The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1876-11-25
and City Official Press
Saturday, November 81.
HARBOR PRESERVATION

The problem Of the preservation Of
the harl,or is one Ear less taxing 70 the
ingenuity Of engineer IN the caso II
our lay than in that Of San Francisco,
Tor tie reason that the dynamic Gle
menis 10 lie dealt With are of far less
magnitude ia the ore case than IN the
other. There the pcrp!sx,ng question
il what b. do with the uawelcome silt,
for they haze no way 70 divert 1t nor 10
carry it out 10 sea Here il will be
only how 70 get +, npder control, 40 as
t. he made . ben-tit instead Of an in
jury.
II i. Observable that the principal
precipitation has taken place along the
city side of the bay, although, at the
present time at least, tho main current
Of the river sets npon the opposite
shore. This for the reason. perhaps,
that the prevailing winds of the
Winter--,tio season when the silt -
mostly brought down. are generally
from the South west which drives the
tnrbid current upon the eastern shore,
aud into the cove just south Of the
town. About half mile above
town bar has been formed almost
making All island running some dis
lance out from the shore. which may
have been the iamemorial Meeting
place the edge of the battle between
the river and the tide setting IN around
Plummers point.
II is a law governing the deposition
Of all silt, that whatever tends to check
tho movement Of the currents holding
1t IN Suspension or to form cidies and
slack wafer. facilitate it. accumulation.
Hence the building of wharve, and
piers along the water ffont tends to
initiate clogging along the front from,
this cause and a gradual contraction of
the anchorage room
There are only two plans for the bet
ter regulation of thi, matter
Ia which We will allude
today One il hs meapS nf grn,es
along the forclsnd below where il is
desired 10 build up, the piles Icing
Joined together Ivy t,nbcrs. aud sus-
tanned against the normal force of the
tides on the one side, aud of the cur.
rents on the ether by means of slant
ing braces. aud the work may be fin
,shod and strengthened IA much AS
practicable 10y plankins Tor slabs set
endwise aslant in the mud. aud held
'iownby rubble filled in on the upper
side. Every obstruction that acts AS a
breakwater. has an effect to ecipita,e
the sediment aud prevent its being car
ried out into the roadsteai
An alternative arrangement would
ba to concentrate all the currents of the
river into one channel, flowing with
sufficient force and volume 90 clear it's
own way. and carry it by means of A
icvce or je,ty system SO far down as 10
empty its mud ia the heart Of the bay
where tho soundings are of m imprac.
tieahse depth. aud So tend 10 tho i'm.
provement Of the anchorage.
Some such conservative means will
hereafter become Indispensable, The
sooner they arc undertaken tho more
etiectual and inexpensive will they be.
The few good harbors bestowed upon
this coast are the most valuable gifts ii
has received from the hand of nature
and to properly preserve, If no, i'm
prove them, IL duty which the gov
srnment owes TO It's people and to It's
disfranehiscd Territorial wards more
particularly.