The Day the Silver Rush Hit Snohomish
Local merchants and miners report a 'considerable excitement' as rich silver ore is discovered near Mud Springs, promising a new boom for the region.
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.
New Discoveries.
We were shown a specimen of rich silver ore brought from the Ophir Silver District, near the "Mud Springs," which is very rich. We learn that new ledges have been found and that the excitement relative thereto is considerable. The above information comes to us through a reliable source but can be depended on.
Mr. A. H. Bruyman, a prominent merchant of Prairieville, this county, gave us a call yesterday. From him we learn that the people of that section are greatly excited on account of more new discoveries having been made at and in the vicinity of "Mud Springs." Mr. Hurley, an "88er" of Oregon City, is there at work prospecting. He had made many assays, and in almost every instance, has found silver in paying quantities. It would be strange, indeed, if these "Mud Springs" would prove to be rich silver mines after all.
This 1877 report captures the speculative fever that often drove Snohomish's early economy, much like the timber and later tech booms. The mention of "Mud Springs" (likely referring to the area near modern-day Monroe or the Snoqualmie River valley) highlights how local geography was constantly re-evaluated for mineral wealth, a pattern of boom-and-bust cycles that still influences land use in the county today.
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