The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-11-05
Its Construction Means a New
Era Of Prosperity.
MATERIAL AND LABOR NEEDED.
Convincing Arguments OF ID. H. Gilman,
Democrat; OF G. II. King, Democrat,
and ID. b. Ward, Prohibitionist.

Dy his interchangeable efforts and his undsunted
faith In seatile's future. succeeded in raising
tuuos in the East with which TO build the Sc
attic, Lake shore Eastern railway. so pro-
foundry grateful were the Seattle people for his
gallant services that movement was set on
loot In 1889 to recognize them By public testi.
noaia, and sums had already been subscribed
when the great fire broke out This swept
away almost all the records OF the past, and
when the smoke had been waited away and the
turmoil had subsidized, Seattle was occupied by
an army of strangers, and the little struggling
town had teco,ne great city, with new inter.
ests and fresh aspirants for distinction.
Nobody knows better than Mr.. Gilman the
needs and the possibilities of Seattle. or the diff.
cuties TO overcome in accomplishing q great
undertaking. lie has already declared his in
tentioa TO vote the Republican state, congress.
sionai and legislative ticket, because the nom.
inees ara pledged to promote the building OF the
canal He says:
The importance and value of the canal is too
well known 10 all our people 10 need much elab-
Grafton. The construction of the canal in ae-
cordance with the plans OF the board OF United
States engineers or any OF the notifications
thereof suggested by the board will make three
splendid fresh water harbors Of constant level,
having a combined nearly Eve times as
great as the dockage area OF Liverpool.
The advantages to commerce in the saving of
docAage. wharfage and storage on account of
the effect OF fresa water on ships bottoms and
on plies for wharyes, and the much greater
economy OF hacdling freight on water level
free from the fluctuations of the tides have all
been frequently demonstrated
There Is, however, another feature which may
De mentioned: Lumber fioated in salt water be-
comes useless in fresh water there would be no
waste, as the surplus wood, after drying, would
make good fuel
the Tacoma Ledger. which has opposed the
canal because it would make Seattle PHOSPHORUS
aud i'll the next breath opposes it because it
would hurt Seattle, sent ont letters OF inquiry
TO foreign shippers and published their replies
n cun - l.
owners were in favor of a fresh water harbor:
the only objection they made that they
wonid not be willing 70 pay more for it. This
was never suggested. The great argument in
favor OF the fresh water harbor is that it would
cost less.
There would be then no harbor in the world
at all comparable with that of Seattle, and the
rapldity with which commerce would concen-
trate at this port would be astonishing, and
would in very few years make Seattle the first
city ON tie Pacific coast. IL is a conservative
estimate 10 say that our population in five years
from the commencement of the work would be
$4,000, anu that the taxable valuation of the
county would lie x30o,0O00O at least. Mapuiac-
tories, shipyards, wharves aud warehouses
would SPRING up like magic on tue shores OF the
| lakes. The tracks OF five transcontinen.ai rail-
roads Will touch their shores and there exchange
traffic with ships from al the ports of the world
The picture is an ailuriug one but is not over
drawn.
The cost of the canal via the shilshoie bay
route on the plans OF the board of engineers
was estimated by them TO be s., 902,Sj9 These
OF the 21oo,W0 yards of excavation vas put at 30
cents per yard. The board states that composite
locks of timber and masonry would COS, $519, GOO
| less. Responsible contractors stand ready to
take the excavation at 10 cents per yard. The
latter price would cut the estimate down by
s9is,l50, making total reduction these two
items alone of Sl.477,lO, thereby reducing the
cost of the canal to 81 ,i25 100 These plans pro-
vile for theraising of salmon bay "a feet to the
level OF Lake Union, leaving both lakes at their
present level and puts one lock at the outlet of
the two lakes. The size of the locks estimated
on are so by 400 feet
recommend the changing of the foregoing to
one OF the following plans, viz:
j. Bring both salmon bay aud Lake Washing
| ton to the level OF Lake Union. with only one
| lock.
= Bring the two lakes to the same level, leav-
| ing Salmon bay at present high tide level, put
ting one lock at the outlet and the other at the
| head of the bay.
In any event, recommend that the locks be
| 80 by GO feet, which would make the cost of
each lock about 100000. The adoption of either
OF these plans would also make a difference in
the amount OF excavation The quantities can
| be readily obtained from the notes OF the sur
| yey made by the government engineers. By
either plan believe the cost can be kept down
| to s., o0)00l
The lowering of Lake Washington would
| drain mucn valuable land in both the Black and
| Samarnsh river valleys and entirely prevent the
| overflow OF the Black aud White rivers IL
would also reclaim IA great deal of land all
around Lake Washington, and would uncover
| the shores TO such an extent as to make ample
room Tor the construction of railroad tracks and
level r0adways all about the lake.
With the beginning of this work we should
| enter upon an era of great commercial activity
| ana business prosperity, ana there would be
abundance OF work FOR the laboring man.
Almost the entire cost would be expended in
| labor and such materials we produce RI hit
| here.
George II. King is q lawyer and man OF high
social standing. He has ever been consistent
is he no Dc{
pies upon which the party is based, ana not
merely because his father was a Democrat. His
declaration of intention in this campaign can
| no. fail to set men thinking. lie says, over his
| own signature:
| SEATTLE, Nov L. Is92
| Having, as a Democrat. stated 10 both Demo-
| cratic and Republican friends that | intended
! 10 vote tor John H. McGraw for governor and
| for the Repu lcau candidates for the national
| AMI state Legislatures. am asked TO give rea-
| son for the faith which Is in me. | shall vote
| as above Simply because am citizen of Seat
| tie: my home is here Al, nav interests are here;
| have become sponsor Tor the city tn many
| Eastern clients, who have by nay representa-
| tons been induced To invest money here. and
| ance by Seattle O: her present pos ton amongst
| the cities of the state that tho above mentioned
| candidates should be elected
| The issue now before the people % Seattle ia
| whether or not the efforts of the Washington
| delegation in the last cor greNs in behalf OF the
| Lake Washington canal shall be ind rsed or not
| the Democratic or the Republican convention,
| | neither Know nor care, IL Is sufficient that
sDCh an issue ia now before our citizens, clearly
| AID sharply defined, ANA they are compelled to
| tske one CT tho other eide l take the side
| which believe nay duty to my home. my lam
| ilv snd NV city compcis ine 10 take The build
| ing u! the Lake Washington canal means the
permanent supremacy al. Seattle among the
/ cities OF the Pacific coast OF this have no
! doubt, but II | lad, the action OF the Repub-
| ucan party in Tscoms, and the high Corlpli-
| mcnt shat city pays Seattle oy being jealous
| of her. wouid coRhrm my belief.
Now, being convinced OF the benefit which
| will accrue - Seattle by the building OF this
canal. can not, rs citizen Of seattle. say that
| ! condemn the actions OF the ceutlemen-be
| they % what psrty they may-who have sollc-
| tied a.d from ihc national government Tor its
| construct Z.
| Mr., McGraw. an told can no, HELM or hinder
the Co1stt uctoa Of the cans. This may hc 50. tn
| the enemies OF Seatte-acmbegs of NJ. MCG-aw's
| own par;y-men VITO have done and VIII 40 all
IL their power - lElure this C!ty-a-e galiviug
| 10 Mr.. MCGraws opponent as their standard
| bearer, aUd therefore u uehOoyes eli true eth
/ gems oi seattle - show by their support az Mr.
| McGEaw that they are not IL unity or sympathy
| with thvit elsys Toes.
! am not acquainted with either ot the canf!-
| dates Tor governor ana know nothing OF their
| personal characters, and NY detection from The
| Democratic ticket extends only - the candidates
| mentioned herein / shall certainly vote Tor
| Grove. Cleveland. IeG.s respectfully,
GkoRaE II. KING,
Rooms and Episr Block.
| n n. Ward is a strong prohibitiouists and
| has been the party's candidate for mayor of Sc
| at.le. He has addressed letter 20 the HosT-
| IsrLLIGESCER- il which he says: