The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-03-23
THE SHIP CANAL.
Army Engineers Here to Make
Inspection.
WILL VIEW THE LAKE SHORE.
Tho Board Goes to Gilman Today, ON
Lake Warrington Tuesday and
Will Meet Citizens.

Last evening the board Of army engi-
neers appointed to take charge of the sur
vey for the ship canal between Lake Wash
ington and the Sound, arrived from Port
land and went to the Rainier hotel. To-
day they will begin looking over the
ground.
The party consisted of Colonel G. w.
Mendell, of San Francisco. and Major
Thomas H. Handbury and Captain Thomas
w. Symons, of Portland. They were also
accompanied by Mr.. Philip G. Eastwick.
who few weeks ago finished the surveys
for the board. All of the men are familiar
with the ground, and have the very high
est regulations as engineers. Colonel Men,
dell is West Pointer, who was in the
Northwest years ago, and served at Fort
Steilacoom, and during the civil war he
saw active service. For a long time he has
been the superintendent of the engineers
on the whole Pacific coast, and has had
charge Of the construction of fortifica-
tons at San Francisco. San Diego and
number of other Coast points. lie was
member of the recent commission which
visited the Sound to select site for navy
yard.
Major Thomas H. Hamburg was grad
uated from West Point near the close Of
the war. As first lieutenant he assisted
in the survey made twenty years ago by
Colonel Alexander for canal like the one
proposed between Lake Washington and
the Sound. He now has charge Of the i'm
provements on the Columbia river, at the
mouth and the Cascades.
Captain Thomas w. Symons, also grad
uate OF West Point, was chief engineer of
the Department of the Columbia from 1879
to 1883. Then he was transferred to Wash
ington City and for six years had charge
Of engineering there. During the year
past he has been at the head of the work
on the harbors of Oregon, on the upper
Columbia and the Snake, and on Gray's
harbor and Puget sound
The last river and harbor bill made an
appropriation of $4,000 for survey for
ship canal from the Sound through Lake
Union to Lake Washington and then into
Samamish lake. The chief Of the engi-
neers of the war department under the
terms of the bin appointed Colonel Men
dell, Major Handbury and Captain Sy-
mons as the board to conduct the survey.
They employed Mr.. Philip G. Eastwick to
make the actual surveys. He is one of the
most competent men on the Coast tor this
vey over the same ground for the same
purpose. He was also city engineer for
Seattle and established what are now
known as the Eastwick grades.
The board has now come to the city to
make an inspection of the route of the
canal and the country adjoining, in order
to gather material for report as to the
feasibility of the undertaking, its cost and
%1,o lxvo H<, 81 H.;
They were met last night at the hotel by
a committee of the Chamber of Commerce,
consisting of Judge Thomas Burke, Mr..
Griffith Davies, and Mr.. NJ. ]. Carkeek.
After some consultation with this commit
tee it was agreed that the board should
visit the Gilman mines today to gain an
idea of the coal country which the canal
will open up. They will leave the city at
10 O'Clock this morning by a private car on
q special train, and will return some time
during the afternoon.
Tomorrow morning they will make a
trip to Kirkland and around Lake Wash
ington. On their return they will meet
the members of the Chamber of Commerce
and other interested citizens at o'clock
in the afternoon. At that meeting it is
desired that everyone interested in the
canal shall be present, in order to give the
board all the data possible concerning the
undertaking. The members of the board
wish to learn all about the timber in the
region tributary to Lake Washington, and
the mineral and agricultural resources, so
that some conclusion may be reached as to
the probable effects of this canal on the
commercial interests of the territory in
question and Of the whole Northwest.
Mr.. Eastwick has laid out routes for the
canal, from the Sound to Lake Union, by
way of Salmon bay and also by Smiths
cove. From Lake Union the line runs into
the end of Union bay on Lake Washing
ton. And the water course from Lake
Washington to Lake Samamish has also
been SURVEYED.