The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-02-27

Field work of the survey of the ship
canal to connect Lakes Washington and
Union with Puget sound, begun on
November 1, 1890, by a corps of en-
gineers under r G. Eastwick, civil engi-
neer, was completed yestery at noon, and
Mr.. Eastwick left last night for Portland
TO compile the data gained by his three
and half months work, and to prepare
plans, projects and estimates of the cost Of
the proposed canal, which, with state
ment of the Importance of the commercial
interests to be considered, will constitute
his report to the board of United States
army engineers having the survey in
charge. As yet Mr.. Eastwick has only the
vast array Of data that has been gathered
from the surveys, and he is unable to give
even an approximate estimate of the cost
OF canal built upon any one of the sew
eral projects he has outlined in a general
way, bat he can and does say that there
are no engineering difficulties in the way
OF building the canal and he is of the
opinion that he can prepare plans by
which It can be constructed at a very mod
crate cost.
The authorization for the survey Of the
proposed canal is found in the last river
and harbor bill. which appropriated
$4,000 for q survey to connect Lakes
Washington and Union with Puget sound.
Acting under the provisions of this
bill the chief of army engineers APP
pointed Colonel d. III. Mendell, Major
Thomas III. Handbury and Captain
Thomas w. Symons a board to supervise
the survey, and this board in turn desig-
mated Mr.. Eastwick. who has been in the
employ of the government for severa!
years, to do the work.
Mr.. Eastwick, when seen at his Office in
Fremont yesterday, said that it would
take at least two months constant work in
his Portland Office to prepare plans and
projects, and that until this work is COM
pleted he could say nothing definite con-
corning the results of the survey, further
than that a ship canal to connect Lake
Washington with tide water was practic-
able and by no means difficult engineering
problem. ut is not only the engineering
question that is to be considered, !" said Mr.
Eastwick. money and muscle, directed
by engineering skill, can put the canal
through at a very moderate cost; but the
greatness of the commercial benefits to be
derived from the canal will be one of the
main features to be considered by congress
in making the appropriation. and have
no doubt that a proper showing can be
made if the Chamber of Commerce and
citizens of Seattle will interest themselves
in the matter.
The Chamber of Commerce has already
appointed a committee, consisting of
Judge Thomas Burke, Mr.. Jacob Furth
and Colonel C. NJ. Sheafe, to secure the in
formation desired by Mr.. Eastwick Cap
tain Thomas Symons has notified the
Chamber of Commerce and Mayor White
that the board of engineers will visit Seat
tie on or obout March -. to personally in
spect the locality, and that that the board
will then be glad to meet the citizens of
Seattle interested in the subject of the ca
nal, and to get their views on all matters
pertaining thereto. 1t is thought that the
information desired can be furnished the
board at this time.
Upon the surveys made by Mr.. Eastwick
may be based projects for canal, making
the chain of lakes an arm of the sea, hay-
ing outlets either at Shilshole bay or at
Smiths cove, or both. The engineering
problem is SO simple that several plans,
each feasible and easy of execution. al
though varying greatly in cost, will be
prepared and submitted to the board. The
entire length of the canal from tide water
to deep water in Lake Washington, in
Guiding the two miles of channel through
Lake Union, will not exceed five miles.
Less than two miles of this is through up
land, and more than mile is through the
soft, muddy bottom of Union bay, which
is covered by from eight to ten feet of
water. The upland excavation will be
through the low portages between Union
bay and Lake Union, and Lake Union and
Salmon bay, the former being three-eights
of mile and the latter one and one-fourfh
miles in length. Through both of these
portages flow streams of water, canals
about the size of mill race having been
dug by private enterprise several years
ago. The maximum cut will be in the
neighborhood of forty feet, and there will
he no excavating in rocky or difficult
formations, while the elevation to be over
come by locks from the level of the sea to
fresh water level is but ten feet.
1t is Mr.. Eastwicks intention TO make
many projects for the work. If there
should be objection to the more elaborate
and extensive plan it is hoped to secure a
beginning by submitting less expensive
project that will meet the approval ofcon-
gress. Fash of these projects will contem-
plate the reduction of the altitude of Lake
Washington, which is eighteen feet above
high water, to that of Lake Union, which
is twelve feet above high water. 1t was at
first proposed to raise the level of Lake
Union six feet 10 that of Lake Washing
ton, but this plan was abandoned because
of damage it would cause to water front
property. BY lowering Lake Washington
six feet the entire volume of Cedar river
will naturally tiow through the lake at all
stages of water. At present this river
flows into the Duwamish through Black
river during high water. Ii it should be
found that this surplus water could not be
taken care of at the other end of the lake a
dam will be placed so as TO divert the
water through Black river. The question
of taking care of the water can easily be
solved by the engineers. as they have made
complete typographical surveys of the sew
eral water sheds surrounding the lakes
The engineers congratulate themselves
upon the fact of having Cedar river either
to use or to turn away as desired.
From the head of Salmon bay TO deep
water in Puget sound the distance is two
and one-half miles. 1t is the present opin-
ion of the engineers that the cheapest and
simplest project will be the construction
OF canal accessible for deep water vessels
only at high tide. Such plan will con-
template the construction OF lift of locks
at the head of Salmon bay by which ves-
sells will be raised at once INTO fresh water
"a. y 4 r. u.