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Skagit River JournalSubscribers Edition, where 450 of 700 stories originate The most in-depth, comprehensive site about the Skagit Covers from British Columbia to Puget Sound. Counties covered: Skagit, Whatcom, Island, San Juan, Snohomish & BC. An evolving history dedicated to committing random acts of historical kindness |
Home of the Tarheel Stomp Mortimer Cook slept here & named the town Bug |
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The Thomas Ewing Jr. family (from l. to r.): Thomas Ewing III (b.1862), Maria Ewing, Ellen Cox Ewing (1833-1879), General Thomas Ewing Jr.(1829-1896), Hampton Denman Ewing (b.1866), Mary Beall Ewing, and William Cox Ewing. From the website: http://www.sandcastles.net/ |
In which the careful reader will also learn about U.S. politics and government in the 19th century; the Ewing family's influence on presidents Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson, and their relationship with General William Tecumseh Sherman; the defense of Dr. Samuel Mudd and Johnson; the early history of Washington territory and the first successful ascent of Mount Rainier
After a year of research into the life of W.C. Ewing, the founding publisher of the Skagit News in Mount Vernon in 1884, we have discovered that his pedigree may be the most distinguished of all the early Skagit county pioneers. Information about Ewing in various county histories is very limited, but the gist was that he was the son of a "General Ewing" and that he published the newspaper from March 4, 1884, to Sept. 29, 1885. In just the last month, we have found a mountain of material that fleshes out his resume and his famous family. The News has evolved over the last 120 years into today's Skagit Valley Herald.
Any time, any amount, please help build our travel and research fund for what promises to be a very busy 2011, traveling to mine resources from California to Washington and maybe beyond. Depth of research determined by the level of aid from readers. Because of our recent illness, our research fund is completely bare. See many examples of how you can aid our project and help us continue for another ten years. And subscriptions to our optional Subscribers Online Magazine (launched 2000) by donation too. Thank you. |
Shortly after the bill creating Skagit county has become a law and the new county a reality [in 1883], early in the spring of the year 1884 there came one day to the straggling up-river hamlet named Mount Vernon a young man of distinguished parentage, anxious to win his way in the new West. The fortune seeker was William C. Ewing, a son of General Ewing of New York. At that time there were but two newspapers in the county, the Mail at LaConner and the Enterprise at Anacortes, while the thrifty river metropolis, ambitious as it was in a political way, too, had no representation in the newspaper field whatever.Besides his support of Mount Vernon as the county seat, Ewing is remembered for his support of the work to clear the log jams on the Skagit river and for the campaign for public subscriptions to fund that project and a snag boat for the upper Skagit.
Young Ewing believed he saw an opening, canvassed the situation thoroughly and finally decided to give the venture a trial. Clothier & English, the leading merchants and proprietors of the town site, furnished a room over their store free of charge and assisted very substantially in launching the Skagit News, the first copy of which appeared Tuesday, March 4, 1884, with William C. Ewing as publisher and editor.
In his salutatory, Mr. Ewing said, among other things : "Our quota to the development of the county will be the recording of the deeds of the actors." [See the complete text of the salutatory at the newspaper logs for the 1884-85 issues.
Nor did he fail to keep his promises, for the News speedily became an acknowledged news conveyor of merit and a distinct force in the new county. It was Mount Vernon's powerful advocate in the county seat struggle that same fall and to it no little credit is due for the victory which came. But the talented young editor did not remain long at Mount Vernon, for [on] Sept. 29, 1885, [George] E. Hartson, one of the valley's oldest pioneers, although then a young man who had been elected superintendent of schools, assumed charge of the News. It is stated that Ewing remained in newspaper work and ultimately attained a high position in his profession.
On August 13, 1890, Van Trump wrote:Leaving the Yelm prairie on horseback and with a pack animal, they forced their way up the Nisqually valley. They didn't know that the river itself had its fountainhead in the mountain. They knew nothing except to keep as straight a line as possible for the big white dome.
Sluiskin Falls, a tinted postcard.
They left the comparatively easy traveling in the valley to cross over the Mashell hills. There were no trails, no clearings. They had to chop their way through tangled woods and pull their horses over rocks and up steep bluffs. It was a heart-breaking trip, but both men were young, both were used to roughing it, and they were determined to reach the mountain.
So they toiled over the hills and mountains, up creeks and rivers, until they came to the camp of Sluiskin, one of the Penio tribe. These Penios, or mountain Indians named for their chief, were few in number. Their home was at the head of the Skate creek on Bear Prairie: their hunting grounds were the foothills and valleys around Mount Tacoma. They were taken to Bear Prairie on horseback by Longmire and then were guided to the timberline by Sluiskin.
"An appointment was made with Sluiskin to appear at the white men's quarters at noon the next day. Punctually at the hour Sluiskin stalked into camp, followed by his squaw with a papoose strapped to her back. A bargain was soon struck with the Indian. He was to guide us to the mountain and provide us with game, if possible, at $1 a day wages."Sluiskin [also spelled Sluskin] told them that they must leave their horses and climb over the Tatoosh range on foot. He could take them to the snow line, but he warned them not to go further: "Your plan to climb Takhoma is all foolishness. At first the way is easy . . . (but) if you reach the great snowy dome, then a bitterly cold and furious tempest will sweep you off into space like a withered leaf." They left their horses at the Indian camp and their Indian guide took them on foot around Reflection Lake and up the Paradise river to the falls, where he helped them prepare a permanent base camp. The government geographic names board later named the falls for Sluiskin, a branch of the Cowlitz glacier for Stevens and a nearby creek for Van Trump.
"Finally Sluiskin was sent back to hasten along the lagging mountaineer. After a long absence he returned alone, and, with an amused and satirical expression on his face, informed us that 'wake skookum ole King George Man' had given up the chase and had deserted us. Sluiskin had gone back as far as the first mountain summit out of camp, and from it he had seen the laggard, no longer with his face set toward Rainier, but turned in the direction of camp on Bear Prairie. . . . After debating the situation for some moments we decided that Mr. C. must have given up, for the time being, his design on Rainier, and that the best thing for us to do was to push on without him."Stevens also later recalled:
"What was to be done? Coleman carried in his pack all our bacon, our only supply of meat, except a few pounds of dried beef. He also had the barometer, the only instrument that survived the jolts and tumbles of our rough trip. But, on the other hand, he had been a clog upon our march from the outset."These excerpts come from Mount Rainier: A Record of Exploration by Edmond S. Meany and from a speech at a meeting of the Mazamas Club given by Van Trump in 1897.
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Would you like information about how to join them in advertising? Oliver-Hammer Clothes Shop at 817 Metcalf Street in downtown Sedro-Woolley, 90 years continually in business. Peace and quiet at the Alpine RV Park, just north of Marblemount on Hwy 20, day, week or month, perfect for hunting or fishing. Park your RV or pitch a tent — for as little as $5 per night — by the Skagit River, just a short drive from Winthrop or Sedro-Woolley. Alpine is doubling in capacity for RVs and camping in 2011. Check out Sedro-Woolley First section for links to all stories and reasons to shop here first or make this your destination on your visit or vacation. Are you looking to buy or sell a historic property, business or residence? We may be able to assist. Email us for details. |
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