The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-08
HARBOR LINE IDEAS.
Memoranda for the Committees
Consideration.
THE SEA WALL PROPOSITION.
Ex-Governor Semple Sefs Forth Some
of the Views Of the Commissfon
Waterways.

Ex-Governor Eugene SempIe, of the har-
Dor line commission, has submitted to the
harbor line committee of the Chamber of
Commerce some memoranda showing the
basis upon which, in the view of the COM
mission. the lines should proceed. In
talk on this subject yesterday Mr. Sernple
said The Chamber of Commerce COM
mittee has gone about this harbor line
business IN very public spirited way, and
all private eonsiderations-ift there are any
concerned = have apparently been laid
aside. The commission Is anxious TO get
the views Of al whose opinions are entitled
10 weight. but We are specially interested
in arriving at fair understanding with
the Chamber Of Commerce committee. not
only on account OF the honorable body
which that committee represents, but also
on account of lis good faith IN the prem
ises
I'VE hold, however that the committee
in having the lines should bear in mind
that sea vail must soon be built on the
water front. This wall must be erected
not in the course Of some years but in the
course OF some monfhs-fsr in Seattle We
reckon time by months and weeks. II is
impracticahle to build q wall where the
water Is more than eighteen or twenty
feet deep AT low water. OF course il Is
possible TO construct a sea wall across the
bay in almost any depth Of water, but for
practical purposes twenty feet az low
water Is far enough out The tides rise
hffeen feet, and the wall would have to be
six or seven feet above highest high water.
go. when constructed in the line of
eighteen-foot depth, the wall would be
about forty feet high
The line where such a wall could be
built should be used as an axis The 30
feet inside would bring you TO the inner
harbor line. and the space between should
be laid out as a street. The 40 feet out
side of the bulkhead line brings you TO the
outer harcor rim, and the intervening
space should be given mp to slips, with
piers 40 feet long. running from the bulk
head line or sea wall 10 the outer rim.
In selecting the line for the sea wall
you must strike an average depth so as 10
get good contour for your harbor and
not interfere with the tidal currents which
keep the harbor secured out
Then as 10 the Duwamlsh waterway.
the commission regards the plan Of the
committee by which the strip Is carried
down this side of the Duwamish, and not
across the bay to West Seattle, as wholly
impracticabIe. The commission goes on
the principle that the nayigable waters of
Elliott bay include only the tract covered
by the waters at low tide, while the Cham
Der Of Commerce committee goes on the
theory that navigable waters include the
tract covered at high tide. Going on our
theory we draw the line across the outer
edge of the mats a mile beyond the city
limits TO West Seattle. We opened q
waterway 100 feet wide through the chan
mel of the Duwamish. /. myself, wanted
to establish an harbor strip on each side of
the waterway, but the other members OF
the commission did not believe ne mad the
right 20 do this. | still maintain my posi-
ton, however.
We laid the waterway 100 feet wide so
that vessels of the widest beam could tie
at the endt of the piers and still leave
room for wide vessels to pass each other IN
the channel We did not expect piers
were TO cut into the waterway. If they
were l should urge that the way be 10
feet wide
But for mere harbor room the 100 feet
rs unnecessary. The only vessels that
would want harborage there are barges and
such small craft. To keep a i,0Oo-foot
way open would be difficult on account of
the constant 1liing from the Duwamish."