The Snohomish River Logjam: A Dispute Over Private Property and Public Waters
In 1878, a Grand Jury investigation into local business practices reveals a tense standoff between lumber interests and the community over the obstruction of the Snohomish River.
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 Grand Jury of Snohomish County for the November term reports that they have examined the county finances and the records of the auditor, treasurer, clerk, sheriff, and probate judge. We have examined into the matter of the obstruction of the Snohomish River (slough). We find that before the boom complained of was put into the slough, the channel was obstructed by logs and drift and was unnavigable. The persons constructing the boom at their own expense removed the obstructions. This boom is used to catch logs during extraordinary high water, and with this boom, the owners have saved thousands of dollars worth of property. By letting these logs go, they would otherwise have gone to sea and been lost. There is over $100,000 worth of property involved, which was remarkably saved during the recent high water. To remove the boom would be to destroy this property, thus causing bankruptcy and ruin. We recommend a policy of 'live and let live' as the best policy for a new community like ours.
“We recommend a policy of 'live and let live' as the best policy for a new community like ours.”
This 1878 report highlights a classic Snohomish tension: the competing interests of private industry—the timber economy that built the town—and the community's access to the river. Similar to modern debates over flood-plain development and water usage, the jury’s plea for a 'live and let live' compromise reflects the ongoing struggle to balance economic development with civic stewardship of our natural waterways.
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