Snohomish River Fishermen Form Union
Local fishers organize to protect their river rights against a powerful industrial lobby.
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.
A temporary organization of fishermen of the Snohomish River was formed on the 20th, with 30 fishermen signing the roll. The union expects to gain a membership of about 150 when the fall fishing—the busy season on the river—commences. Secretary Rosenberg of the United Fishermen states that the Snohomish fishermen fully realize that only through organization can they hope to retain their old fishing rights. At the recent legislative session in Olympia, powerful fishing interests represented by a lobby attempted to put the small fishermen out of business by juggling with a measure after it had passed the House, but the bill was eventually killed in the Senate.
“Only through organization can they hope to retain their old fishing rights.”
Conflicts over river rights, fishing access, and the power of industrial lobbyists in Olympia remain central to Snohomish County politics. The organizing efforts of 1909 echo modern struggles over environmental protections and resource management.
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