Building a Road for the Snohomish Valley

The agricultural districts that might become mutually reciprocal with Seattle are the valleys of the Snohomish and its tributaries, the Skykomish and Snoqualmie. The Snoqualmie is, by those who have traveled it, nearly as large and navigable as the Snohomish, running through a splendid valley with rich bottom lands. Light draught steamers can ascend it at ordinary stages of water nearly to the Falls, a distance of seventy-five miles from the mouth of the Snohomish. With slight improvements to the channel, this could be achieved even in the lowest stages of water.

Already the settlement and improvement of the valley is well advanced. Above Snohomish City there are quite heavy settlements at Falls City, on the prairie at Tolt, and in the neighborhood of Lowell’s and Duval’s camps. The growing trade of these settlements has all to be hauled up the river from Snohomish City, and to that point a large part of the merchandise is brought from Port Gamble. If Seattle merchants would gain that trade or retain what they have there now, they must utilize some exertion for that purpose.

A wagon road might be constructed at a slight expense from Lake Washington to Tolt, a distance of only twelve miles, which would accommodate the settlers there and a line of trade from Seattle. Another road might still easier be built from the Lake to the river in the vicinity of Lowell’s and Duval’s camps, a distance of only six or eight miles. The settlers there have themselves made some start upon this enterprise, and if the people of this city would help them by appropriating a small sum for the purpose out of the county road fund (which by the present Territorial law the Commissioners are empowered to do), or by a private subscription of a few hundred dollars, a route could be established which would be mutually advantageous to both communities. It would at once add to the volume of our trade, and benefit the settlers of the Snoqualmie. Many claims in the rich alluvions of that valley are still open to pre-emption and homestead occupancy. If the roads in question were opened, the speedy settlement of these lands would result.