in the world" / exclaimed
one evening when returned from trip to the
beadwateTs oi Days creek.
To the description of the valley. At the head
of the Straits Juan de Fuea lies Fidalgo island,
which Is separated from the mainland by the
SwinOmish slough. This slough is a narrow
tideway, through which salt water slowly ebbs
anu iows, and III which LBht-draught stern
wheel steamboats, OF scanty burden can churn
their slow way at high tide East Of the slough
are the delta lands Of the Skagit, lands that
have been made OF silt that was gouged by gia-
ciers out ol the Cascades rugged, granite lsnks
I0J $50 or 200 miles up the valley aud carried
by annually recurring Hoods 20 the shallow arm
OF Puget sound that in the old times sepa-
rated FidaKo island from the mainland, and
there deposited. TINS ling-!h process is
still in progress. Reeds aud aquatic plants
took root aud grew to perfect maturity
on these lands when they were only slightly
submerged. Presently they rose out OF the
water higher AMI higher till at last they were
never water-coyered save 81 exceptionally lIgh
tides. They were eXJen i've, CLASSY flats when
! first saw them years sCO. To the east tower
ing line OF DARK green 8r trees marked the
boundary OF the delta land. Today this delta
is reclaimed from the sea by diEes The Glkes
are low and thick. with deep dltcGes on the in
terror Of sufficient capacity 10 hold large
quantities Of drainage wafer. The entire GIke
which are opened at low tide - allow the
gathered water to flow Iutn the sloCsh.
Is the land that has been reclaimed from the
sea prOluCt.yr2 IN my opinion X Is tAe most
productive agricultural land in the temperate
zone What would Long Island farmers, VINO
tfII exhausted land tuat has - be spurra1 4ltO
activity with large quantities o. Commercial
bushels Of oats an acre, OF from 80 u 30
bushels OF potatoes an acre, aud OF from iour
- six tons Of hay acre, ali on uumaUured
Iaaa2 saw those quantities az oats, nav, and
uctstOes grown throughout SkagIts delta last
wear. All vegetables known 70 the temperate
zone grow 70 enormous size, bat not 10 delicate
favor on these lands. The prices received uy
me delta farmers ior their produce ara ss high.
sDG higher N many cases, IS the prIces paid ia
New YORK citv And these prices Will remain
az the top notch for many years 70 come. GER
taiuIy during all the period Of the establish
rreut 0f the manufacturing industry OF " ash.
turton aud during the axa-sElDslag era, w1en
farus viii oc chopped out OF es1ern asdlug-
tons forests -kagit delta land i worth. and
whsr j. more 10 the point, tetcaes from - TO
sH}t Per acre. It i on the produce OF these
lands that Auacartes. city now building 0E
Fsaa. 20 island, VIII depend IL q great measure
.or food