The Fight to Save the Stillaguamish Salmon
Long before environmental regulation was common, Snohomish Councilman Ferguson pushed for a law to curb the destructive use of dynamite in Washington’s rivers.
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.
So far as Puget Sound is concerned, the salmon fisheries have already attracted the attention of that sterling practical gentleman, Councilman Ferguson, of Snohomish. He is the author of a bill, the main objects of which are to prevent wanton destruction of fish in our rivers by the expulsion of dynamite. The bill further provides for the proper labeling of cans and branding of boxes and barrels so that Oregon will not get the credit for the products of Washington Territory in the future. The bill should become a law.
“The main objects of which are to prevent wanton destruction of fish in our rivers by the expulsion of dynamite.”
This 1877 report captures an early moment in the long, ongoing struggle to protect the Stillaguamish River ecosystem. The clash between unregulated resource extraction—like using dynamite to stun fish—and the need for sustainable local industry remains a core tension in Snohomish County politics today.
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