The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-03-16

to the old channel Of White river, the
effect OF which would be to damage to the
extent of thousands OF dollars innumera-
BILE tracts of King county land.
Such. in brief, is the wish OF the farm
ers OF northern Pierce county, who have
enlisted the services of the Tacoma Cham
Der of Commerce and asked the Seattle
Chamber of Commerce TO visit the dam
aged locality so hat II would join forces
with Tacoma in seeking a remedy for the
existing state of affairs. A committee OF
the local chamber yesterday visited the
district. The committee was composed
of J. w. Pratt Griffith Davies. NJ.
j. Carkeek and Thomas w. Prosch.
At Auburn they were met by County Com
missioner Smith and Farmers Nelson.
Howley. Prentice and Lunn. and driven
to the scene OF the trouble. The men
spent the entire day looking into the mat
ter, and returned here a little after noon.
The committee saw much to interest
II. The place Of the destruction caused
by dynamite and other means to the river
hanne in the hope of diverting the chan
mel of the destructive stream was seen.
and a careful inspection made Of the nine
damaged farms and other places interest
ing from this standpoint. Then the com
mittee returned home TO deliberate and
make a report to the Chamber of Com
merce. which will probably be presented
at the next meeting. March q.
seattIe's Clear Idea.
This Is the first time that a body of
Seattle investigators has been able to get
a clear idea of the long vexed question OF
the operations of the notorious White and
Stuck rivers. A few miles from Auburn
half OF the White takes a sudden departure
from Its channel of scores of years ago.
and meanders on toward Tacoma, until
it forms a Juncture with the Puyallup. At
this place above Auburn, connecting with
the point OF diversion OF the White, is the
ancient channel. The stream was divert
ed into its present bed on account of an
early jam. and the former channel has
been so long in disuse that barely a trickle
flows down 1t In the summer time, and
in places II has been under cultivation,
the rains having washed down the old
banks and made the bottom nearly level,
ana in other places simply a slough.
After leaving the old channel the river
runs parallel for a few hundred feet, and
then starts on Its course down the bed Of
the Stuck. The cause Of the change OF
channel was a jam formed by logs and
trees several years ago which blocked up
out a new line for itself. which Il did by
going down the old stuck slough. This
Jam has never been cleared away, but the
filled with earth that IL has made prac-
tically solid ground.
The foundations OF the white-stuck have
long troubled the people OF Pierce county,
particularly as a dozen or less OF them
We're sufferers to n considerable extent.
and "A year ago they conceived the Idea
OF changing the course OF the stream so
that the victims would be out Of their
nelghborhood and In King county.
Choppins Up the Jam.
So they went a hundred strong TO the
point where the White changed it= an
| Client course. and with AK and saw hacked
and cut UP the jamming timbers until
they were almost mere sticks. and ma
,lsntly yx wSysa for for a I%sh food when 4
carry out the impedlments and go back
10 its former course. This ~chopping was
lone last Fourth Of July. as a sort Of
To make the work more effective. deadly
dynamit was added 10 the means. and a
loud explosion occurred. This did not.
instead OF sending the TANNED timbers
into the air. II leveled a hluff that form
ed n bank on one side. which was thrown
into the channel and blocked II more than
ever, An Indian from the Muckleshont
| reservation saw the devastating work of
the Pierce county farmers, and told those
on the other Side Of the line about II. The
latter hauled vast quantities OF brush 10
the lam. piled II high, and weighted IL
down with bags % sand When the fresh
cts came they not only veered around the
| obstruction. but went down over the Pierce
county tand 70 a greater extent than ever.
but INC fertile Pierce county people we're
not TO be overcome thus easily. ana in
stead OF despairtnE. they again selected
"A holiday Tor more work This time II
was the anntversary Of W%ashington's
birth. and. dropping clear below tho Sam
| OF debris, they started 20 deive out "A new
channel Tor the stuck TO the old White
81 io9' sneT Passing The former o%hstule-
and deiuEe Kiug county instead OF pierce
| The people, WORKED In the night az ms AID
IS reported hal "ntchmou out 70 warn
them IN case anybody approached. a. n
lu fear u being Identified and arrested
They med more than lo charges OF dyna-
mii" ln tfe Tenacious sou ana At last
vgry rvs 4ried by seeing a beautiful ANAL
| Joining She two hhnne They then de-
parted ana awaited the irving ~ no
stu& and the salvation Of their nine
R~etrtbution Comes Again.
The men Of King county. no xever
learned about mis- and hy cangtul-tinT
"a Eing dam brought ratrihution to then
enemies again. saved their homes ana
land from harm ana had the satisfactlon
% again seeing the stack wenf its Wv
through the county u Pierce. There the
matter has -estet and Is resting seeing
more work In the DARK. especially "a ~
ring Sv4htF lefmrrs we're setting n an
- .ge7c9i mood Tire mat
~ Nnmnerce This hr1F made an inves.
tEattcn. and resolved 20 enlist the s9 az
ths Seattle association. 80 thar they MICS,
mutually take measures to fene-t fae
0aftls ~ thp STACK
All these things tho CHAMBER q Com
nerve committee ssE Rnd Was told of yes
rajfe Is 1Ainase to KinE county through
the f1hAEes 81 water but from an entire.
Iy different source and the E~rtr5l ~
Nl.ah is well On hand The overasW fr.w
Cedar HaCs ard other rivers aut th4ir
F SiAf.t@ haa become considerable 81 d
nuisance ara spread iu s. septh ~ rev-
rral inches 20 several tegt over a large
arsa &c. tae ylrnity q OBrsn's near ths
peas ~ BE l~r1Wanish bat The leor{e 81
k-ni ans maj r~riShborhaod savc a
afAtra&c scheme 90 dam up the HilrE
where 81 ilHs She Celia. ana farCe tho
NaLer u s-n late Lake Washington. thus