The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-07-29
IN WHATCOM COUNTY.
Marsh Lands Near British
Boundary to Be Drained.
THE NEW ASSESSMENT ROLLS
Cleaning the Snohomish's Channel
Paper Pulp Trees-Big Hay Har-
vest on the Wet Lands.

FAIRHAvEN, July 2-.-[Special.l- lit is
expected that the county commissioners
will this week let two important contracts
for excavating two bitches, which will re-
claim over 5000 acres of very fertile marsh
lands adjacent to the international bound
airy. The one known as the Cudworth
ditch will be about four miles in length
and will begin at the boundary and run
due south, draining both sides of the
county road to the westward of Lynden,
and empty into Fishtrap creek. The
other, known as the Worthen ditch, will
be about a mile and half in length and
will run southeasterly from the inter-
national boundary to Bertrand creek,
draining the big marsh west of the dis
trict to be drained by the Cudworth ditch.
The capabilities of the lands are prodig-
ious and their cultivation will add mater
tally to the productive wealth of the
county.
The July apportionment of county
school money, amounting to 81 ,52S.02, has
just been made. Fairhaven (school dis
trict No. p receives $316O2 based upon the
school census of last month, which is more
than double what the district would have
received under the enumeration of last
year.
For month past the county assessor,
with several assistants, has been busily en-
gagged upon the assessment rolls, which
are now complete and ready to go to the
commissioners, who, on August 3, will
begin their annual session as a board of
equalization. The entire assessment has
been more equitably and conservatively
made than that of last year. The assessor
seems to have had fair conception of the
Importance of equalizing values as
nearly as possible in making his
returns. As consequence, while
there has really been decided increase in
actual realty values, the realty assessment
this year does not indicate so great an in
crease as it would if it had been made
upon a boom basis of valuation. The ag-
gregate is about SIS, 100000. The footings
of the assessed valuation of personal
property, however, reveal most astonish-
ing increase over last year. This year the
total is $2,174, 795, while last year it was
only $5Ss, 220-an increase in one year of
about 80 per cent. The personal property
valuation of the bay cities combined is
considerably more than double that of all
the rest of the county, being 81 ,491, AS, of
which amount S560,725 is in Fair
haven, and 1880, 40 in New What
com (Whatcom and Sehome combinedl,
leaving the assessment of personal prop
erty in the remainder of the county
$3.50, $50 There are in the county eighty
seven miles of railroad, assessed at S692,-
$40; improvements. including machine
shops and stations, are only assessed at
$31 800, and the rolling stock at $94. 700.
The acreage valuations and improve
ments thereon, not including town lots,
| is Sc, 3eS, $40. The number of horses re-
ported is 2,559; number of cattle, 4,640:
sheep, 1909. and hogs, l,2Ss. Outside of
the limits of towns and cities the number
of individuals owning and cultivating
lands is i, 13s. The total assessed valuation
of the bay cities is about three-fourths
that of the tire county.