The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-13
THE CANAL SURVEYS.
Engineer Eastwick's Work Is
Nearly Completed.
LAKE UNION MAY BE RAISED.
a Sch eme to Lower Lake Washington,
Make Black River Feeder and
Clear samamish Slough.

Inc government survey of the pro-
posed ship canal, which is to make Lakes
Union, Washington and Samamish arms
OF the sea and fresh water harbors, is
uraWlng near completion. The work was
oegun last October, in charge of Engineer
T. u. Eastwlck, with corps of thirty-one
engineers, and has been pushed con-
tihuousiy ever since. One party of the
engineers Is now stationed at Redmond
anu another has been making soundings of
Lake Onion for the past few DAYS.
Tie work on Lake Union was completed
yesterday, and today this party will begin
work on Lake Washington. Mr.. East
wick expects to complete the survey and
examination within the next two weeks.
The work we are doing now is only
preliminary" said Mr.. Eastwick to a re-
porter of the observation-disclosures yester-
Gay. We are simply making surveys
ana collecting data upon which 10 base
plans and estimates. After the survey
and examinations are completed, / will re-
PAIR to Portland To the Headquarters of
the board OF army engineers. and together
we viii make from the details projects and
plans OF the work, with estimates of the
cost. These viii be reported TO the secre-
tary OF war for submission TO congress.
There Is no doubt of the practicabiiity of
the canal, but its construction by the gov
eminent viii depend largely upon its cost
ana the advantages TO be derived from IL,
as shown by the results Of this survey
ms survey was unauthorized By the
river and harhor bill of the last session of
congress The chief of engineers appointed
q board of army engineers consisting of
Colonel Mendenhall, Major Hamburg and
captain SUMMONS to make the survey
which is now beingmade by Mr. Eastwick.
Separate projects will be made for a canal
terminating in Lake Washington and
canal connecting Lake Washington with
Lake Samamish. The prospect of securing
an appropriation for the work depends
largely upon finding the project reoGiring
the least possible cost Of construction.
Mr.: Eastwick hopes TO greatly lessen the
estimated cost by the use Of woodwork iIl-
stead of masonry in fresh water. and by
keeping the lake levels as high as possible.
Soundings of Lake Union show tire depth
OF its upper portion, the long narrow bay
above the bridge, to be from twenty
two to thirty feet. Below the
bridge, embracing the body of the lake,
It's depth Is from iorty-iive 10 sixty feet,
with abrupt shores and nearly flat floor
Its surface IS ten feet above high tide
water. Lake Washington is fifteen feet
above Lake Union, and Lake Samamish
ten feet higher than Lake Washington.
Mr.. Eastwick states that he would like TO
raise Lake Union six feet above its present
level, as the estimates could he greatly
lessened by so doing. But this cannot be
done without inhicting great damages
upon the improvements on the lake front.
He hopes. however, to be able to raise the
water about one foot.
If any project is adopted, it is likely to
be one reducing Lake Washington to the
level of Lake Union. This would make
Black river feeder of the lake instead of
its outlet, as at present, and bring the en-
tire volume of Cedar river, which Joins
Black river a few hundred yards from
the lake, through the canal, unless
prevented by dredging the outlet of Black
river, or damming it above the mouth Of
Cedar river. An examination will be
made to ascertain if either scheme is FEAST
bic, as it will be necessary to make some
provision for protecting the canal against
the great volume of Cedar river in times
of flood. At present Lakes Washington
and Samamish are connected by the
Samamish slough. This slough is about
twenty-five miles in length with current
of three miles an hour. 1t is now jammed
with logs, and will have to be cleared be-
fore the survey can be completed. This
will probably delay the engineers for two
or three days.