The Skagit River Navigation Feud

Of the hundreds of thousands of dollars appropriated by the present Congress for the improvement of rivers and harbors in Oregon and Washington Territory, the latter gets $3,000 only for its own exclusive use. This $3,000 was appropriated ostensibly for the improvement of the Skagit river. Major Gillespie, engineer in charge, says it is impossible to state how the appropriation should be applied, suggesting an immense raft near the head of the river blocks navigation. We thank Congress, Major Gillespie and our Delegate for nothing. Major Gillespie’s headquarters are at Portland. Twelve hours running time would have brought him to Seattle, where he could take passage by steamer to the head of navigation on the Skagit river three or four times a week. He would have found five well-appointed steamers plying regularly between Seattle and the head of navigation, profitably engaged in the transportation of freight and passengers. The removal of those rafts—the cost of which was estimated by a Government engineer at $20,000—was accomplished by a party of experienced axmen by their own labor, without the aid of a dollar from the Government.