The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-09-29
Strong Fight Against DivertiDg
Waters of Stuck River.
FARMERS MEET IN THIS CITY.
James Hart. Of Chriatopher. Makes
Chamber of Commerce-Number Of
People From White River Present
City Council Takes Action
King County vitality Interested.

| Chamber of Commerce yesterday afternoon
| ard the city council In the evening 10 pre-
| sent their claims In regard 20 the pro-
| possd diversion Of the waters OF Stuck
| river again into White river. As has
already been told the White RIVER valley
| is now free from inundasions from which
IL has suffered for years owing 10 the
| falling of huge bluff at the forks II
| the White and Stuck rivers, which turned
| the course Of the stream. The protest
| OF the farmers against the removal Of this
| natural obstruction. as proposed by Pierce
| county and the Northern Pacific, was yes
| terday Endorsed by the Chamber OF Com
| me.ce anu the city council.
James Hart. of Christopher, submitted in
| the chamber a detailed statement OF the
| facts in the case. and he was supported
| by number OF speakers, among them be-
Ing Morgan Carkeek, A. T. Van de Vanter,
| dox. William Cochrane. T, w. Prosch and
| County Commissioner T. Ryan. The lat
| ter exhibited written estimate from
County Surveyor p. =. Hamn that the
| number OF acres in the White and Du-
vanish river valleys submerged by the
| floods OF the past few years is from l2,eo
| TO 15,oo1.
| elise. with r. w. Prosch acting as secre-
| tary. Members OF the chamber present
were Charles Crane. l.. II. Griffith, George
7; Pi Pc W. E. kscne' j. J MoGilyra,
w l.
| deau and Mr. Jackson. The city council
| was represented By W. '. R.nehart and J.
| A James.
There was also present Civil Engineer
| Graves. delegated by the secretary OF the
| interior to make thorough investiga ton
| OF the matter under discussion.
The facts, as given by Mr.. Hart, are as
| follows:
Protests to the Government.
ION August % / had the honor to for
ward a communication to the department
| OF the interior relative 10 the landslide at
| TIE forks Of the White and Stuck rivers.
and in behalf Of myself and some hundreds
| OF residents and farmers in the White river
| valley OF King county, aforesaid, protest
| ed in strong terms against the granting of
any consent TO any person or persons TO
| clear away or interfere with, in any man
| ner. the present condition OF the side IN
| I'll that department or some duly authorized
| department OF the United States govern
ment, had first made a thorough fnYestisa-
| ton, prepared plans OF the presen; site
! and rivers. and obtained evidence and tess-
tHnony from Interested parties: nor until
| there has been matured some definite plan
| whereby the waters Of the said rivers could
| be so equitably distributed that neither one
stream nor the other would he surcharged
| nor charged with more than its natural
quantity of water.
Il have not received any acknowledg ment
| OF the receipt Of such communication but
| have been called upon By special agent
| Of the departnlent with a view of stating
| facts relative 20 the subject
| 1T is not now. nor has it ever been, The
| White rVes valley or King county 10 oh
| jsct 10 the ordinary flow OF water in White
river Int there has been in the past cause
/ fer oGr deep concern and anxiety, owing 70
| FtIyaliup valleys In Pierce county: whose
| interference with the flow OF the waters
! down Stuck. and the placing of severe OBJ
| struc,ions 10 It's flow. and thereby greatly
| Increasing the flow ana overflow OF white
| river and inundating the whole OF the
| White RIVER valley, extending north some
| width OF the valley. each winter and spring
| season for the past six seven years caues-
ing hundreds Of the best farms in Western
Washington TO he covered three to Ave feet
| deep for weeks at a time. stock and cattle
TO he drowned making II impossible to
travel except by boats. washing out the
| county roads and bridges. running HE crops
| and making any revenue from the sad
| farms impossible. In fact to have had q
| continuation Of these conditions would have
| cleaned out the whole IF this valley aud
those connected Renton and Black river.
Many People Interested.
ali IL not possible 10 give any exact data
| 81 the number OF persons directly inter
ested IN this very important question hut
| approximately Z Is about as follows Town
| Of Auburn 90; in the district Of Auburn
| 20. IN the district OF Christopher Is: IN
the district OF Thomas crossing -. :oyynof
| Kent $50: in the district adjoining Kent.
| 80; in the district adjoining OBrian. Ia:
/ III tae district adjoining orillia. l01. in the
district adjoining Black river. -; thence
| north - South Park ZOE; town Of South
| Park ana Georgetown. 25e, total / 91S
| Il believe this 10 be a most conservative
| est mate. The value OF the land in this
renowned White river valley. uncIeared
} before the Hoods commenced SIX years ago
| to des3iate the same. sometimes three times
/ In "A season. Was considered cheap a. si25
| 10 $50 per acre. hut now. in cunsel uence
| az the flooding il Is mposss oe to ina buy
| ers of cleared and improved lands at that
| price. The depreciation Is at least 20 per
cent. and for The pass five years Il has
| been almost Impossible to put In ana har-
/ vest crops. for the same reasons before
| given.
| imerts to the tIow ~ Stuck river have been
| willfuliy placed " persons from Pierce
| county. and many times have the trees ard
| lans been removed. Bur for ;ae pas, SIX
| years the obstructtcns were 81 massive
| ;nat Il was impossible for them - be re-
| moved hy either artificial mems OF the
| fow az the river but the result was 10 d.
| Yer; nearly an he flow OF S.uck RIVER
! down WHITE river. thereby causing White
| river 20 be greatly elrcharged. the stream
| 10 overflow 10 banks. the county roads. sc
| far "a tte surface was concerned were de-
| strcyeA, bridges destroyed. the farm, fences
! demolished, and In several Instances almost
| destroyed.
'-rae county os Kinz has suffered dam
! axe 20 tcs extent Of tS0}sea nf,s OF dollars
| per acnuul. and the loss - farmers was
| greatly ~ excess of 5Hai If IT, county.
/ This, ara a. Of thts owing u ne Illegal
t action Of sorae Ok the residents e Pierce
| county.
"A; che p7:n, - divergence % sad Whit
| ard stuck rivers he east boundary Of
/ Waite IS formed { hiUH Soma 80 feet
| high Almost perpendicular. covered gvitn
/ IL ana similar tim5er 70 growth TIE az
f5o1 ~ te' l9r<" and ezra Ye, txn. u VA
Ter Was "a great az 80 Gr,i%~Cut the bluff
! and last winter, II ear1s IN fhe spring 81
! l>s% Itng-h 90 so.ue &a Yards CT rnare
| fell 70 fte south and greatly distracted
White river. which az that point formed a.
| mos 4 quadrant 81 ci~-.$. and caused
ne Sreater Vo,urse - wa'er - run 3our
Suck river. a.} "a cevsts} ,4ercs 81 thu a.
tiog = -ha Pierce Cos0cT people
Where the \. 4. Comes In
'-@aa Staek rfre-, - 3 distance of aheu.
- miles -1n.s under tnA crack q the
Northern HRc.sc railroad ard taa h5fv q
tae streaTi hugs 1ee south hank q tae
/ stream Scnys five YEAS ago It's com
| nisnc@4 - cstt +nto tAe esyha~gss7.-. ara
! - prevent t4ls. al re destruction a. -Ae
= sn aeptTent of taa railroad E~ss.-s
So 81 = -. Fs4T