The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-06-03

Skaglt and StIliaguarnsh rivers, removing
many obstacles to navigation. 1t 10 recommended
that an appropriation of $4,000 be made for
tn Sc rivers for the fiscal wear 2'93, and that
the title of the appropriation be changed to
Improving Puget sound and its tributary
waters"
The following is statement of the amount OF
business per month, as far as can be obtained,
done by the steamers plying on the river routes:
Freight Pdssen-
Route Tons GERS
Skagit river Observation-Disclosures. 1850 1000
| Snohomish river. 1850 1,740
Nooksack river ............. 100 $50
In addition to the above there is about 800
tons freight per month of farm produce carried
by the various jobbing boats from the tide-land
farms on the sloughs near the mouths OF the
different rivers.
The report says Of the Swim omish
slough Improvements:
There are in Puget sound three routes for
boats passing from the northern to the southern
portion, or the reverse. One way is
by taking advantage of the navigable
waters OF Padilla bay, Swinomish slough,
and skagit bay. The other two routes are dam
gerous for smaller boats owing to the heavy seas
which prevail at times in the main sound to the
west of WILDLY island, and to the dangerous pass
age through Deception pass. The route by Swino-
Inish slough Is the most easterly and the safest
for the smaller boats which ply on the Sound
and the many rivers and iniets thereof, as well
rs the shortest. 1t is, however, shallow ana
crooked in some portions, and the approaches
to it. are across the shallow fats of Padila bay
on the north and 3kagit bay on the south
Situated as it Is, Swinomish slough is a valuable
highway for the local steamboats, plying
on the Sound, for RATS of logs and
lumber, and small sailing craft going up
the slough and its branches, carrying mer-
chandse and taking out the products of the
country. The use of the slough has been ser-
ously interfered with during the past two
years by the bridge of the Seattle g. Northern
Railroad Company across its northern end. The
bridge was complained of. and by direction of the
secretary of war q new drawbridge has been
built With the removal of the obstruc-
ton to navigation caused by the rail-
road bridge and the deepening OF
the channel as proposed, there can be
no doubt of the greatly increased use of this
short and safe route between the upper and
lower portions of Puget sound Aside from the
through travel the improvem nts of Swinomish
slough will be of imm use benefit to the COM
merce of the Skagit delta through which It
passes.
The improvement recommended for the &C.
commodation OF the smaller class of vessels
navigating Puget sound contemplates dredging
a channel 100 feet wide and feet deep in Swi-
nomish slough and across the flats at its northern
and southern entrances to a sufficient depth of
water in Paditla bay and SkagIt bay; forming a
BASIN near Goat island by widening the channel
to 200 feet for length of $40 feet; and construc.
ton of dikes where necessary tor protection of
the cut and retention of waste material The
total cost of this work is estimated at sl22.0Oo
The report says of the Nasel river i'm
privement:
The Nasel river is a tortuous stream about
twenty-five miles in length, and is navi-
Re IN
a place called Nasel Landing, at the
confluence of the north and south forks OF the
river. Nasel landing is about the head of tide
water; above this the river is not fit for naviga-
ton, but up to this place has depth OF water
enough for all present and prospective COM
merce. The river il at present being
navigated by a steamer drawing five and
one-half feet of water. The only obstacle to
navigation on the river are a number of suags
The first five miles below Nasel Landing the
river has width of 200 to 800 feet 1t is on
this part of the river that the snags
are. 1t will be necessary to remove
about 100 snsgs to make the river safe. 1t is
recommended as worthy of improvement The
cost OF the work is estimated at 500.
Regarding the improvement of Column
bia river, between the mouth Of the Will
lamette river and Vancouver, the report
says:
the right bank of the Colum bia river, 103 miles
above its mouth and five miles above the
mouth of the willamette river. There is
now practically twenty-foot channel
throughout this distance until a point of two
and half miles above the mouth of the Will
lamette is reached, where the weter suddenly
shoals 10 nine feet Passing this shoal, which
is about $500 feet wide at its narrowest part,
a channel of twenty feet depth OF more
is again found and can be carried above
the limits OF Vancouver. This shoal is evil
IDENTITY caused by the withdrawal from this por-
ton OF the river of the large proportion OF its
water which passes behind Hayden island.
The upper end of this island is OPP
posite Vancouver. 1t has length of
four and quarter miles ald a width of $500
feet at its widest part, with average width of
500 feet. Its top is about eighteen above low
water and is covered during the high stages
The river and hgrbor act of 1890 pro-
vided for a survey of this section
of the river. The improvement proposek con-
tempiotes diverting the current which passes
behind Hayden island into the main channel of
the Columbia river, so to scour away the shoal
row existing along the northern side of the
island, which obstructs navigation by deem sen
going vessels. The work recommended to be
acne 10 accomplish this object consists in clos
Ing the chute hahnd Hayden island ty dam
having height of feet above low water q
width of feet at top and % to % feet AZ
base in the deepest water, and q length Of 3C,0
feet, the banks at the two ends OF the dam to he
protected for distance of 80 feet against eros.
ion at high water The cost of this work ia e.
timated at $4,000.