The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-03-09


Alexander between Lake Union and Duwamish
bay, or Elliott bay, as 1t is sometimes called
He surveyed two routes, one called the Mercer
farm route and the other the tramway route
Both OF these routes are now covered by resi-
dence blocks and business blocks in the city OF
Seattle, rendering the construction OF Q canal
ever since the time of the survey by General
Alexander the people of this part OF the state,
and in fact all public men who have visited this
region, have been of the opinion that sooner or
later the government would undertake the con-
htruction of ship canal to connect Lake Wash
ington With Puget sound. The construction OF
such canal would be OF great value to the
United States government, in connection with
the interests of the navy, and its value to the
United States merchant marine service on the
Pacific coast will be OF great importance.
W. II. Starbuck, president OF the Oregon I'm
proyement Company, which owns a fleet of
about twenty vessels doing business between
Seattle and other ports, writes me that such
canal would be of great benefit to the entire
commercial interests. He says: 81 think If
arrangements could be made to make coaling
station on Lake Washington for naval ships
there would be no difficulty in having sufficient
land donated for that purpose. 1t would be OF
great benefit to all the iron and steel ships OF
the navy that may be in the north to go to Lake
Washington for eoaling purposes, az they would
then be in fresh water, and l find from ex-
perience in iron ships that few hours in fresh
water kills off all the barnacles, causing them
to drop off Immediately, which is practically as
good for the ship as docking and painting. This
i know from actual experience with my own
iron ships"
have another communication which will
read to the committee Lieutenant A. B. Wyck-
off, in command OF the Puget sound naval
station, in this communication says: "The de-
restoration of the bottoms of iron and steel
ships is very little in fresh water as compared
with salt. Vessels when cleaned have remained
free from barnacles and marine vegetation in
fresh water. For this reason it would be ex-
tremely advantageous to lay up all our naval
vessels in ordinary in Lake Washington: The
dfSfQnna
Orchard would make the lake an efficient adj
junct to the navy yard. Only . limited per-
centsge of these vessels will be in commission
while the country is at peace. As our In
terests will lie more largely in the Pacific
than in the Atlantic, at least half of our navy
will be retained on the Pacific side. No other
body OF fresh water is as accessible or secure,
and it would seem certain that most If not all OF
the vessels in ordinary could be placed in Lake
Washington. Puget sound does not admit OF Ell
fcient defenses of forti fications, submarine
mines or torpedoes. The depth of the water
and the strong tidal currents make the reliable
use OF the latter impossible and such defense
fcations on Admiralty head. Port Wilson,
might deter an enemy's fleet from attempting
an entrance. But under the obseurity of night,
or especially during the prevalence OF fog OF
smoke, steamers could run into the Sound with
impunity. 1t follows that harbor defense YES
sells, ike the Monterey now being completed at
San Francisco, are absolutely essential to the
defense OF the Sound cities During peace times
these vessels would be perfectly in readiness for
action by lying in the fresh waters of Lake
Washington. Beyond question the future navy
OF the United States Will consist OF sufficient
number OF vessels for the proper protection of
our coast and The unfolding of the national
honor abroad The very great advantages of
this magnificent body of water, the temperate
climate throughout the year; the unlimited re-
sources of coal, iron aud timber, and the result
ant manufactures already in their inception;
the centering of nearly all of the trauscontin-
entail railroads at this point; its accessibility at
all seasons aud in all weathers the future as
sured dense population on its shores i1suring
abundant skilled labor; the proximity to the
Pacific naval station with regard to China,
Japan and Alaska, together with many other
reasons, convince the reflective mind that Puget
sound will he the place for one of our great
naval stations, and the lake would be an almost
indispensable adjunct to the navy yard on the
Sound
There are many important points in favor of
building ship canal from Puget sound to Lake
Washington. Perhaps the first and most i'm
portant Is that OF making a great fresh water
harbor. The teredo is terribly destructive in
the water OF Puget sound, and indeed in ali the
Pacific ocean, ieQ uiriDg the renewal of wharves
on an average of once in two years. This is
burdensomo tax upon commerce which fresh
water harbor like Lake Washington would ma
terielly'lighten. Vast quantities OF wheat, coal
and iron would be shipped from this fresh water
harbor. The cost Of wharves and their ma.nte-
nance would be but a small fraction of what il
is in salt water. Owing to the difficulty with
the teredo, 1t is necessary to build the coaling
bunkers with copper-covered piles, and the
shipment Of coal from the mines OF one COM
pany alone are now made from coal bunsers
which cost that company sl6S,C0o. Bunkers
sufficient to handle this product from Lake
Washington could be built f.r $4,000, and could
be maintained much cheaper than the bunkers
at Seattle. | mention this as an example OF
what would be applicable in the case of several
other companies and many other branches OF
business In the Sound at Seattle the tide has
an average range of more than eleven feet, and
m extreme range of nearly eighteen feet. These
oscillations are all embarrassing to commerce.
and increase the cost of loading and unloading
cargoes Lake Washington is on the east side OF
the sound, that is, the side which has and
always Will have the vast bulk of the Topula-
ton and resources OF the state. well as
most of the railroads. So far vs. is at present
known all the coal and iron deposits are on the
east side o. thu Sound. The entrance to the
canal would simply be across ihe Sound from
Port Orchard, where the navy yard will be To-
Gated. and, as Lieutenant NyCkof has ex-
planned, the lake would lie very valuable IN
which to lay up ships OF war on waiting orders
as the bottoms of iron and steel ships could
here be lneXDensively cleaned without docking.
In view OF the expected magnitude aud import
ance OF our navy in the future it is probable
that it would pay the government 10 build the
canal for this purpose alone.
Summarizing the reasoas briefly in favor of
the canal to Lake Washington l would urge,
first, its perfeet security; second, its accessible
ity by great railway lines: third, its nearness to
unlimited quantities Of iron, coal and timber,
its contiguiy to Seattle. the largest city in the
state and the transportation facilities thereto;
fourth, q fresh water harbOr: fifth, explanatory
OF one and two, the lake is hemmed in on all
sides by high hills snd is secure from attack bY
land or water; sixth, three railways now touch
its shores aGd two more are nearly COMPLETED 10
it. These roads are, the Northern Pacific. the
Seattle, LakeShore & Eastern, the Columbia &
Puget sound, thu Great Northern and the uIon
Facl1c. The Northern Pacific Is rapidly COM
pleting = small piece OF road which. with the
Seattle. Lake Shore & Eastern, will make a com
plete belt around the lake, these roads touching
every known deposit OF iron and coal so far
opened in the state; seventh, il is nearer
to the best deposits of iron and coal
than any other water. One coal mine Is
within two miles of its shores. This is one of
the oldest and largest coal mines IN the state
located at Newcastle, from " hlch coal is shipped
in large quantities TO California aad other aces
on the Pacific coast Other coal mines are but
tee ana twenty miles away. great body of
the hest Besssmer ore, said TO be equal 10 any
that has been found in the world, is less than
fifty miles away. Eighth, vast bodies of
merchautable timber, the best kind of timber
for building shiIs or houses is found on the
shores OF Lake WASH ngtou and in the Adjacent
region. Ninth, the lake forms the eastern
boundary of the city OF Seattle and four street
ear lines, two of them cable and two electric
cars are now running from Puget sound to Lake
Washington through the streets Of Seattle, a
city OF 550oJ TO 60, GO inhabitants and destined
probably in ten years TO have a population Of
$4,000 people and twenty years hence 40, coo
people Il seems to NE, gentlemen, that tn Is
WORK will be of great value not alone 10 the city
OF Seattle, but 70 the state OF Washington and to
the entire Pacific coast with reference 10 all the
interests tof commerce and the sinferes; OF
national defsnses, and that there should be no
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