Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-08-02
OH, WHAT A WHOPPER!

The following remarkable paragraph |
is clipped from late number of that
astonishingly reckless "bluff" called
the AnacOrtes Progress:
Falrhaven people are now in guam
dairy. 1t takes twenty four feet Of water
at low tide TO establish the harbor line,
and the commission cannot get the depth,
unless they run IL two or three miles from
the shore out In the middle OF the bay
They now want 1t reduced to seventeen
feet. We would advise the residents to
cut down some OF Chuckanut mountain,
and ill in the mud fats so that large
ships can get TO the wharves, as at low
tide the large wharf at Fairhaven is only
seventeen feet. Ship harbor OF Anacortes
has plenty OF deep water close up to the
bank, and II our neighbors are IN distress
over a shallow bay that Is constantly
filling up from the Nooksack river, we
will give them space to anchor all large
vessels till 1t is high tide, and we won't
charge them one cent.
1t would be a difficult matter to
crowd more falsehood into the same
space than is contained in this little
scrap Of solid minion type without
making it palpably false to even a
stranger. Let's take the thing seri-
atm and see what there is in it.
1t is a cold fact that, with the ex-
ception Of the little cove at the foot of
Mil street, which is all taken up by
the railway depot, the railway tracks
and sawmill yards, Fairhaven has no
| tide flats whatever. 1t is another fact
| that at our docks the water is consid-
erably over twenty-five feet at low
tide. A proof of this to every indi.
vidual who ever saw Fairhaven lies in
the fact that vessels drawing twenty
five feet tie up at any time
at our wharves. 1t is a
matter of history that the shiT
"Chas. S. Moody" which came t.
this port from Perth AmbOy last sum
mer, laden with steel rails, and which
had to receive part Of the cargo out
side the harbor at Perth Amboy
on account Of her draught
sailed up to Fairhaven's CHIEF
dock, drawing twenty-five feet, and re
manned there until her cargo of 2,90t
tons of steel rails was discharged, ant
during that time, about one month
there was no time when there was not
more than twenty-five feet Of watel
on both sides of the ship. 1t is fact
of record that the U. s. Coast Survey,
report, on file in the depar tment al
Washington, declares Internationally
that Bellingham Bay is the finest har
Dor on the Pacific coast in every par
ticular, having larger area Of holding
ground, the best depth of water, tn,
greatest safety from storms, the near
est to shore landings, the best shor,
resources, and that it is nearest to tn,
open sea Of any harbor having thes,
advantages. Not only is this fact
but President Hill, Of the Grea
Northern railroad, told the editor o.
this journal when he was last in Fair
haven, that he was not only aware o
the existence and the truths of thi
report, but that he was possessed OF
copy Of it.
: When the Progress says that Fair
haven people want the harbor lin,
established at II feet low tide,
, simply makes false statement. tn
people OF Fairhaven have not aske
! for any figures on that proposition bu
simply desire the harbor line to b
: placed where the commissioners, i
: their good judgment, think it ough
to go.
: That Anacortes "has plenty OF dee
7 water close to Shore" no one doubt
who has been there. 1t is almost i'm
! possible TO tell how deep the water
and 1t is fact that in general way
that water runs through the strai
there, that is called harbor, with
} force that would make mill-rac
! ashamed of itself, and frequently YES
sells are forced past the docks and it |
J all they can do to make turn With
! a mile further on to get back again
: This, however, is a matter that tn
, HERALD would not have mentione
, had not the Progress printed tn
, utterly baseless paragraph, quote
above. concerning the harbor at Fair
, haven, and now the facts are onl
, mentioned by way Of comparison