The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-09-30

The promp. ard energetic action Of
the Seattle city council and Chamber
OF Commerce in cooperation with the
White river valley farmers viii not only
establish more cordial relations between
town and country. but will insure a
much needed benefit for both. The in
teres,s OF the farmer of King county
and the merchant Of Seattle may not
always be Identical, but they are inter-
dependent. and the misfortunes Of one
must inevitably be to the disadvantage
OF the other.
The circumstances which have led to
the presen, combined movement are
very simple, but exceedingly important
In their consequences. The White river
comes rushing down from the noun
tains, and in the fall and spring. due
70 the heavy rains at one time and the
melting snow at another. the foods
cover the iowiands and cause immense
losses. The river forks near the bound
AIRY of King and Pierce counties. White
river makes a sharp turn passing
around a bluff three or four hundred
feet high on one side, but on the other
skirting land only four or five feet
above normal level Its other branch
debouches into a channel known as
Stuck river. which runs through low
lands in Pierce county. In order TO
check this flow, Stuck valley farmers
felled trees, and so caused an obstruc-
ton which sent a vast volume through
White river, swapping lands for TWEEN
iy-four miles in length and from a mile
upward in breadth
This tremendous pressure last year
undermined the bluff on White river
and caused an avalanche. which formed
a natural dam and flung back the
waters into Stuck river, sweeping away
the felled trees and other distractions
and flooding the Stuck valley. The
farmers of that district are now in
voking the aid of the Federal govern
ment TO clear the White river. and so
again divert the water from their lands
10 those of the King county farmers;
and the object of the present movement
is to resist the work except under such
efficient supervision as shall keep to
each river bed its due proportion of the
overflow AS the White river inter-
csts are as five TO one of the Pierce
county people. there is much reason in
their request The damage to King
county by compliance with the plan of
all proportions to the benefit 10 be Sc
cured by turning the water bodily out
of Stuck river.
For years the White river farmers
have patiently borne what seemed to be
an inevitable misfortune. but they now
most determinediy resist an attempt to
deliberately devastate their district by
artificial means. solely for the benefit
of O very small number along the Stuck
branch.
The time has come when the farmers
can be helped. and that help is in the
power of the authorities of Seattle in
conjunction with the county commits
sioners. 1t will take active and vigo-
rous work The first step Is to prevent
iu-considered action by the interior de-
partment, and the next is to secure
congressional appropriation. so that the
channels of both rivers may be cleared
of ohstructions and the water allowed
To flow so freely that neither is sur
charged beyond its capacity. The OPEN
ing Of the Lake Washington canal viii
give some relief by lowering the level
Of the lake and so affording an outlet
for n greater volume from the contrib
utory streams, but that will not en-
tirely suffice. although it will consfd-
erably decrease the cost Of clearing the
rivers.