The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-03-24

for survey Of this slough in order to de-
termine the cost Of canal from Lake
Washington into Lake Samamish. The
survey OF this slough was made by Mr..
Ricksccker. For the construction OF such
canal q cut of twelve miles would be
necessary, and of course the expense
would far exceed that Of canal
from the Sound to Lake Washington
At Redmond, which lies between the two
lakes, stop of half an hour was made for
dinner.
TWAS then proposed to go in to Gilman
and if time were left to Snoqualmie. In
order to obtain some idea of the extent OF
the coal mines and the other resources IN
the country tributary to Lake Washing
ton.
At . O'Clock, when the train was about
half way mp Lake Samainish, the drivers
Of the engine ran from the track while the
train was rounding curve. Three hours
were spent in getting the wheels back on
the track.
The train then went as far as Monohon,
where the car was coupled to the regular
inbound train. They reached the city at
7:30 in the evening.
This morning the board of engineers
will start on their trip around Lake Wash
ington, leaving the foot of Yesler avenue
at O'Clock in special boat provided by
the Chamber Of Commerce. 1t is
expected that the time spent at
the portage between Lake Washing
ton and Lake Union, at Kirkland,
and other points of interest in connection
with the canal will keep the engineers on
the lake during most of the morning and
afternoon.
But at 5 O'Clock this afternoon they viii
be present at public meeting held in the
Chamber of Commerce. Those interested
in the proposed canal are invited to attend
the gathering and present their views, to-
gether with such facts as may bear on the
case Colonel Mendell, the chairman OF
the board. said yesterday: Eve prefer to
get as much as possible in writing, but the
meeting will give an opportunity for those
to speak who have not had time to write.
sour duty is TO make an estimate as to
the cost of ship canal; but there are ship
canals and ship canals. Before we can
estimate the cost we must first determine
what kind of ship canal is to be built.
In order to arrive at this decision
we must get all the facts we crn
concerning the present commerce and
shipping of the Sound; we must learn as
much as possible about the cargoes which
would pass through the canal, and conse-
quently we must learn about the country
which it would reach.
I'VE have arrived at no decision yet as
to how large this ship canal should be. Do
we want to build now SO as to accommo-
date the very largest going ocean vessels?
When the Nicaragua canal is opened you
may have such huge ships as those which
ply the Atlantic running into your Puget
sound ports for timber and other products.
Such vessels are now 800 feet long
and the canal which shall receive them
must have very large locks. Then, too, it
must be remembered that the present ten
dency is toward longer vessels with greater
breadth of beam and less draught. Is it wise
to anticipate the building OF vessels even
larger than those now aAoat, or
shall the work for the present
be planned on more modest scale, leav-
ing to the future the work Of enlarging to
meet needs which may then arise.
lyon see now the reasons which make
it desirable for US to learn as exactly as We
can what will be the demands upon ship
canal now and in the immediate future"
Since the board expects to leave the city
this evening the members are DESTROYS
that as much as possible OF the matter
offered for their consideration be put in
writing, in order that the meeting may
not be unnecessarily prolonged.