The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-05-25
LAKE WASHINGTON CANAL.
Project.

iTOJSct.
Thomas B. Hardin. who With his wife
has been spending some weeks in the
East, has just returned to Seattle. In an
swer to some questions yesterday regard
ing his journey he said:
Well, yes, had very pleasant trip in some
respects, though it was a business trip and not
OF pleasure. We had some matters before the
interior department and in New York that
wanted to look after. While in Washington.
however, undertook to secure the support of
some of my friends for the Lake Washington
ship canal, with tolerable success. AS you
know, the river and hsr5or bill passed the
House some time ago, carrying an appropriation
for 81, 1913 made up from estimates furnished
from the engineer corps OF the army OF some
thing over 70,ooo 900, and it seems that at the
beginning OF the session Speaker Crisp aud
other leaders Of the House had served notice
upon the river and harbor committee
that the river aud harbor bill was
not to exceed $2l,0Oo,00O. or else it
should not be passed, so the difficulty
with which the river and harbor committee had
to contend was how to make 1,00) 900 tit esti-
mates for $4,000 900, besides considering other
projects not embraced within these estimates
from the war department l found the river
and harbor committee strongly averse to under
taking any canal projects whatever. There
was a strong fight being made to secure appro-
similar to the Hennepin canal, among them .
canal to connect Lake Erie with the Ohio
river which would take between S60,000000 and
$4,000, O0o il not more, to construct; and also
canal to connect Philadel phis with Chesapeake
bay which would take an enormous amount of
money to compete, and these huge schemes
tend Of course to initiate against the Lake
Washington canal. and as a matter OF TACT the
House did not include any one of them in the
bill but rejected them all. In the Senate, how
ever. after a hard fight, for which our senators
deserve credit, the senate committee on COM
merce having charge OF the river and harbor
bill added to the bill an amendment approprf-
ating 5000, 600 for the Lake Washington canal;
and also various sums for surveys to determine
the probable cost OF these other canal schemes
which have mentioned. aud for the commence
ment OF work some OF them. The amend.
ments to the bill by the Senate commerce COM
mittee aggregated over 81 ,0OO00o, increasing the
bill to over $22,0lo,000. day or two
since, however, at the suggestion of
Secretary Foster they reconsidered tho
hill and made cuts of % per cent. in
anumber of the largest and reduced it some
$2,0OO,OO or about 81, 600 900 less than it came
from the House; then re-reported il to the Sem
ate and the Senate passed II, leaving ours as II
originally stood, that Is to say: Appropriating
500, 600 TO commence the work, to be expended
under the direction OF the secretary OF war and
In accordance with the plans and specifications
prepared by the board of engineers who re-
Gently made the survey. but with a proviso thai.
no part of the appropriation should be expended
until the right of way for the canal should he se-
cured to the United States free of cost. Ii re-
mains vet 10 be seen whether or not the House
will concur in this Senate amen dment. If it
does and passes the bill as amended. why, upon
its approval by the president OF course the mat
ter is settled and work will then be commenced
,ba q n va
cured. Ii the House should make fight on it
In accordance with its economical tendencies,
WHY it will remain to be seen whether the
House or the Senate will yield;
and if the Senate yields to the House,
we will be beat II not, OF course we win. The
fact of these other canal schemes being put on
the BILL or at least appropriations made for sur
veys for them, contempla ing possible or prob
able attempts to secure appropriations for the
work at the next congress, may stir up fight
on our measure In the House and we may suffer
from being in bad company, bnt from talk
had with some OF the members of the river AMI
harbor committee in the House, ! believe that
the Lake Washington canal amendment at least
VIII go through, although the Others will prob
ably be defeated. l took advantage of little
snare time that had to get together some sta
tistics bearing on the canal question to give to
some of NY friends in the House for use in the
matter which may be of interest:
Ire export tonnage cleared from the Puget
sound customs district in the fiscal year ending
June so. 1891 WAS greater than any other district
in the United States except TWO, as the follow
ing table will show, tue amounts stated being
in tons:
NO-k 60