The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1889-07-20
AN OFFICIAL REPORT
OF the Work on the Fort Stevens Jetty.

official report of the progress and present
condition of the work of improving the
mouth of the Columbia river, a project
in which the commerce of the world is
| interested.
| 1t took considerable effort in 'S2, 'SS
and '84 to get the work started, and when
| begun its progress was retarded by va
riouS circumstances, but in spite of ad-
verse action it is manifest the work will
| be pushed to successful completion.
Regarding the work Major Handbury,
among other things, says:
"The funds now available will be sub
stantially exhausted, so far as actual
progress is concerned, about the 1st of
| December next, which may be called the
end of the working season. Advantage
will be taken of the forced suspension on
account of inclement weather and lin
| tied funds to put the plant in thorough
repair for the resumption of operations
in the early spring. By that time addi-
tional funds should be made available for
carrying on the works, otherwise a great
loss may result to the government, and
| the ultimate completion Of the project
be greatly delayed. This point cannot
be too earnestly set forth. We are en-
gaged upon great project, that of con-
| trolling the waters of the second largest
and most important river in the United
States, at the point where it enters the
| Pacific ocean. Our works will extend di-
rectly out into the ocean for a distance
of perhaps over four miles. The great
forces of nature seem at this time to be
aiding US in these attempts, and every
| thing looks favorable to a complete
success of the project. We should be
permitted to take advantage of this cir
cumStance.'
| 1.-The interests involved are great, af-
/ fecting the commerce of what is now
called finland empire" The amount that
has already been expended is beginning
/ to assume considerable proportions.
| What is yet to be expended will depend
largely on the manner in which it is
made available for earring on the work"
| The jetty proper Is now under con-
struction for a little more than one and
half miles. Rock has been dumped to
the mean low water over an average of
| about one mile of this distance. 1t isex-
pected that by the end of the present
working season, which will be about the
lst of December, the jetty tram will be
| advanced about one-half mile farther"
within the last year marked change
has taken place on the Clatsop spit and
| III the channel over the Columbia river
bar. The spit shows decidedly mare bare
surface at low water than formerly, and
4
1 tendency towards a straight course out
to sea. TilIamook chute. where there
were indications that new channel was
being cut southwark across Clatsop spit
| when the work was commenced, is now
being closed, although the jetty work is
not vet within one-half mile of it. 1t is
observed that az the mattress work is
carried out, the sand spit builds up on
the south side abreast of and sometimes
ahead of it. At extreme low water one can
| walk on the sand out as far as the mat
tress work extends, The indications now
are that the work has progressed to such
| a point that it is having manifest lnt1u-
ence upon the natural forces at work in
the vicinity, and that these forces are
bringing about the result desired.
"There' has been purchased during the
year 80, 500 lineal feet of piling, at cost
of cents per foot delivered. They vary
in length from fifty-five to seventy feet.
They have been used in the extension of
the ietty tramway, in extension and en-
Ilargement of wharf, shore trestle, grid
irons for storage and supplies, and various
other purposes connected with the work"
The lumber used during the year for
the same purposes and for additional
shops and sheds amounted to 8S4, 600
feet. The most of this, which was
i
delivered at Fort Stevens"
"On the 9th of March a CONTRACT was
entered into with Charles p. Church for
furnishing 5000 cords of fascines at
$274 per cord 128 feet, and 10000 poles
at 24 cents each, delivered at Fort Stew
ems. At the end of the year 2,lS9 cords
of fascines and 3,0G2 poles have been
received under this contract"
During the year 1,795 cords of fas-
cines and $500 poles have been purchased
in open market. In all, 1884 cords of
fascines and 1862 poles have been used"
"Three hundred and one tons, 2,240
pounds each, of steel, thirty pound rails
have been purchased; one lot of ninety
one tons at $53 per ton; second lot of
2l0 tons at $45 per ton, both delivered at
Astoria"
For several years past the shore on
which the wharf at Fort Stevens Is built
J has been encroaching upon the channel,
and from time TO time it has been nee
essary to extend the wharf to correspond
with this encroachment."
: point Adams on this side, as likewise
on the side next the ocean, has been in
creased to the extent of several acres.
J Early last fall it became evident that the
wharf would have to be extended again,
and also enlarged to accommodate the
II
J used in the construction of the jetty dur
ing the coming season. The proper au-
thority having been obtained a new
wharf 240 feet long and forty-eight feet
; wide was built, 130 feet i'll advance of the
old and connected with it. This wharf
was intended for the accommodation of
) two stone barges on its head ut the same
time. with space for barges and boats
4 containing other material to be un-
loaded on its ends and inner side. 1t
l was expected also that the old wharf
> could still be used. The filing out has
3 continued until the old wharf Is of little
] service; it is, however, still used for uu-
r loading light draught boats.
after due advertisement for proposals,
a formal contract was entered into with
q Perry Hinkle under date of January 3,
! 1899, to furnish 10000 tons of rock on
board barges at his quarry landing,
q which is about twelve miles above Van
couver on the Columbia river. For this
\ the government is to pay "a cents per ton
! of 1000 lbs. with the option of increasing
!. the amount to 100000 tons if desirable
The first rock under this contract was
e delivered at Fort Stevens, February II,
4 and up to the end of the fiscal year there
q has been received 10, ,005 tons. The rOcl
: is a good strong basaltic lava that vii
stand the action of the sea without dis
Iintegration, and is satisfactory in every
respect. 1t is being delivered in piece:
varying from fifty pounds to seven tons