The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-10
PUGET SOUND RIVERS
Nooksack, Skagit and Snoho-
mish Worth Improving.
FULL OF snAes. JAMS AND BARS
The PuysIInp River Mere Trout
stresm-sovernment Depositories-
Rewards for Catching Smuggiers.

WASHINGTON CfTY, Jan. 7.-fspecial. lib
following interesting reports have been nsae ns
CAPTAIN symon6s. eDgps of engineers. on TIE re-
suits Of examinations Of rivers IN Washington
with view to their improvement These ex-
arniustions have been made in conformity WIN
the river and harbor law Of last session:
xoogsAcx. sKAGTT AND sSoHosfsH RIVERS
These rivers are 50 essentially alike tn their
characteristics and their needs. and their IA.
rsroveraenf Is so correlated that II has seemed
report In my opinion they are all worthy OF
fyrsrroremenf fhey all have q considerable
rofnynerce nov. as shown In the annual reports
ever. II kerf in naysxsbIe condition, exercise q
marked influence ON railroad rates throughout
the country trayersed by them.
In ISL. examinations were made OF these
rivers In fnrtheranee Of this report an appro-
rr.sfion was made ia Iss3 Of $90.BD 20 Bsi11,
equip, and operate O snBg boat on the rlyer.
5000 IN Iss. sisoo5 n ISIS. and $1,000 IN Isso
The operation OF the snsg boat has done \
crest deal of good on these rivers. bat ire
amount OF money available hss Derer been sum
-Ieut 10 enable the boat to do the necessary
and desirable work. snsgs and sfumfss are con
sfaEfiy being caught su the river, and forming
nfMfrnctions themselves and causing the lodg.
ing Of powders and the formation OF gravel and
In ny LAST annual report have recommended
sn appropriation OF xstln9 for the rivers skggtf,
snohomish. stilIagusmish. Nooksacs and sno-
qualmie for the year isss2 il this money Is
appropriated. believe that everything ueceS-
sAy oF The improvement o. 800 t " d =. ~, s
be accomplished BY making at the present time
any survey OF these rivers. as the ofsstrucfl0ns
which would form the principal data 20 be
gathered By such survey are constantly chang
ing.
The present ana Immediately prospective de-
u1ands OF commerce would be satisfied II the
snags. JAMS aud bars could I've more efficiently
removed than is the case 81 present, owing TO
inadequate appropriations Mita the sBoo
asked for the snag boat could b. kept IN com
mission almost constantly, VI hen the river stage
was favorable. and the gravel and sand bars I'm
proved ~ removing srsEs and roots and drag
giHg them with suitably constructed arag
Explosives could be used freely where the
nature of the work required u. The timber 90
the banks where erosion occurs could be
chopped down and cut into sections that would
insure lis floating out 10 seq, ana some mex
pensive bank protection Nigh. be prorided st q
few exposed points.
serious features connected with the navigation
of these Sound rivers are the tide Oats NJ their
mouths. Across these fats. which are exposed
1T low tide, the river water flows at low water in
numerous small channels none OF which are suf-
fcieut for purposes OF navigation. IL Is neces-
sary to approach the mouths at high or nearly
high tide through channels marked by stakes
aud stake lights
This Is an Inconvenience which could be rem
esiied b. htilding training dykes and dredging
o;it channels, which, once opened. would prob
ably be kept open by the currents l do not
think that the demands OF commerce, either
present or prospectiye. would justify the cx-
penditare necessary 70 make these channels and
overcome the Inconvenience, and therefore do
not recommend q survey and the preparation OF
plans and estimates therefor.
PUYAILUP EIvEE-
In my opinion Puyallnp river is not worthy Of
Improvement. II has no commerce, and as far as
can Be asccrtained, never had any. II Is not even
logging stream, and there is no local or general
demand for its improvement.
The Puyailup river flows into Puget sound at
The bead OF COMMENCEMENT bay. In the summer
months IL contains but little water, and has
never been used for navigation Of any kind that
j could get any information OF. At one time
some sawlogs were foated down IL. but none of
carries large smoans Of debris. 1, is full Of
suags and Trees and would be difficult 10 keep
opcn even II i were worthy Of improvement
called at the Tacoma Chamber of Commerce
and on every person that Thought was liable to
know something Of the demands or necessity
for improving the river, and ! did not ind .
river and hsrbor bill contained an item in regard
70 improving the Puyallup, or one who thought
II worthy Of improvement.
Secretary Window has informed congress that
The banks named below are the only ones
In Washington in which the public money ia de-
posted; Merchants National. OF Seattle, and
Spokane National. of Spoksne Falls. (which
jailed RECENTLY The banks have been United
states repositories since ISss and. he says. were
80 designsted for the convenience Of public off,
GERS IN their vicinity engaged in the collection
and disbursements of public moneys.
The officials OF the treasury department have
prepared statement showing the amounts paid
TO tnformers aud selling officers under the Gus
toms lsws during the past year. The amounts
allowed IN the Puget Sound district were as
follows
Charles J. Miller, net proceeds, sI.tss.ss. com
pensation allowed. Sg9i.3s; II. r. Robbins. net
Proceeds. xcsil6 compensation allowed. SOL "a /:
William 4. Harris. net proceeds. $3.50, com
psosatton allowed, siSa.74; g. N. Rouse and
HAITI Hanson, net proceeds, 81 SO 90. compen-
ksuon allowed, frst named, $3.50, second