The Valley Bounces Back: Lumber Market Sees Recovery
After months of costly litigation and economic stagnation, rising log prices signal a return to prosperity for the Snohomish Valley.
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.
Good News—Logs are again at five dollars per M., with a good prospect of all on hand being disposed of soon. Despite the unnatural increase of litigation the past four months and several thousand dollars in costs made thereby, none of the logs have been sacrificed, and now their sale at a reasonable valuation will do much to restore a state of financial prosperity to this valley that has not been experienced here for months past.
“The sale at a reasonable valuation will do much to restore a state of financial prosperity to this valley that has not been experienced here for months past.”
This 1877 report captures the volatile nature of the timber-dependent economy that defined Snohomish’s early history. Much like the modern boom-and-bust cycles seen in local housing and development, the valley's fortunes in the 19th century were tied to fluctuating commodity prices and legal battles, serving as a reminder that the region's prosperity has always been deeply tethered to its natural resources.
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