The Jam That Stalled a Territory: How Local Men Tried to Clear the Skagit River

One of the largest and best tracts of land and timber in Washington Territory is prevented from settlement by the jams in the Skagit River, and although often petitioned, nothing has been done by the Territory or the local government toward their removal.

Without unfailing support, Marvin Minnick, Daniel McDonald, John Quirk, Daniel Hine, and Joseph S. Wilson have gone in work for the purpose of removing the jams, and have already expended a large amount of time and money, for which they will receive only a partial return from logs cut out of the jam, making it necessary for the public to assist them in this important enterprise.

Now Therefore: In consideration of the same, we the undersigned, hereby promise and agree, to pay to the above named parties, their successors and assigns, the sums so subscribed respectively, upon their making a passage through said jams sufficient for all purposes of navigation on said river.

The above named 'truth-men' who are showing so much public spirit in trying to remove the jams of the Skagit, one of the most needed public enterprises of the day, have requested us to assist them in trying to secure local help towards effecting their noble object, to wit: the opening up for actual settlement of a country large enough to support at least 100,000 people.

We visited the jam last week, and found that nothing had gone that was not cut out, but that they had by hard labor cut out some 600 feet of the lower jam. They loosened some two weeks ago a large quantity of one time, hence the rumor of the lower jam going out.

Under no consideration do these men propose to give up as long as they can procure lumber. Meanwhile the work. By signing the above subscription nothing is pledged, until the jams are removed sufficient for all purposes yet by depositing these subscriptions, they can get credit to continue the work.

We shall do all we can to help them. We hope our citizens will not let this enterprise fail for lack of financial support, when men who have done so much, are willing to do so much more—to do all the work, and take upon themselves no less all the risks of the enterprise.