Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1882-04-27

EDrToa Posr-INryI.rroxycrR.

AND the PROPOSED CANALS.
EDITOR observation-disclosures:
Before entering upon my subject /
must say few words in commentator
Of the PosT-ISTELLIoENCER, that is do
ing 80 much for the City of Seattle and
the Territory at large. The residents of
the city may well be proud of your ably
conducted journal. ALI here to whom
l show the paper are very much pleased
with 1t, and are led TO think favorAbly
Of city that whilst but of yesterday
can present to tho public SO large and
interesting sheet, and when informed
that Seattle supports several daliiss and
wsskliss are greatly surprised. But to
come to my subject-Jhs lakes and
proposed canals.
Among the many good things of
which Seattle can boast is tho we'll
known enterprise Of its capitalists, not
to mention at present the many facto-
ries, the contemplated railroads, Seattle
Puget Sound and Gray's HarbOr railroad
and the Seattle, Walla WAlla and Baker
City Railroad, which would of them
selves be sufficient proof. Having paid
this just tribute to their energy and on
terprise, i hope those gentlemen will
pardon me if venture a few sugges-
tions and remarks that may not bs
deemed as complimentary as what pre-
cedes. Now it appears to me that whilst
the business men and capitalists of your
city are fully alive to enterprises that
extend. abroad, requiring large outlay of
capital, other enterprises of almost
equal Importance to the growth Of the
city, and requiring much less capital,
are being overlooked or neglected, rs
the pavement of streets and sidewalks
and in improving them SO as to make
them passible ut all times. Particular
ly the roads leading into the city, and
still more important, Is mentioned in
your paper of a past date, the water
supply. can add nothing to your brief
editorial upon this subject, but can only
express surprise that matter of such
vital importance should have to this
date been SO neglected. With such
sources of supply so close vt hand, it
seems incredible that water in the city
Of Seattle should DO even now at q pre-
MUM. With the crystal waters Of Tn
ion and Green Lakes, at the north, and
Washington Lake to the east: the first
named almost within the city limits,
and all within few miles, ana the river
to the south, il certainly would seesn
that water should be the least of the
wants of Seattle. l will venture to say
there is not another city i'll the world
that has SO close at hand 80 unlimited a
supply of pure. healthful water that
could be brought to the doors of its citi-
zens at 10 little cost. But see am di-
crossing.
To proceed, will state my surprise
that nothing has been done towards cut
ting the canals, which | was informed
whilst at tho Sound year ago, were to
be commenced ut an early date, and
when in my view this work 10 Of the
greatest possible importance to the
growth and prosperity Of tho city, and
tho cost ~ compared to contemplated
enterprises insignificant. nature having
left but little for man to do. l have
walked over the narrow piece of low ~
ing ground between the two lakes, and
viewed the proposed outlet to Salmon
Bay, and thought how kind was provi-
dehce to this proposed work. Lot US
now take into consideration the advan-
tages-ths immediate benefits to the
City Of Seattle that the cutting of the .
canals would prove. First l will state
that the settlement of a large farming
the greatest importance to its business
and growth, and this can never DO till
Lake Washington in made accessible
from the city and Sound, a. settlers will
not occupy to any great extent the
country bordering on the lake unless
transportation for their productions to
market can be had. l have boon in
formed that Lake Washington, includ-
ing bays and indsntations, has shore
line of 15O or 40 miles. Now as small
farms are the rule on the Sound, giving
to each settler 10 acres $50 acres is suffi-
cientl and you have six hundred farms
that would border on the lake; going
back from the east or north coast 10 or
10 miles, and you have lands for twenty
times AZ many farmers, that is for l2O0
farmers. Now wore this the present
state of affairs (as would soon be were
tho canals completely estimate il you
can the impetus that would DO given to
business Of all kinds, what traffic for
the mei oh Al. = of Seattle, and tradesmen
in gsner Il, were il made known abroad
that this work was completed, and what
splendid opportunities we're To DO found
in tho then close vicinity Of the city for
settlers desiring farming lands. What
an increase of immigration you might
reasonably expect then, what An impulse
to the growth of the city would be given
with consequent increased value of
real estate. surely here is something
worthy of consideration of capitalists,
especially the large owners of real es-
tate within and bordering on the city
II an accomplished fact ut what price
would city lots be held at the end
of five years? Let the mill owners con-
slider tho amount of lumber these thou
sands of agriculturists would require
for building purposes and the immense
supply of logs that could be foatsd TO
their mills and they will perceive their
interest in the early cutting of these
canals rivals that of the merchants and
real estate owners. When YOU add to
these considerations the valuable water
power 10 10 obtained ut the cutting that
il 10 connect Lake Union with Salmon
Bay. certainly enough has been present
ed 10 show the importance of this un-
dsrtaking, and that in this instance de-
lay il improvident il not criminal. Be
sides all this il to be taken into consid-
Grafton tho benefit to b derived by Iii
verting the surplus waters Of Lake
Washington from ovcrflowing and wash
ing away at times tho rich bottom lands
along the river, that forms its outlet to
Eliot Bay, and u prevent the filing mp
Of the head Of the bay with sand, which
u of itself sufficient reason for the i'm
mediate cutting of the canals. Tie
lowering of Lake Washington will also
10 rye ~ drain considerably overfiowed
lands along its shores. Picture to your
self the steamers entering Lake Union
from the Sound. on their way 70 the
magnificent Lake Washington. then
steaming two hundred miles along its
shOrsza SfOnnlny AT YarlOuS polntS to