The County's Ledger: A Glimpse into Snohomish Life in 1877
Minutes from the Snohomish County Commissioners reveal a town in transition: new justices, bridge bids, and the quiet bureaucracy of building a community on the edge of the frontier.
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.
Snohomish Star, February 1877
County Commissioners Court
Proceedings of the County Commissioners Court of Snohomish county, at their regular February session, begun and held at Snohomish City, in said county, on Monday, February 5, 1877.
Present: Messrs. Harriman, Irvine and Whitfield.
On motion of Mr. Whitfield, Charles Harriman was appointed Chairman of the Board.
Minutes of last meeting: read.
On motion of Mr. Irvine, the minutes of last meeting were laid on the table.
The following officials were then examined and approved: John H. Swett, Auditor. E. C. Ferguson, Road Supervision District No. 11. Frank Mathews, Justice of the Peace.
Quorum: H. T. Packwood, Justice of the Peace, Bogue. Henry Oliver, Justice of the Peace, Centreville. M. H. Frost, Justice of the Peace.
Justices: E. D. Smith, Justice of the Peace. James Town, Justice of the Peace, Snohomish. George Plumb, Justice of the Peace, Snohomish. Benj. Stretch, Sheriff. W. B. Stevens, Constable, Snohomish Precinct. A. Johnson, Constable, Qualco Precinct.
The Auditor was directed to correspond with proper parties, with a view to obtaining a safe for the county records.
The resignation of H. D. Morgan, Probate Judge and Justice of the Peace, was tendered and accepted. Royal Haskell was appointed Probate Judge to fill the vacancy caused by resignation of H. D. Morgan. James Town was appointed Justice of the Peace for Snohomish precinct.
It was ordered that all bills against the county must be filed with the Auditor and verified by affidavit before the first day of the month in which they are to be considered.
The report of J. Ireland, surveyor of the county and running from Lowell to Fiddler's Reef, accepted and ordered paid out of the general road fund. J. Ireland, Surveyor, $8 per day, three days, $24.00. S. W. Span, chainman, three days, per day, $6.00.
The Board adjourned until tomorrow, 9 A.M.
February 6th. Board met, pursuant to adjournment. Present, same as yesterday. Minutes of yesterday's meeting read and approved.
It appearing from the affidavit of E. C. Ferguson that the record of the proceedings of the Commissioners' Court of January 3, 1877, was not in accordance with the order of said Board in regard to the "alone of the bonds at the Auditor and Treasurer" said board never issuing in the said order. Therefore it is ordered that the following portion of said record referring to the Auditor be stricken out, to wit: "And his bondsmen are released from all further responsibility after this date." And that portion of the record referring to the Treasurer be amended as follows: "That his account is approved from all future claims against him for the amount due the state."
Build of Royal Haskell accepted.
The petition of A. Fulmer and others asking that J. W. Clark be appointed Justice of the Peace for Snohomish precinct was read, and Clark Ferguson was so appointed.
By petition from Puckwam's Landing, Amos J. De Sauty was appointed to fill vacancy of Constable in Puckwam's Precinct. John H. Plaskett was appointed Constable to fill vacancy.
Report of the viewers and auditors of the Stillaguamish and Brier Point road accepted. O. B. Iverson's bill as corrected surveyor, ordered paid out of the general road fund. Amount, $18.
Petition of Nelson Duhquo and others accepted, and E. Blackman, O. F. Murhard and Chris. Waller appointed viewers.
Board adjourned until tomorrow 10 A.M.
February 7th. Board met pursuant to adjournment. Present, same as yesterday. Minutes of last meeting read and approved.
Bill of Dr. G. A. Weed read and not allowed.
Ordered that the report of road supervisor of road district No. 11 be laid over until next regular term. On motion of Mr. Irvine the Auditor was authorized to receive sealed proposals to furnish the material "out lithM to minpld‘offw wen-k on Pill Chuck bridge, and also to furnish the necessary material to cover the bridge across Hatt's Slough and complete the work on said bridge also labor and material to build a bridge across Frechey slough, on the Skikopish road. The Commissioners reserve the right to reject any and all bids.
Ordered that the bill of Dr. A. C. Folsom for medical services rendered the late Wm. Sissou, be laid over until the next regular meeting. Mr. Harriman was appointed to make inquiries about the estate of the late Wm. Sisson deceased, and report the result to the next regular meeting.
Bill of H. A. Gregory, Clerk of the District Court, laid over to the next regular meeting.
Ordered that the bills of A. C. Folsom and W. H. Reeves as School Supt. be paid at the rate of $25 per year; amount to be paid A. U. Folsom, $16.04; and Wm. H. Reeves, $7.23.
The Following bills were ordered paid: G. C. Tompkins.......... $40 30 J. T. Stevenson... 6 00 E. Morse.................... 14 00 J. D. Morgan 38 00 H. F. Mark 5................. 10 00 E. C. Ferguson............... 19 07
R. Haskell's bill for office rent, not allowed. Bill of W. H. Ward as Auditor laid over.
Board adjourned until tomorrow 10 A.M.
February 8th. Board met pursuant to adjournment. Present: Harriman, Irvine, Whitfield.
It appearing from the affidavit of Benj. Stretch and the testimony of Wm. Whitfield that the charge on page 6, dated Nov. 18, 1870, of Sheriff's account amounting to $4, is unjust and it is ordered that the same be canceled.
Upon examination of the delinquent tax roll, it appearing to the satisfaction of the Board that the list of lands advertised to be sold for taxes July 24, 1870, has never been stricken from the delinquent tax rolls as required by law. The Auditor is hereby ordered to strike the same from the delinquent tax rolls.
February 9th. Board met pursuant to adjournment. Present, same as yesterday. Minutes of last meeting read and approved.
Amended and viewers' report of the Pill Chuck Valley road read and approved. Bill of Shane Bros., proprietors Riverside Hotel, for rent and wood, allowed, ordered paid $109.90.
Bill of Wm. H. Reeves reconsidered and ordered paid.
On motion of Wm. Whitfield W. M. Tirlant was appointed to examine the county records, and the respective officers are authorized to let Tirlant have full access to all their books when not required in their respective duties.
The following bills were then examined and ordered paid: J. H. Swett, Auditor... $40 37 Wm. Whitfield, as Coun'r. 25 00 J. H. Irvine 35 50 C. Harriman, 28 00
No other business being before the Board, they then adjourned sine die.
J. H. Swett, Auditor.
This ledger from 1877 reveals that the core functions of local government—managing debt, approving infrastructure like bridges, and auditing officials—have remained remarkably consistent for over a century. The specific mention of bidding out bridge construction across 'Hatt's Slough' and 'Frechey slough' highlights how Snohomish has always been defined by its relationship with waterways and the constant need to maintain connectivity in a wet climate.
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