The River That Swallowed a Steamboat: A Brave Attempt to Reach Snohomish Falls

On Friday, May 16th, the steamer *Columbia*, carrying a large list of freight for loggers and settlers up the Snohomish and Snoqualmie rivers, along with twenty-five passengers, departed from the landing at half-past nine o'clock. The day was pleasant, and all hands were in good spirits.

The stage had been sufficient to warrant our hopes as we left the landing. Captain Hill expressed a determination to reach Falls City if possible. The boat made good headway despite the heavy current. Just above the mill, we made a landing at Mr. Davis's farm, leaving freight and one passenger. Four miles above the town, we encountered the famous Kelsey riffle, said by many old river men to be the worst place on the river for twenty miles. But with a full head of steam and skillful handling, we ploughed our way slowly over it.

We reached Stretch ranch, then Quilceda, the forks of the rivers, gliding into the placid waters of the Snoqualmie. Here we left Mr. F. Mathews's family and household furniture. One mile and a half above Quilceda, we made Reeves' landing, where two gentlemen from Tacoma got off their camp kit, bound up the Skykomish on a prospecting tour.

We steamed up to the logging works of Jess. and F. Duval, then to the camp and farm of the Elwells, where ten tons of freight were landed. Two miles above, on the opposite bank, is the residence of Mr. Alexander Adair, where several of the party went ashore for the night.

Just as we stopped ashore, we saw Mr. Elwell with a good team hitched to a huge old-fashioned sled, piled with eight tons of freight just hauled from the steamer. This load was dragged over rough ground to the logging camp one-half mile away, the sled groaning beneath the enormous load.

The next morning, Captain Hill again expressed a determination to reach the falls if possible. We had now reached a part of the river above where a boat had never before penetrated, and much anxiety was felt lest we should meet with difficulties. The river was up, and we reached the farm of Mr. Rose without trouble.

The heat was suitably trimmed, and once more we headed upstream. In about two hours, we came to a long reach of shallow water, after passing several sharp heads full of dangerous snags, eddies, and whirls. Straight up the river ahead, about a mile, we could see the water foaming and tumbling among boulders. On the right was a high bank, fully two hundred feet, an immense landslide that had recently occurred, tilting the river nearly full. The high water had washed away all debris except the boulders; these treacherous enemies to navigation stood athwart our way.

On the left, opposite the slide, was about a boat's width of comparatively smoother water. Captain Hill headed the boat with a full head of steam for this narrow pass, hoping to slip by the sentinel rocks and come above in spite of them. Heavily onward went the boat; the water retreating in a sheet of white foam from her bow, the waves roaring and leaping among the reefs on our right.

Now the rocks on the right and the foaming waves were only a few feet from us. Still she kept on. We could hear deep enough water above. Down goes the sounding rod. Eight feet on the right—only two on the left—and we are actually hugging the brushy bank. Up she goes. A hundred feet more and she will be over.

There was a silence, a sound heard above the puff of the engine, the wind, and the roaring land. Her stern just as she rose is aground on the bar. Efforts were made to hold her up, push off the bow, and float her over. But it was impracticable and imprudent, and reluctantly the Captain rang the bell to back her, and we retreated off the bar, the wheel rattling among the brush.

We could go no further. We were all disappointed. Our attempt to reach the falls by steamer had failed. We were all annoyed, but for this unlucky landslide we could have gone on. The stretch of swift water below the slide is all bad as any to be met with above. We had concluded this; but on reaching the slide, our only reward was the fact that there can be no practical navigation of the upper Snoqualmie until the boulders are removed.

The fact, however, has been demonstrated that, to within one mile of the house of Mr. Joe Entwhistle, which is within about eight miles, air line, of Falls City, there is nothing to prevent steamers of light draft from making regular trips, at least for nine months of the year.

After dropping a few hundred yards below this slide, a drag was thrown over the bow, and we steamed stern foremost along down stream for a couple of miles, past swift water and dangerous bends, halted and took on board the drag, turned round, and in about an hour we were along side the boom at Elwell's camp. After bidding good-bye to Mr. and Mrs. Elwell, we started to home, with the river nearly bank-full and a full head of steam.

The testimony is universal that Captain Hill managed the *Columbia* with consummate skill. His authority and gentlemanly bearing is beyond all praise. Nothing was too much for him to do for the comfort of all on board.