The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1879-12-12
From the Corvallis Gazette
the Un-oaIclRI Report Of tine Yaquinsa
Survey.

To THE EDITOR OF GAzETTE.-Dear str:
MY recent visit to Yaquina Bay, in COM
panv with Capt. G.. w. Wood, from the
U. S. Engineers Office, Portland, is so in
teresting in its results to all the people of
this district that thought short account
of 1t might appear in ydur widely cir
cuIated paper.
Mr.. Wood sought me in letter of intro
duction from Col. Gillespie on Saturday
week, and told me that he was instructed
by the Commissioners for selecting lar-
Dor of refuge on the Pacific coast to make
a careful examination OF the entrance to
Yaquina Harbor within the four fathom
with al needful soundings, specially re-
porting also as to the nature, shape and
position of the bar or obstruction.
Being most anxious to facilitate his
work, l enquircd first as to any professional
assistance he needed. and in response to
my invitation Mr.. Eina PHI, one of our
recent Norwegian visitors, at once put
himself at Capt. Woods disposal. in
formed Mr.. Wood that we could obtain for
him on the bay the steam launch or Mr..
Stevens large boat, if the weather was
fine, but that probably at this season of
the year larger steam vessel, with more
powerful machinery, would be required.
In anticipation of Mr. Woods arrival,
had arranged with my friend Kit Abbey to
drive him out, so on the very next morn
ing after he reached here all was in readi-
| ness for the start
We got to Elk City by Monday night,
but had 20 wait till P. NJ. next day before
| the steam launch was ready to take
us from Elk to Newport. The day
was fine, and the river presented its usnal
broad, ample, placid expanse. I was not
surprised ut Capt. Woods ejaculation
about two miles above Oysteryille, and
nearly ten miles from the sea, Why
there is more water here tfan in the Will
annette at Portland He could not help
expressing his surprise ut the large scale
of the river and horbor, stating that he was
not prepared tor anything like that.
The first two days after we reached New
port were spent by the Captain and Mr..
Phil in fixing various Joints on the north
and south shores, and in refixing the old
marks put mp by Mr.. Chase in 1865, and in
building new ones the latter work was en-
joyed by all hands of US. The bar still
showed the effects of the terrific storm
which had ragged few days before, and it
was too rough for the steam launch or for a
rowing boat. Just then the steam schooner,
the Kate and Anna, Capt. C. Lutjens. ar
rived i'll the bay, with cargo of merchan-
disc from Astoria and Portland, and our
difficulty was thus solved.
Capt. Wood soon after made his arrange
menfs for the lire of the schooner. The
next day, Saturday. at dead low water. we
started for the bar. On board, in addition
to Captain Wood and Mr.. Phil, who man
aged the scxtants, we had the writer to
record the observations Mr.. Mackey to
time the feadsmen and note the soundings,
and Dir. Stitts and G.. Ohlson to cast the
leads. The last three had been similarly
employed under Mr.. Habersham. The
first course was directly out through the
middle channel on Mr.. Cliase's chart, and
over the very line marked 6 heavy and
constant breakers ON the sketch laid
down by the SlIubrick surveying vessel in
1872, and shown in the corier of the same |
chart. Now came the test. IT the Shl-
bricks information as correct, we should
be on the sands in a few seconds and the
enemies of Yaquina would curl their lips |
with 8 We fsld you so.'' If the friends OF
Yaquina were right in their constant state
fhof f1ta r.,af oorrorfIxy chOxvf1 |
on Mr.. Chase's chart that it was of soft |
rock that consequently no change had |
taken place and none was to be feared |
that at the present time there were u feet |
of water on the Dar-now this was all to
be proved to absolute demonstration or TO
be (lisproved once for all.
The first position in the channel was
reached and fixed, and the lcadsman cast. |
g Twenty-four feet was the cry. In
thirty seconds, g Twenty-four fect,'' then |
six teen, and then we were on the bar. |
The next east gave twelve; then twelve
once more still another twelve-while /
the little vessel with her feeble steam
power crossed full i'll the face of the turn
ing tide. Then the next cast gave eigh-
teen, twenty-four, then thirty, and thirty
two feet, and we We're clear over in deep
water facing the outer reef OH which the
waves were surging heavily. The leads
struck every time on rock, and their bottom
ends showed the dints and roughness
caused by the strokes on rock. But how
wide was this shallow ground Did it /
deserve the name $ bar,' with its sug-
gestions of heaped up sand, crossing cur
rents and shifting channels Or was it
what Col Rogg persistently called it at
all the San Francisco meetings of the COM
missi OH, "a mere obstruction ?'' The /
soundings and observations proued It to be /
not more than 150 feet across, from 20 feet
sounding to 20 feet.
After one or two courses outside we
entered again. going easily across and into
smooth water, sounding and observing all
the time.
The next day we went ont again, ex
ploring carefully both north and south