The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1877-12-19

Wednesday, Dec. 10, 1877,
A HARBOR OF REFUGE.


more or less dangerous in southerly
weather, and difficult of access even by
the lightest draugbt vessels, while to
such vessels a. are ordinarily employed
in the trade of Puget Sound and Brit
ish Columbia they are inaccessible Alto
gether. The last Legislature of Wash
ington Territory memorialized Con-
gress upon the subject Of an artificial
hsrbor of refuge at or near Cape Foul
weather, just half way between Cape
Flattery and San Francisco. The
proposition is most meritorious. yet it
10 not often tina: most praiseworthy
scheme finds an advocate ia the SAD
Francisco papers; but here is what the
Alta says upon the subject:
All navigators are aware that in the
winter months there is not harbor
of shelter on this coast from Puget
Sound to San Francisco. Columbus
River 10 sometimes held up - such,
but the terrible bar ut it's entrance. on
which many vessels have been wrecked
and lives lost, causes masters Of vessels
to give it = wide berth. The dangers
inside its bar are also formidable. and
taken oil in oil, it is anything but
harbor of refuge. Between that point
and San Francisco there is no shelter if
we except BOdega Bay. which il some
times in heavy nor westers full of small
coasting vessels. This place, however,
is not large enough for general COM
mercial purposes. At present, the po-
sition to the south of Cape Foulweathsr.
and about ninety miles south of the
Columbia River. appears to be the
most desirable location. The site is
about three and half miles north of
Yaquins Bay. A reef Of rocks lies di-
rectly of the mouth OF the bay, and ex-
tends from there, in q line with the
outer end Of Cape Foulwesther, ap-
preaching it within a mile.
A breakwater, with this reef as a
basis, would answer all purposes
and give an excellent harbor in
side. Its commercial advantages would
y great, o. 1t 10 but forty miles from
pc very centre of the great Willanet
alley. There may be other sites more
Desirable, but it strikes US that the
Yaquina" 10 tho proper one. A brief
utline of other works Of . similar
character. at home and abroad, will
give On idea Of the labor to be per.
ormed aud the expense alta, he'd
thereto. The breakwater at Cher bourg,
France, is the greatest Of the kind in
Existence.
1t remains for W now to allude to
our own breAkwatsr, the Delaware. In
1928 commissioners were appointed by
Congress, who selected Cape Henlopen
20 the most desirable site and work was
soon commenced. Az now constructed,
the length Of the breakwater proper is
1859 feet. and the ice breaker nearly
1900 feet The great mass of this work
consists Of blocks. ranging from one
fourth ton to three tons. the seaward
slopes being coated with stones of from
l to tons weight. The actual cost
OF the work 10 officially reported ct
t2.1lS.5O5. The utility Of this work 10
best exhibited by the statement that
since 1888. 246,0ll vessels have taken
refuge from storms under its protection
Of which 1907 were in the year 1871
alone. Some idea may be formed from
the above of the labor before US and
the question resolves itself into this:
|. will the labor and expense involved in
such. work be compensated by the
saving Of life and property that 10 lost
during our stormy season. Frankly,
We think it will, and hope that those in
authority will give the question their
earliest attention, select the most snita-
BILE and most central location. be il Va
tQuina or elsewhere. and give the Pacif.
&c slops some benefit"
! In advocating this measure. the lead
log commercial paper Of San Francisco
merely advocates the intererts OF the
great city whence il derives its revenue.
Four out OF every Ave vessels engaged
in the trade between San Francisco an
the Northwest coast ore owned in that
city; aud it 10 TO tho interest Of San
Francisco moro than any other place to
have the artificial harbor built. On
the question Of locality the leading
shipmasters on the Pacific cast are al
most united - to the merits Of Cape
Foulwsather. A long ledge Of rocks
makes out from the north head Of va
Quina Bay. between which and the
shore there is deep water with good
anchorage. An expenditure Of one
half the cost Of the Delaware break
water. would give an equally good
harbor If shelter. The old bark Flor
enoe vas Lost in January 1876 near that
point by stres Of weather. butcould have
been easily saved if there had bsen .
breakwater there. Asst was seventeen
out Of the eighteen composing her crew.
were hurried to . watery grave.
Other catastrophss could b cited had
We the time. which might have bssu
avoided had there been . breakwatsr
near thst point. We thank the Alta
for it, advocacy Of . proposition % Vi
tally important 70 the beat commercial
interests Of the whole coast.