The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-06-01
THE LAKES.
Bodies Of Water Of Great
Present and Prospective Import

Beautiful Bodies Of Water of Great
Present and Prospective Import
snee.
To comprehend the situation of Sc
attic, the reader should know some
thing of the lakes Union and Wash
ington) already mentioned. and
shall give some account OF these be-
fore proceeding to a discussion Of re-
sources.
Lake Union lies to the northeast Of
length by half mile in width. II is
harbor) by a high ridge and a distance
Of one mile directly through the heart
Of the city. On its northern side the
lake is separated from salmon bay, an
inlet Of the Sound north OF Seattle, by
distance OF one mile. At this point
there is no ridge, and between the lake
and the bay there is ditch or channel
by which the former discharges its sur
plus water. Small boats tskiiis and
the like) are often put through this
narrow channel and the drifting Of logs
through il is a regular and profitable
business.
Southeast of Lake Union, and sep
hfitcu ifoiu ~ ny tt,> tuati HAL u
mile, Is
LAKE WASHINGTON,
A noble body OF water from three to
six miles wide and about thirty miles
long. II lies parallel with the Sound
north and south) and about two miles
TO the eastward from it. and discharges
into the Duwamish river, nayigab!e
stream which falls into Elliott bay two
or three miles south OF Seattle. Both
of these lakes are deep and the con-
nection between them is little 18TH
mus of soft soil about one-third of a
mile in width. This has been pierced
BY a narrow canal, through which
small boats and saw-logs are easily
navigated. The surface OF Lake Union
is about fifteen feet above high tide in
the sound, and the surface OF Lake
Washington Is few feet higher. The
flow of water through the channels
mentioned is regulated by gates. so
that up TO the present time there has
been no disturbance Of the natural
levels.
1t will be seen that Lake Washing
ton gives to Seattle sort of
BAcK-pooR WATER FRONT.
To make a ship canal from the sound
TO Lake Union and thence TO Lake
Washington. is an entirely practicable
scheme, and IL would cost but little
money The two cuts required are
sh ,rt and easy and the forces of the
water of the lakes could be so applied
n TO do the bigger part of the work.
Such a connection would make for
Seattle an inland hsrbor where vessels
could go in q few minutes time and
enjoy all the advantages of port with
anchorage. IL would also parallel and
double the water front of the city.
Aside from these prospective advant-
ages, Lake Washington Is an
IMMENSE PRESENT BENEFIT
To Seattle. II extends about fifteen
miles north and fifteen miles south of
the city, and has shore line of nearly
one hundred miles There are almost
Iiunumerable fertile bottoms upon
which settlement has long been estab-
lishcd. II is in short, we'll psp,slat-
ed and fairly well developed agrics,l-
tural district. The lake. which is prac-
tically free from currents. affords easy
access 10 the city, and there Is rarely
time when boats may not I've seen
speeding through its green waters.
Two small steamboats, ply the lake
regularly and do a profitable traffic
II is intended by the promoters of the
Jackson street cable road to put sever
al boats on the lake 10 give the more
I important settlements hourly coanee-
tons with the city. To exaggerste the
scNxtc ATTRACTIONS
/ OF Lake Washington would be impos-
sible. As the visitor looks soath.
north. east OF west. each view seems
the climax Of the sublime. The rler-
iotis peaks OF Rainier and Baker, the
shining Cascade range. the scmbre
and picturesque forests-hut il il a
waste ci words 10 talk OF things which
cannot be conceived without being
seen.
A few mites east Of Lake Washin-
ton i Ssuas lake, fine, deep hnsiy of
water. surrounded BY fertile COM
try. This lake i connected with Lake
Washington by channel N hieh would
hc nayigahlc ii il we're cleared 81 drifts
ani Other distractions.