The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-02-07
10 CHANCE FOR THE IEREDO
Lake Washington as the Site for
the Navy Yard
Advantage or Fresh water Oy<r
sslt-scarcfty ef Tonnage ON
the Pacific Coast.

.sfrbuiIdsng firm Of Hall gras.. Psvs
nzskeiey. returned or Eonday from
fhrte weeks trip 10 san Francisco, whIfher
he had gone in tte interest Of bis slsfu-
yards. Captain Hall came over from Ror4
Blskeley yesterday, and being seen ky q
repovser, rsrr4tess BIS Tn prxsssous Of sew.
All topics that are iuu now 81 very pa<fse-
ular Interest 70 the people Of seattle and
puget sound:
ATnere Il much interest," manifested
eneagss shipping men 81 Fan Francisco
orer the reslls Of the Intended VISIT Of the
government naval commission 20 the
Northwest said Capt. HxII II fad
fhst the universal opinioa amongst
fh0en who are acquainted with the
conditions Is that Lake Washington Is the
NOT eligible location for the navy vsrd
me important factor fu brlnxfnx ahout
his general conclusion Ia the fact that
lake washington Ii fresh water. and fstn4
ne seredo does not ply hfs destructive
vocation therein The location Il r<cnr-
nised a. geographically the mosf accessible
fhst can be chosen, and the requirement.
81 the commission regarding natural nd
yentages, eligibility 10 coal, iron and all
ether supplies, railroad communicated
fro1a the East. shelter from storms and
frUm possible attack. good anchorage.
pienfy OF sea roofn. etc. an quite eey-
tain can not be dsied At any other pisce
on fhe Pacific Cossf II would seem 70
me that nature had provided su Lake
Washington q basin for the especial par
Dosc OF eaildiBg navy yard. for there IL
= mach can be said for no other place.
CANAL EASILY coxsTxrcTInIg.
The construction OF q canal that La e
Warrington may be reached s-am saIraen
bsy. would be comparatively inexpensive.
There are no natural obsiruet,oas TO be-
overcome. and no aftiicuIf feats Of engi.
neersng 20 be accomplished. The cana,
could be constructed TO Lake Union from
8a1mon bay on level until within very
mort distance os the lake. and then a sim
pie system OF locks would lead the channel
directly into Lake Union, thence across the
lake aud through the old canal. into Union
bay. In Lake Washington. The present
canal could be enlarged with an ordinary
amount Of dredging. The channel 20 Lake
Washington sboald. think, be at least 100
feet wide and sufficiently deep 20 Fender
IL navigation easy to the lasgesf vessels Of
the navy.
"A simple process Of dredging would DO
the whole work with the exception OF the
locks. IL IL my judgment that the cost OF
the ehanDei would be entirely paid for In
afew years BIZ the saving fsadc In the pre-.
serving OF the yard plant frofa the action
Of the tereds-a consideration that eanpo.
be ignored.
OBJECTIONS 70 oTaER siTgs.
II learn that porE Townsend Is urging
The claims Of Fort Angeles A tie site faf
She navy yard. IL Is possible that the pee
pie OF Fort Townsend haze not considered
that British gun boat could lie in British
waters aud utterly ruin by Smelling ship
yArd plant thai might be constructed on
any point In the port. | understand that
Tacoma Is making nm effort ia behalf of
Quzrtsrmastar bay. The necessity
q sisca,l n1asn'eiance OF .s. heao .e. aor
to that point. Olympia wants the yard,
but fht same serious fHult can be found
with that location. Port Washington. hc-
hind Ra!nbridge island. or several places
In the islands, would be better than any of
these. Butte al except Lake Washington
the insuperabfs objections Of the Necessity
OF fostihcations aud the disadvantage of
teredp and baruaele thriving watsr can be
urged. Coisme ga river might be chosen,
bat the snFn. disadvantage Of the danger
Gus Columbia river bar. and the probability
that vessel seeking protection aud shelter
tHtE4k HAfE ~ liE NitA44E 1&7 NEEM vi
more. settles the Columbia.
HE ~ sor ursgLYgsn
.sy taterest IN Lake wasAIugsea IS nos
entirely nakesHsh., continued Captain
Hall. II am anxious for the construction
OF that canal whether the Easy yard Is
built OF lsa' "a tssire To establish oar
ent'fs salRbaliaisg plant on the lake. We
reeogAixe the ggeas value III fresh water IN
preserving Our whnrseE. WAYS. pliers aud
plies aud We waut 10 take adyanfzg. of fl
We f1facmuST alsa sAe well known fact
thata ship ahose hS.itum Is covered With
baffias les viii be c1aAnNd b. simply fylng
for snort time in Lake Washington
other fresh " assr advantage thai II highly
Impc gtant.
Az OFFICIAL orsssoN.
"whsn was IN San Francisco spent
muea Of my time with Naval Constructor
Feinaii. "a friend for 20 years. and an accom-.
plished sad experienced shlpbulldlng "a.
perintendent Mr.. Feiuaid was much I'm
ferested In the location OF the navy yard in
the Northwest. aud he had 90 doubt that
the essmmisstan would choose Lake Wash
ington.
. The advantage Of fresh over salt water
for such purposes is 50 great thar, other
things being equal. there should be noy
~
said Mr. feinaa. outside Of the proposed
location Of navy yard in Lake Washing
ton. fsiak the government owes II 20 the
eolnineree OF fie Northwest 10 build the
cana from the seaad 90 the lake, that ali
vessels whose bottoms have become foul
sid eoFfotscd III salt water may pass
through 10 place where they can - easily
eieaned-s process that eaanet be- gader-
faksn otherwise except at material ex-
pense.'
II 90 not see ho@ the commission, when
II has fully investigated the claims % the
various places, eau avoid selecting Lake
Washington.
SCARCITY OF TONNAGE
There are several caases that have lei
to the scarcity 81 tonnage on the Pacific
coass, eoatsuuel Captain Han. IN re,
sponse 10 question. 'sona is that maay
Of the smaller vessels, such a. harken
tines aud sfoops have been sent north ID
cngsge Ia the new canning aud sealing sn-.
dasErses. Then many of the larger
s , have been sent II Ans-
tralsa with luInner. Much inquiry
has been awakened I'm the swrsi rssst 81
South America aaa Mexico, aud nsny yes
ssis have been scat there laden with iunl
Der, rsilroad iron, ard other material f.sr
ne9 enterprises. Abaas this time at year
the heaviest shipments OF fsrelgn tsanal
shtAA AHAtS tlat48ts iEAtN At1GFt Is safke
demand for coal al ever the coast. and all
syailaale vessels are engaged Ia that trade.
The general business activity al the toast
has created \ demand for vessels III sae
miscellaneous fseighsS. Many ium barmea
havv been compelled "a seaa their iron
sesssls foreign, and the consequence is
That taefe IS hardly aiSengaged vessel %
Tie eagss
."rae other DAY ia San Francisco Mr.
Hanson II the Fseona Aili CanApauy camn
INTO 0gs office and waited Ia chatter two
% eur vessels thai are nat duo fe- swa
months We declined. Mr.. Holmes 81
tee feTs Rlakelcy mills saxs he never sss
tonnage 50 searle. faeFc are now hnt two
anal seho snSrs af PORK Blakeieg. an al
meSt unprecedented modest
TIE remedy fag this seaHoiFg Is the con
ssFactsen at mere vessels. eat Is Vet tae
pavement ga that aiFeriina Is nus active.
usf Ways ~ tert hlskeley are AL empty for
sss hrss time ia Eve years. I Rave 40
uaaAt. however, that we wsli ssson have as
s@sss orders We want ~ hlg. FrelehsS
~ ~ taina,r aavo npca down 10 81 within
We psstessx months. They are now s. aud
essFe Is 10 doubt that they vii SO hsxher."
on Az IMPORTANT MISSION.