Taming the Snohomish Valley Marshlands

The three largest marshlands in this river valley are the La Grand Marsh between this place and the Skykomish River; the one on the Snoqualmie, opposite Duvall; and the one situated opposite Snohomish City, extending from Lowell to Fiddler's Bluff, being some eight miles long. These three marshes contain about 40,000 acres of fertile agricultural land. The first place reached is that belonging to Amos Hurst, who has been there about six years and has cleared some thirty acres. He raises fine vegetable gardens, though he recently had to drown out a cut-worm infestation by turning a stream of water on the field. Next beyond Mr. Hurst is Mr. Beards, who has fifteen acres cleared, followed by Mr. Larrimer and Mr. Stevenson, who each have about thirty acres. These settlers have built their homes on alluvial deposits, utilizing cold streams that run out of the bluffs. These streams are capable of running small water mills to saw cedar and other woods. With the current digging of ditches and drainage of the marsh, these 40,000 acres—which have no timber on them—will soon be ready for cultivation. These settlers are honest, intelligent, energetic, go-ahead men, anxious to forward every institution likely to develop the community.