The Boomtown at the Edge of the Clouds
A report from the rugged mining district of Index, Washington, where prospectors and investors are carving a new industrial future out of the Skykomish River valley.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
For those who were interested in mining or wished to have an enjoyable outing, there could not have been a better arrangement than the excursion to Index, which was given under the auspices of the Commercial Club. The town of Index could not be situated in a more picturesque location. It is on the north fork of the Skykomish River, 71 miles from Seattle, nestled in a narrow canyon from which precipices rise on every side to a height of 5000 feet. The canyon of the Skykomish is locked at each end of the town, and one side of the view is obscured by the snow-crowned peak of Mount Index, while on the other, half a dozen irregular peaks make a beautiful picture.
Following the railroad after landing in Index, a short walk took the excursionists to a cliff of grey granite that may some day furnish the building stone for a city. A trail continues past the north fork of the Skykomish, and one mile from Index lie the Sunset falls, or more properly cataracts, leaping down for 200 feet in a charming rush over the boulders, making not only a beautiful sight but a grand prospect for industry. Among the interests that have appeared here is a deep appreciation of the immense value of the water power of the falls, which will be utilized in running a large power plant for Index.
The town already has 50 houses, and others are springing up. Most of the building is being done in anticipation of the future, but they are as comfortable as homes can be in wet weather. There is also a thriving hotel, many saloons, stores of general merchandise, and the office of the Index Mining News, a bright and newsy weekly paper published every Saturday under the management of W. Martin. A trail has been cut to the falls, and a bridge is being built across the river to connect with the new tramway which hits the lead in the Sunset mine.
“The town of Index could not be situated in a more picturesque location. It is on the north fork of the Skykomish River, 71 miles from Seattle, nestled in a narrow canyon from which precipices rise on every side.”
Index remains a small, iconic mountain town, though its economy has long since shifted from hard-rock mining to outdoor recreation. The struggle to balance rapid resource extraction with the natural beauty of the Cascades is a recurring theme that still resonates in the Pacific Northwest’s modern land-use debates.
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