The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-11-27
THE PUGET SOUND RIVERS.
appropriation of $50, 900 Recommended
Tor Improving Channels.

- ~ Improving ChAnneis.
,"'asalsSToN CITY, Nov. 2s-(special 1.-THE
ei vi engineers will submit the following in
ss'es1ng report to congress on the Improvement
=. .ne rivers emptying into Puget sound. It
WIN De seen that he decides in favor of their
outinuso Improvement, and recommends
larger appropriations:
'NAeif' sTILLAGuAxrsH, NooKsAcE, sHoHoMrsH
AND ssoQUALAIE RIVERS
=, Al these rivers flow into Puget sound. In
snon oiiginai condition they carried water
Snoush Tor the purpose Of steamer navigation.
put We're INSTRUCTED by xnags, fallen trees and
Iog Jams. They were the great highways OF the
county .s travelling on land being almost impos
sioIe on account OF the heavy timber, dense
uncsrorush and fallen logs. The aggregate
iengtn OF all is estimated TO be about 25J mi "a
me plan OF Improvement contemplates the re-
. nova OF snags, logs, trees and other obstruc-
ton: to navigatisn. The total appropriations
LOT the work have been y695Oo
IN tbs Glass OF WORK no permanent results are
ring snags and fallen trees, etc. are required To
pe constantly removed. The rivers have been
Kept open for navigation, ana many OF the per-
lie OF navigation have been removed.
RECOMMENDATIONS AND REMARKa
The state OF Washington has made remarkable
aaVanees In recent years, aud this is especially
the case with the regions about Puget sound
Inc growth and development OF these regions
lave been largely aided by the improvement of
the navigation OF the rivers traversing the coun-
mountains.
These waterways are OF great I'm portancs On
account of the extreme difficulty of penetrating
with roads OF any kind the dense and tangled
i n3 ana broken country between them. The
atnicuItes o. traversing these regions away from
tne rivers can be scarcely imagined by one I'M
familiar with the country.
The development OF the country has increased
.ne number OF steamers traversing the rivers,
ana their commercial importance and there
Win the necessity Tor more work being done to
open and keep them open.
The main area of Puget sound has very deep
WAFER, Dut there are many minor areas where
the water Is shallow. These shallow places are
generally at tie mouths OF the rivers, and the
rivers dow across them to deep water in multi
bare at low water.
The rivers bring down large quantities Of
orlit, snags, etc, which at times lodge IN these
channels, forming dangerous distractions The
principal instances of this nature are
Lummi bay at the mouth OF Lumni river;
Bellingham bay, at the mouth of the Nooksack;
ssmisa and Padilia bays, near the mouth of the
samish river; Skagit bay at the mouth of the
skagit river; Port Susan, at the mouth of the
sullaguamish: Duwanish bay, at the mouth of
the Duwamish river: Commencement bay, ut
the mouth of the Puyalup, and the Nisqually
fats, at the mouth of the Nisqually river
There 10 often work which 1t is desirable TO do
on these fats in order that the rivers may be
fully utiiizsd, aud il is respectfully submitted
that the appropriation could with propriety be
extended to take in puget sound and its tribu-
tary waters"
The snsgbeat is on hand, and can be kept en-
ployed almost continuously to good advantage
1t would seem to be the part of wisdom to not
only provide ample funds to keep the snngboat
Skagit in operation whenever the condition of
the rivers will permit, but also to provide funds
for separate parties engaged in clearing the
river from log jams, overhanging trees, rocks,
etc.
recommend an appropriation of $4,000 for
these rivers for the next fiscal year, and that the
title of the appropriation be changed TO Sim
proving Puget sound and its tributary rivers"
As regards most of their characteristic fea-
lures, these rivers may all be conveniently
grouped under one general description. The
enormous quantits of drift which fnds it's way
Into the channels from the dense forests skirt
ing the whole length OF their courses, and forms
snsgs or log jams, according to circumstances
1t 10 estimated that total OF go miles of water
way can be procured by properly clearing the
channels.
There 10 urgent need for more libsrai appro.
rivers the most convenient and often the sole
lines OF transit in that dsnsely tim bered region,
and IL is in the line OF economy TO improve them
by removing the distractions in good time, In
stead of allowing them to become a nucleus for
the accumulation of all the floating debris
which might happen to find its way Into the
channels. The working season OF 1889 was the
most successful seasons work since the i'm
provemsut commenced and indicates the still
more favorable results which might be looked
for Whenever the appropriations are granted
with sufficient regularity to insure continuous
patrol of the rivers by the snag boat
Most of the commerce carried on by the way
character, and on this account and because the
government has no agents to gather statistics of
commerce Is Is not practicable to give statistics
of commerce which are complete.