Year: 1872

On Thursday last, on invitation of
r. Robbins, Esqr., we took passage on
the steamer Zephyr, Capt. Wright, which
hrd been chartered to carry the railroad
surveying party Of Capt. Sheets to the
skagit River. The day was lovely, tie
little steamer n model of neasness, bean
ty, and speed. and the route as beauti-
full as the poet or painter could conceive
On the down passage the boat touched
only at Utsalady, and entered the Skagit
River after dark, landing the railroad
party at farm house on the right bank
about s miles from the mouth. The
next morning we passed mp the river to
the lam. or raft, which is about IL miles
from its mouth, advancing about so
yards further than any steamer had ever
before penetrated. This Jam is formed
by floating trees. which had become in-
terlocked aud extended from bank to
bank. covering the whole surface of thu
stream for about a quarter Of mile in
extent, and has existed apparently for
ages, forming an impenetrable barrier
to the navigation of the stream by the
smallest craft. We're this obstacle re
moved we were informed by those who
had explored the river to its source, and
a.simllar jam a short distance above. il
would be navigable for sixty miles tar
ther. opening a country nearly equal to
the famed Valley of the Willamette III
extent. and far excelling it in fertility.
The cost of removing these distractions
would probably not exceed SIC, 900, and
the advantages would repay the cost a
hundred fold. The attention of onr
Delegate in Congress has been called to
this fact, but in that as in MARY other
matters pertaining to the interests of
the people of this Territory. he has not
yet seen sufficient personal inducement
in it to make it matter of Congress
sional effort. eis,t-a .lz. ,.-s q


Below the jam the land bordering mp
on the river has been all taken and is
occupied by a thrifty and industrious
class of settlers who all seemed delight
ell with their locations. It is heavily
timbered, principally with cotton wood,
and other soft woods which are easily
and speedily removed. One settler told
us he had had lani cleared for the pillow
for $25ran acre on contract, and that
one crop would pay all the expense Of
clearing, planting and harvesting. The
soil, as far as We observed. vas snrpass-
ingly rich. and the cattle and hogs. of
which there appeared to be an abun-
dance for the population, were all in
first rate condition, having sustained
themselves through the winter on the
natural growth OF the soil. We have
10 dota from which to make an exact
estimate, but it is safe to calculate that
within ten miles of the steamboat navi-
cation on the SAagit River. there are
five thousand farms of 100 acres each.
which can be much more easily reduced
to cultivation than was any portion of
western New York or northern Ohio,
and much more accessible 70 profitable
market than were either of those sec
tions at the time they were settled, with
a much better prospect for the future.
and a vast advantage of soil and climate
in favor of this country. s


On the Snohomish, and varieus other
rivers emptying into Puget Sound from
the East there are many thousands Of
acres of lands of like quality yet unoc
cupled, accessible to market and in the
most equlble climate in the world, and
yet there are many who think this can
never becoue. an agricultural country.
and many of the immigrants from tie
prairie regions Of the Northwest turn
away from it in disgust because the
lands are not cleared of their timber,
which from the natural fecurdity Of the
soil eouh'pct help growing. ~ i s8ss