Farmers Take Flood Control Into Their Own Hands
Facing constant inundation and corporate inaction, local valley farmers plan to bypass the existing canal system.
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.
The farmers of the Duwamish, White and Black and Sammamish river valleys have determined to begin practical work immediately to secure relief from the constantly recurring floods which inundate their lands. Having failed to make terms for the purchase of the present canal of the Washington Improvement Company, they have decided to dig an entirely new ditch of their own if they can secure right-of-way from the university regents. Accordingly, the following letter has been addressed to the regents on their behalf by F. A. Twichell, clerk of the board of county commissioners: 'The undersigned, by request of the flooded farmers, respectfully asks your honorable body if it would be possible for them to obtain the right-of-way over the southerly part of section 16, between Lakes Washington and Union, for the purpose of building a drainage ditch. The greater portion of the valley and bottom lands adjacent to the rivers and lakes have, during the last three years, almost constantly been inundated; and the owners of about 15,000 acres of the finest lands in King county have bankruptcy staring them in the face. An effort has been made to obtain relief through the company owning the portage ditch, but we have been unable to do so, the company refusing to do anything except to offer to sell their ditch at a price far in excess of its cost or value. They have come to the conclusion, therefore, that they must dig their own ditch. There is no speculation connected with this undertaking; it is proposed to be carried out by the owners of the inundated lands with their own means, and the ditch, when completed, is to be turned over to King county as a county improvement.'
“The owners of about 15,000 acres of the finest lands in King county have bankruptcy staring them in the face.”
This struggle over water rights and flood management between local agriculture and land-holding interests mirrors modern Seattle's ongoing efforts to balance infrastructure needs with private property interests and environmental management.
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