The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-09-18

has known the harbor since 1860,
told how, ii 1888, YesIer's wharf ran to
Railroad avenue, and then there were six
teen fest Of water there ~ low tide. The
water was shoaline rapidly around the
property Of the Dry Dock Company, Of
which organization he il secretary. The
coal bunkers were built In deep water, but
shoaling II going ON very rapidly. The
inner harbOr rim should be in at least fifty
feet Of water ct low tide He believed in
two waterways over the Oats, one ID the
present channel Of the DuWamish river,
and another shout half way 70 the east
shore. Slips - wide g the streets, sixty
six fest, would do for barges, scows, and
small steamers; but for larger vessels slips
$50 or 40 feet wide would be needed. In
his opinion there should Be : waterway 500
or 800 feet wide IN Smiths cove.
Mr.. A. A. Denny told now he came here
in the spring Of 1852, and since then there
had been . very material shoaling along
the main shore Of the harbor. The in
shore channel to tho Duwamish river was
then considered the best. The tide at sew
street. The extreme high tides used 70
The shOaling Of the harbor has been more
rapid within the last i've or six years. His
belief was that artificial means had has
tened the shoaling, but they had not caused
it Ill.
Mr.. Robert Moran said his connection
with the Dry Dock Company as vice presi-
dent and manager. and his general interest
in shipping. had made him familiar with
the harbor. In the last fifteen years the
line Of the water front had moved out about
two blocks. Although the harbor line has
not moved out so rapidly. still the water
has shoaled, forming shadows and fats be-
low. In his opinion the city would gain
great advantage to have about six more
blocks filled up before the sea wall Is built.
Seattle Is very billy. and the commerce
cannot 60 up the hill, and 80, unless it ex-
tend out to the west, the city will have q
very long and inconveniently narrow water
'front.' It would be to the great advantage
Of the city to have . more extensive
level tract ct the water front. He would
favor turning all the Duwamish channels
into one. and having . wide waterway
through for that He would not extend
other waterways further in than Railroad
avenue, for drawbridges would then be
necessary in order to get across them. He
would have the main Duwamish water
way SO wide that piers could be built into
it. The tide fats shouldn't be cut up by
waterways running clear through. Having
the foot of every street for waterway was
too much Of good thing. A lot of small
waterways on the front along the tide fats
would accommodate more vessels near
deep water than two or three large water
ways running clear through. Besides this,
the latter would cut up the fats and make
communication between the parts difficult.
Little waterways one hundred and fifty
feet wide running back only to Railroad
avenue would be better for commerce.
Judge Burke said that if the waterway
10 to 60 back to the meander line, as the
commission seems inclined to construe the
law, although the point is not determined,
that will break the whole traffic of the
city, for with drawbridges every block or
two. railroad traffic from BelItown to the
head of the bay would be hopelessly inter-
rupted. 1t would be simply impracticable
to have waterways running clear back.
The commerce of the city and of the state
would then be hopelessly injured. Accord
ingly he thought the commission would
be justified in running the ways back only
to the necessary point.
Colonel Haines argued that were the COM
mission to adopt the view that the ways
must 60 back TO the meander line, then the
commission must locate no ways at all, or
else run them through, cutting Railroad
avenue and totally destroying it Several
railroads already had rights-of-way on
Railroad avenue. and the avenue was to be
the great railway artery of the city. To
destroy the avenue would cut the city from
its best means of railway communication.
1t would be better to have no waterways.
The Oregon Impro sement Company had
plot of three blocks at one point and five at
another which it was hoped would some
day be used for terminal facilities. 1t would
be mistake to cut up these plots, which
should be kept whole, in order to give
good, large yard.
Mr.. Elijah c. Archer held that the slips
or waterways should 60 no further in than
Railroad avenue.
Colonel Prosser said all the suggestions
would be very carefully considered, and
the commission wanted to get all the data
possible before taking definite and final ac-
ton. The matter would only be deter
mined after full and free representation.