The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-02-27


moro expensive project Of dredging ,
channel through Salmon bay that would
make the locks accessible at any stage Of
the tide. The project for the per-
manent form of the canal con-
templates the addition to the
plan above outlined of another flight of
locks at the mouth Of Salmon bay, by
which that bay will be kept permanently
at the level Of high tide, and the dredging
Of a channel and the construction Of jetties
from the locks through the shoal water Of
Shilshole bay to the deep water of the
Sound. The engineers say that locks for
maintaining the high water level in Sal
mon bay can be constructed with less ex-
pense than would be required for dredging
a channel navigable at all stages of the
tide to the head Of the bay. A plan will
also be submitted for opening q channel
from the head Of Salmon bay to Smiths
cove, prosiding for an entrance from that
direction. This would require the dredg-
ing of about half mile in Smiths cove,
the digging of canal from the head of the
cove through the hollow to Salmon bay.
distance of about mile, and the dredging
OF a channel about one quarter of a mile
long in Salmon bay. Both plans have
report of the engineer. Mr.. Eastwick cx-
poets to greatly lessen the estimated cost
by substituting woodwork for masonry In
fresh water, although details and esti-
mates will be submitted for both.
A complete photographic reconai ssance
of the shores Of Lake Washington, which
was the final work of Mr.. Eastwick 3 corps,
demonstrated the very important fact that
he lo1~ - Ill g. IL,
ping, the shore, with a very few excep-
tons, having an abrupt decliyity. A
wharf 100 feet long will reach water deep
enough for any vessel that floats at almost
any point along the lake shore.
The extension Of the canal from Lake
Washington to Lake Samamish would be
very easy matter. A little dredging
would be required at the head of Lake
Washington. The canal would probably
follow Samamish slough, with one lift of
locks at the lower end to bring the vessel
to the level of the upper lake, or the canal
could be made deeper and the level of
Lake Samamish could be reduced to that
of Lake Washington. By this latter plan
thousands of acres of rich land along the
slough would be reclaimed, and the bene-
fits from this source alone would more
tnan pay LOT the wOrk.
Mr.. Eastwick is impressed with the inn
portance of the work, and the value Lake
Washington would acquire to the shipping
of the world in becoming fresh water
harbor. THE enterprise is worthy one, !"
said he to the reporter, land hope to see
it prosecuted by congress. To this end
am DESTROYS of collecting all the data pos
sible showing the benefits to be derived
from its completion. The favorable re-
ception OF the report of the board Of en-
gineers depends largely upon the people
of Seattle. If they produce in tangible
form-in facts and fgures--the extent of
the tributary resources and the greatness
Of the shipping interests that would en-
joy increased facilities and untold advan-
tages by its completion, there is but little
doubt that congress will make the neces-
sary appropriation, Is 1 feel confident that
the board Of engineers will report favor
ably upon the project if the proper show
ing is made"
With a ship canal to the sea. Lake
Washington will become the finest and
most convenient fresh-water harbor in the
world. A great, tideless haven, over
twenty miles in length, with seventy miles
of deep water frontage, situated
only FIVE miles from Puget sound, and
with its surface only ten feet above sea
level, land-locked and sheltered from every
wind, affording mooring grounds and
wharfage for the entire ocean-bOrne COM
merce of the Pacific, it would lead all
harbors of the world and give Seattle near
ly 100 miles of harbor frontage, affording
q reater capacity for the transferring of
commodities from car to vessel than is
possessed by the six greatest modern cit
les combined. Place one point of COM
pass on the water front in the center of
Seattle and describe a semicircle on a
radius of ten miles, including the extremi-
ties of Lake Washington, and it will, when
the canal is completed, circumscribe more
deep water frontage and accommodations
for greater volume of commerce by land
and sea than any other equal area in the
commercial zones of the earths surface.
The shipping business of Puget sound
has already attained an annual tonnage of
more than 2,OO0,0 The benefits that this
great volume of commerce would derive
from the opening of this splendid fresh
water harbor make the cost of the canal in
significant by comparison. The vessels
constantly arriving from all parts of the
earth clogged with barnacles, the accumu-
lation of a long voyage through tropic seas,
could clean their bottoms at slight cost by
bathing in the fresh waters Of the lake.
The opening of this fresh-water harbor
would effect vast saving to commerce by
providing great extent of fresh-water
frontage upon which the cost of maintain
ing wharves and warehouses is but trifie
compared to the cost of repairing the
ravages of that saltwater pest, the teredo.
Wharves in the tide water have to be re-
piled at least every two years, very ex-
pensive and announcement process, which
necessarily delays and incommodes COM
merce. In the fresh water of the lake pill
ing would last for years. Around the rim
of Lakes Washington and Union can be
erected about eighty miles of wharves.
The difference between the cost of main
tanning such line of wharves in the fresh
water of the lake and the salt water of the
Sound would, in few years, he many
times greater than the cost Of the pro-
posed ship canal.
VISUAL ExCREsCENCE REMOVED.
Trying Surgical Operation Borne by
school Clerk Whitney.