The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1917-08-10
THE WATER POWER
OF SULTAN RIVER


Black, while the Judge was visiting
at Indiana, Pennsylvania, the Mu-
nicipal Bulletin says:
"The following letter written by
the acting chief forester at Wash
ington to Judge w. w. Black goes
into the question of the power in
the Sultan River basin and ex-
plains fully the attitude of the De-
partment of Agriculture with ref
"In view of all that has taken place
view of all that has taken place
in the procedure since the City de-
termined to develop this power, it is
clearly a question of bad faith on
the part of some one of the De-
partment in dealing with the city.
at must be understood, however,
that the power within the forest re-
serve is not all the power on the
Sultan River. 1t includes about
one-half of the power of the stream,
and much of the power which can
be developed below the forest reserve
has been acquired by the city in
settling the rights in the procedure
had in adjusting damages for the
diversion of water for the city water
supply and in acquiring necessary
lands for that purpose. 1t is be-
lieved that the city can thus pro-
cure enough power to meet its
needs for number of years to come,
by developing what it will be able
to control Independent of the For
cstry Department"
There does seem to be had faith
on the part of some one connected
with the Department of Agriculture.
A. F. Potter, Acting Forester, did
not sign his name to the letter. At
least the copy received by the city
did not bear his signature. The
letter was signed:
every truly yours,
ACTING FORESTER"
But this may have been an error
on the part of the stenographer who
made the copy.
At any rate there's "nigger in
the wood pile" apparently.
The company in question is now
known as the Sound Power Com
pany," which wants the entire pow
err of Sultan River to run a paper
mill. The Acting Forester seems
anxious that the entire power of
the river be developed, but says
"the successful construction and op-
Grafton of the paper plant is the
chief consideration"
The forester would place the bur-
den of high light and power rates
upon the twenty-five thousand peo-
pie of this town for an indefinite
time in order to relieve Temporary
shortage of print paper.
That doesn't seem reasonable. The
Forester says:
"The Forest Service has considered
power sites other than the Sultan
which have been suggested as equal
ly available for the needs of a paper
plant and equally capable of cheap
and rapid development. Some of
these suggested sites, such as those
of the Skagit, Sank, Suiattle, and
Baker Rivers, are already under per-
nit and hence are not available re-
CARELESS whether their development
for the purpose in view would be
feasible. Others are privately own
ed and if offers made in other con-
nections are fair basis of judg-
ment could not be purchased at any
reasonable price. About others there
is no information upon which any
reliable estimates, either of amounts
or cost of power could be made. On
account of the need of immediate ac-
ton, if the pulp and paper project
is to be carried out, the Forest Sew
vice believes it Necessary to make
the Sultan Site available for the
purpose"
Just sol The municipality of Ev-
erett doesn't need cheap power in
the opinion of the Forester. He's
bound to have that paper mill. He
couldn't find any other cheap power
for the Sound Power Company and
probably thinks Everett can find
cheap power any old place.
The Forester is anxious that "a
full development of the power of the
stream may be made and that the
City of Everett may have a prefer.
cree claim to any surplus power
which the company may be able to
develop over and above the needs
of the paper plant"
Please tell US how that sort of
deal can be made.
There seems to be "nigger in the
Ill ~ IL