Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1886-01-01

al0 - couuccteo VIM u DN stream
entering into Simon Bay. Ihe eastern
shore of Lake Union Is separated frsm
Lake WASHINGTON by lev isthmus l6Qu
feet vide. Lake Washington has an
area Of % square miles, 70 miles OF shore
line, and an average depth of 800 feet,
with numerous lsndloeked harbors. This
lake Is connected oy slough. navissble
for small steamers. with Samish Lake. !
tnlles long, and drains q eoontry rich In
natural resources.
Daring the year covered BY this repor,
q company has been formed and the
vork fairly commenced to consfrlt 9
ship casal connecting Lake Washin ,ton
BY way Of Lake Union With Puget Sound.
II this ship canal can be compfsted 10
will. among other advantages. afford the
finest known facilities for oaildine and
seaeoin9 ships of the greatest
capacity in deep, accessible fresh water,
where the teredo can de no damage. and
will enable the United States to establish
q great navy yard on the Pacific coast
under the most favorable circumstances.
| believe the Government could well
afford to aid the com pletion of this canal
BY suitable legislation. sach as Is alled
fer bv those engaged in the work; and
understand that no appropriation is
asked for eYsept cona.ion of lands -
be reclaimed on the borders OF Like
Washington by draining the usters
thereof to lower level through the
proposed canal. This can easily be 80
inasmuch a. the surface of
Lake Washington Is IL feet higher than
that of Lake Union, and that of Lake
Union Is feet higher than the waters
of the Sound at high tide. The Gov
eminent could also properly reserve
a saitable body of timber for naval
purposes.
The most important rivers entering
into Puget Sound are as follows: TIE
Des Chutes, emPtying into Budd's Inlet
at Olympia, notable for Its fall and It's
water power; the Puyallup, flowing
Arough rich valley, manly devoted 10
hop culture, into Commencement Bay
near Tacoma; the navlgsble Duwsmish,
with Its tributaries. the Whit. Black
and Cedar rivers, fertilizing rich bottom
lands, which enters Elliot Bay near Sc
attic: the nsvieable Snohomish, with Its
tributary, the Snosualmie, which makes
a sublime perpendicular lesp Of 2T0 feet,
celebrated as the Snoquslmie Falls; the
Skaeit, also navisable and fertile in its
surroundings: the Swinimish, entering
into Bellinghsm Bay; the Lummi, which
has the Nootsaek for its tributary, and
also enters into Bellinghsm Bay. Near
the outlet of the latter stream are the
reclaimed tide lands, remarkable for
their immense crops of wheat, eats and
barley; the Skokomish is the largest
stream. emptyins into that arm of Pu-
get Sound called Hoods Canal. All
these streams are servIoeable for the
shipment of logs to tidewater. except
in instances where the debris from she
forest has lodged and formed snsgs in
terrupting navigation. For this reason
it lis important the Government should
make ample provision by appropriation
for clearing out these streams. The
immense wealth of this country in its
timber calls for the utmost consideration
on the part of the Government in favor
ing shipments thereof to tidewster.
THR COLUMBIA RIvKR.
The Columbia River. the great river
of the northwest, belongs peculiarly to
Washington Territory. From its meuth
u. ~ VI
forms the southern boundary. From
near this point. for a distance of l37
ailes directly to the eastward and 81
miles to the northward, its principal
tributary, the Snake. flows through the
Territory, great naviga lie river. From
the same point to the northvard the
makes an extensive horse shoe
bend into the northern confines of the
Territory. and then passes of into Brit
sh Columbia, a river of mighty proper
ions the whole distance. Its navigability
FOR boats of considerable draught Is a
perfectly feasible matter for distance
Of 1000 miles from its mouth. Seven
hundred and fifty. two miles of this por-
ion of the river lies within or upon the
of Washington Territory.
A I'D to this the 16S navigable miles of
he Snake River, and We have available
Tor the solution of the cheap transport
,.iop problem Of the Territory length
IF $40 miles of pavigable rivers, whose
xater discharge is 30 great as to maks
{ an easy matter to secure navigation
III the year around, except during few
weeks OF Joe in the winter. Excepting
IN the abort fat section near the sea,
he waters are 80 pure and free from
AZ to make navigation improve
nsnts matter of all time. Once done,
lone forever.
A glance at the map will show that
he whole Territory il thus placed
within easy reach Of nsyieable water
Ways.
The problem OF cheap transportation
les at ths very foundation Of the pros
oerity of a people. IL is, IN fact. the
nest powerful factor Of civilization. II
aas never baen secured With precision
.xcept through the agency Of free water
says. Whether used or not, their exist
snce has the nature of q guarantee.
These considerations have made IL the
policy of governments to interpose and
furnish their peoples with them. at
whatever cost. As a business PROPOSE
ton for the profit of individuals, money
spent in improving waterway TO secure
a route of free transportation thereon
be absurd. Bat for a government
the affair is very different. Any direct
returns upon its investment would be
bsaatelle compared with the indirect.
These latter are SO great that the former
can well be ignored, and no man has
yet sounded the depth of expense to
which a government may go in the
Of cheap transportation
aud still find it a paying investment.
In its march to the sea the Columbia
River encounters the lofty opheaval OF
the Cascade Mountains, and in the most
manner ELECTS the passage
upon line at right angles to their axis.
Carving a mighty cash through the beds
OF lava, basait and porphyry, u has de-
yeloped extensive distractions to navi
CATION at the Dailes and the Cascades
Bat a horizontal line across range Of
that cuts of great c.'untry
from the sen is of necessity a line Of
: .rategic importance TO commerce. and
heuce the necessity that the nation
should not delay in making this line a
water transportation route, clear and
free to all.
From its mouth, for distance OF 100
miles straight away inland. the Colum-
bia furnishes a waterway that allow
the ships of the world TO get that much
nearer to the products of the coentry.
A few inland bars are met With on the
way which can be removed at q very
small oost; bet AZ its mouth navigation
10 obstracted by the most remarkable Of
all ocesn bars. Here, In region com
free from violent storms,
vessels encounter colossal seas breaking
in 50 fee, Of water. Here the mighty
river has hang lie bar into the jaws OF
the sea for q distance Of seven miles.
the LIST link in the chain which
binds It's waters. The varisus improve