, 1880-05-10

II. b. B.gley, F. Fl. Whitworth and J. ].
McGilvra have filed articles OF incorpora>
tion for King County Canal aud Msnu>
featuring Company" with capital stock
of $4,000 divided into 100 shares of $50
each, the object and purposes of which
arc to construct canal from Salmon Bay,
on Puget Sound, to Lake Washington,
through Like Union, for the pit r pose of
retaining lands. preventing overfinws.
purifying the lakes 10y currents OF moun<
tam streams, and utilizing the wms,Is
for navigation and manufacturing pur-
poses.
With perhaps the exception of IL rail-
road across the Cascades, this projrcr
promises tie largest public benefits tor
the smallest expenditure OF any which has
ever been broacbed in this country. A
canal b.tw.en the two lakes, about three
iourths Of mile in length. it has been
estimated by competent engineers, will
cost not to exceed SIS 900; its accruing
benefits can be safely estimated at hun
dreds OF thousands 1t would reduce
the surface OF Lake Washington abou
six feet, thereby reclaiming thousands of
acres OF the most valuable agricultural
lands, and protecting from occasional
destructive overflow the vast extent of
improved farms upon the lmttoms of the
White, Black and Duwamish rivers,
which would enhance the value of those
farms to ten times the amount of the cost
OF the canal, and increase the taxable
property OF King county in proportion
1t would open to steamboat navigation,
from landing within the city limits.
a fine farming country with 30 or 80
miles of water front upon Lake Washing>
ton, now comparatively worthless from
the difficulty of access to market. 1t will
turn the pure mountain waters of Cedar
and Black rivers into the lakes, purifying
the whole and creating inexhaustibic re-
servoirs Of pure water tor the future use
OF the city; IA necessity which could not
be supplied from any other source for
twenty times tine cost of this improves
ments. All these advantagcs-which no
Intelligent person acquainted with the
facts will accuse us Of exaggerating-wil
accrue to the public from the construction
of the canal, before the Stockholders can
derive any exclusive benefits from their
Investment. Their p oft will be in the
exclusive right to water power betwe. IL
Lake Union and the Bay, of. illimitable
resources and incalculable value, from
which the public will likewise drive
great benefits. From the character and
ability of the men who have undertaken
this enter. .,rise We are confident of its
speedy completion, but it nevertheless
Dehouves every one who has the means,
to contribute against the possibility ol
failure or delay.
iSSuc VI tuC OlSfAlCh
has been delayed day on accsunt ol the
sickness OF our office force. Our foreman,
composltor, roller-boy, job printer, ds-
slstant business manager and associate
editor, has been laid up for an entire
week, leaving the publisher alone TO dis
charge those multifarious duties, which
he would have accomplished on time but
tor outside engagements. He printed and
published tair sized weekly newspaper
without any assistance 45 years ago, and
has protited little 10y long practice if he
cannot DO it now.
AN OLD TIMER.-We were favored
during the past week by a visit from our
old friends. Capt. Frank H. West and
family, including Mrs. Stone, the mother
of Mrs. West. This is the first visit OF
Capt. West to Puget Sound in % years.
In 1858, he came to Sln Juan Island In
comm md OF the Shubric6, having On
board the U. S. Com missioner appointed
to ne otiate terms with the British au-