The steamer Monte Cristo with other steamers
Monroe Historical Society photo #1093

The steamer Monte Cristo (foreground) was built in August 1891 by J.H. Vincent and during the mining rush of the time made daily roundtrips between Snohomish and Sultan. By the late 1870s, river steamers were traveling up the lower Skykomish River as far as Park Place and the site of Pattison's Ferry. In May 1887, the Gleaner became the first steamer to travel some distance up the Skykomish stopping less than two miles below Sultan. The following January, Mame reached Sultan and continued upriver another three miles. With the mining boom of 1891, river traffic to Sultan became a regular feature with daily roundtrips between Snohomish and Sultan on the Monte Cristo and three times a week on the Minnie M. The runs were short-lived ending by August 1892 with the coming of Great Northern Railway.