Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-06-10
POrtI Ed'S distractions.

llshed an article ttG crlbinr the OBJ
structions to navigation on the Col
umbia and Willamette rivers, which
fully demonstrated nht cnly tLc Sc
nous nature of these obstacles but
the insurmountable difficulties at
tending any effort for Their pcm1u.
ent removal. Nov, that Portland is
to be the hui around which Puget
Sound is to be made to revolvo us
part of the periphery of a great cir-
Gle, it is q matter of int. est to our
people to know precisely how far
concentration of capital can divert
the course of commerce and trade
from their legitimate channels, uu-
der the most adverse conditions.
The article is therefore quoted in
full, except the preliminary para
graph relating to the construction of
a mammoth dredge to cost So 900,
which, it vas hoped, by three months
operation, annua, by, would be able
to keep the channel free for ships of
moderate draft the remainder of the
year.
1t says; The subject of improving
the channel to Portland was first
contemplated about eighteen years
ago by citizens of this city, since
which time this work has been under
supervision of the city, and then un-
der Colonel Williamson, Major Rob
erts, Gen. Michler, Colonel Wilson
and Colonel Gillespie. During this
time two kind of dredsea, the " Dip
per" and Clamshell Bucket" have
been used. The existing bars which
obstruct navigation to-day are the
same as then. However, more YES
sells find more difficulties and less
water than eighteen years ago, ex-
cept on Swan island bar. On all
these bars the material is different.
At L" Hogs Back" just above Asto-
ria, the deposit is very fine sand and
flows about easily with the force of
the Summer freshet, forming a hard
crust on the surface by the action of
prevailing winds and waves. This
bar could not be dredged on account
of the fneness of and rough water
preventing scows conveying the
material from lying alongside tie
dredee. A drag was invented and
successfully opened a channel at two
different times on the bar,
Walkers island is the next coming
up the river. This bar has never
been worked and only within late
years has been considered an Oh
struction. The deposit is supposed
to be sand aud deposit from the
banks.
The next bar is Martins island,
about ten miles above the last men
toned. This has never been dredged
but has been examined at various
times, as we'll as the others. 1t does
not change much-onIy as the force
of the currents in the different fresh
cts change. The bottom is mostly
sand and mud with coarse sand and
gravel on top.
St. Helens is next. The original
channel across the shoal before any
dredging was done, was abreast Of
Columbia City. A channel was sue
cessfully opened three times III three
different years abreast of st. Helens
with the dredge. The length of this
shoal is about the same as the last
two, about l ,2O0 feet, and if dredged
to Is feet at low wafer, requires the
removal of about 10, 600 cubic yards.
The material is fine sand with no
mud or vegetation. This is tie last
bar in the Columbia.
The next is the mouth of the VIII
lamette river. This is a very peculi-
obstruction and the deposi:: is about
the same every year in quantity aud
the kind of material, but changes rs
the fieshets change i'll hight and
force. Tue channel has been dredged
at this place every year. The length
OF the shoal is about 600 feets and
requires the removal of about 900
cubic yards. If not dredged there
would be from 8 to IL feet of water
in the channel at low waite. The
bar was always dredged to Il feet
low water.
Post Office bar is next and about
two miles from the mouth. This bar
is very long, the deepest water fol-
lowing the west shore or island side
of the river. This bar has been
dredsed twice only. The deposit is
different again, having Il very soft
slusby mud on top Of light course
sand. The length of this bar is
about 1900 feet from & ep water
curves. 1t does not change much,
only as freshets change Tie banks,
and although there Is Only about 10
feet of water Oh This bar az low va
ter, there is not 50 mach complaint
owing to the softness and nature Of
the bottom.
Swan Island bar is next. The first
dredging at this place was under the
civ and afterwards hY the I-nitnI