Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-09-30
THE SEATTLE CANAL

THE SEATTLE CANAL
EDITOR HERALD:-The Seattle POST
Intelligencer can scarcely be called a
comic paper, but some of It's arguments in
support Of the construction of the Lake
Washington canal are to say the least
laughable.
A correspondent yesterday asked the
P.-l. what 10 meant by asserting that the
Lake Washington canal would mean
cheaper freight rates for the farmers of
Eastern Washi- gtOn.'
Ihc P.-l. answers that the term
cheaper freight rates" does not mean
merely the raj. rate from Eastern Wash
lngtOn to tide water, but the terminal
charges and the ocean freight 10 Europe.
''lf anyone OF these three items is re-
duced, the P.-L. says, that much is
added u the value Of the wheat In the
hands OF the producer. The construction
Of the canal would have no appreciable
effect upon the rail rate but the other
TWO Items would be greatly reduced and
the Eastern Washington farmer would
receive the benefit on every ton shipped
by him.
The P.-I. then argues that the cost of
wharves and warehouses would be only
about one-fOurJh In Lake Washington
what they would be in salt water
and the maintenance in fresh water
it would Ia salt; again the cost OF hand
ling trOm rail 10 ship at constant water
level Is nothing like what it is with shift
Ing tide levels; again. the ocean freight
would be reduced because a vessel lying
In fresh water would have her bottom
cleaned OF marine vegetable growth aud
would make quicker time. All Of which
Will rebound TO the benefit Of the Eastern
farmer, /. c., the Eastern farmer will
conslgn his wheat BY the Northern Pa
cihc or the Great Northern when com
pleled, TO Lake Washington; haYe "a
longer, more tOrtuOus haul for the sake
OF saving terminal charges which proba-
! bly, Will be more than overcome by lock-
age charges, II the canal should be builtl
| There Is very little difference between
/ the cost OF warehouse on fresh or salt
/ water. There Is difference in the cost
| OF the pling, and when 1t comes to main
| tenance OF plliug the P.-L Is probably
right, With the experience Seattle has had
/ win the devastating teredO along the
water front. But when the cost of main
| tenance of piling at Seattle is compared
with the cost Of maintenance in Belling-
| ham Bay the figures OF the P.-l. are alb
! surd. Piles have been known in the
Seattle harbOr 10 give way in less than
year. In Bellingham Bay piles that were
| driven ten year, ago are as sound as the
day they were swung under the drop.
! The argument relative TO the cost of
! handling wheat at different tide levels
falls as easily as wheat is chuted through
a cOnYeyOr, when the warehouses at Ia
coma are called TO mind.
Fresh water Kills the salt water worms
and vegetation, but neither vegetation
nor barnaces are freed from a ships bot
| tom by coming in contact with fresh
water. The only way Is TO dock ship
and scrape her bottom. Aud, by the way,
the P.-l. and the people OF Seattle have
very little 10 say Of the Puget Sound dry
] a "a hArhgr-=u
Tacoma institution. The dock Is one of
the largest business propositions on the
sound. IL is capable OF lifuinR out OF
water any ship that sails the seas TO allow
her bottom TO be cleaned. The consecu-
tive arguments OF the = i. have then no
| standing at all.
Seattle is anxious to have the federal
| government spend between 100000 and
! S5,OOO,OOO on the canal, and probably as
Seattle is never backward In asking any
thing, will also ask the general govern
ment to maintain IL, 10 meet ali the eX-
penses incidental 10 operating the locks
and TO pay other costs which are sure to
follow upon the operation Of any eXten-
sive work of the kind.
The P.-I. Is pouring torrents Of vltuber-
alton upon, as II calls him, Boss" Nell
son Bennett, because Nelson Bennett is
opposing the construction Of the canal.
Nelson Bennett has plenty of enemies,
but the worst that can be said OF him Is
that he is a live, pushing energetic man.
We OF Fairhaven know him at his true
worth
II Seattle gets the canal, as sure as she
gets 1t the remainder OF the state will
get nothing. What have the people Of
VIII ltcOm county and Fairhaven to thank
Seattle Tor? 10 speak vulgarly the P.-L
has been giving Falrhaven dirt ever
since Fairhaven existed. We have, by
buying OF Seattle, been a factor Of some
potency in her upbuilding, and what have
we received Of her In return? Nothing
but her contempt. Now Seattle asks the
state to secure this canal for her-and the
result will be what2 No other place In
the state can secure federal appropria-
tion for years 10 come.
The Port Orchard navy yard, represent
ing an outlay of s750,0O0, Is claimed by Sc
attle as one Of her adjuncts. And she has
the nerve TO ask for 100000 or S5,OO0,0OO
more.
II Seattle wants the canal let her build
II with her own private capital.
. Unfortunately, the canal has been
dragged into the political campaign, and
the Republicans have the choice Of either
voting for McGraw as governor and sup
porting the canal, or voting for Snively,
the Democratic nominee, ane thereby ut
tering protest against the canal.
A lifelong Republican, | have always
voted the Republican state and national
/ tickets. But as the Republican conyen-
tiCn has left me no option but 10 vote for
the Republican nominee and lndorse the
canal, ] shall, for the first time In my life
} vote for the Democratic nominee, and by
my vote protest against a plan which, Il
carried out, works for years TO come
( against the best interests of the state al
large. PROTESTANT.