The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-18
Attempt to Open q Channel Into
White River.
OLD TROUBLE IS Revived.
Attack Made on Filled Up sloughs
which Are Included In the Ell
how Made by the Junction Of the
White and stuck Rivers-Not
Thought to Have been success-
ful-smith VIII visit scene Today

The ancient trouble over the Stuck river
dam, log jam and land slide, which once
resulted In bloodshed, broke out anew yes
terday morning, and an armed guard has
again been sent to the ground TO protect
the rights Of the King county ranchers.
News Of the outbreak reached the county
commissioners once late yesterday after
noon and County Commissioner Smith will
make visit to the scene Of hostilities To-
day.
AS Of old the Pierce county men used
dynamite. but instead Of trying to blow
out the obstruction at the junction of
White river and Stuck river. they chose
q point some distance west on the latter
stream and went to work to open up .
new channel
1.-THE new plan OF the Pierce county peo-
pie" said Commissioner Smith. lis to let
the earth obstruction which we have been
guarding from dynamiters alone, and blow
open channel through some old sloughs.
which are located in the w made by the
junction of the White and Stuck rivers.
The Stuck river people were at work firing
blasts this morning. according to reports
brought to me. do not know how much
damage was done, but 1t Is probable not
very much. as King county had watch
man on the scene almost at once. will
go out to the place in the morning and see
how things are going alone"
story of the Stuck Dam.
For many years there has been trouble
over the Stuck river dam. Pierce county
farmers want the Stuck turned into White
river in order to relieve their lands from
danger of floods. The White river farm
ers desire the obstruction to remain be-
cause White river Is thereby relieved OF
much water. which It would otherwise have
to carry. Every time there IL high water
the county commissioners have to send a
guard out to the Stuck river to keep the
Pierce county people from attempting to
blow out the obstruction.
Years ago there was nothing but big
log jam at the junction of the rivers. and
this was a bone Of contention until the
Pierce county people scored what they
thought was big victory by loosening it
UP with dynamite. Their joy was short
lived, however, for a high blum east Of the
river was shaken also and changed its
base, with the result that still more for
midable barrier was reared up In the path
OF Stuck river on the King county side.
One attempt has been made within the
past year to open the old channel. The
log jam was blown out almost bodily but
the King county authorities were notified
soon after the expulsion and sent guards to
protect the dam from further attacks.
The new method Of diverting the water
from Stuck river into White river by
means Of the old sloughs has once more
put the commissioners on their guard and
they will be even more vigilant than before
to see that nothing in violation Of tine
White river farmers rights is done.
Once Caused q Murder.
In nine busy years people nave almost
forgotten that this same old trouble
brought about the shooting of one man
and the killing of another. John Langston
and partner named Gellerson were log
ging near the old jam. They thought it
would be to their advantage to remove 1t
and commenced work. The White river
farmers, headed by man named Hughes,
got out an injunction and stopped the
work. After this David Hughes, lad,
and the son of the leader in the injunction
proceedings, went over to the logging
camp. Langston and Gellerson commenced
abusing the boys father. Hard names
were passed.
Finally Langston struck the boy and
knocked him down. In All instant out
came a six-shooter from the boys pocket
and down went Langston with bullet in
his leg. Gellerson rushed over and grabbed
Hughes, who turned the revolver on him
and with one shot killed him. Young
Hughes was convicted of murder in the
second degree, but was subsequently par
doned.
According to reports from Tacoma there,
is a proposition before Capt. Taylor, en-
gineer in charge of the government river
and harbor work. to relieve the White riv-
er and Stuck river valleys of floods by
changing the channel of the Puyallup river
into which the Stuck river flows SO that
there will be straight run to the Sound.
The plan is to put in tide gate and
dredge out the channel a mile or two, so
that fresh water harbor will also be
made.