The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-10-19
SAVED BY THE CANAL.
A Skipper Shows the Many
Economies 1t Would Make.
LESS FREIGHT RATES CERTAIN.
Very Great Advantages to Ocean and
Sound Shipping OF . Fresh Water
Harhor-A Profit to All.

Capt. s. N. Greenleaf has been a sea-
farm; man for thirty years, most Of which
time he was master For years he was
ship being the Fanny Tucker. engaged in
the lumber business. He has retired and
now lives in Seattle.
Il cannot imagine" he said yesterday.
''why any man " no expects to do business
in Seattle or work for wages there. or who
owns the smallest piece Of ground there.
not being most enthusiastic IN favor Of the
Lake Washington canal. It will make for
Seattle the finest harbor in the world.
LET me tell you few of the advantage.
the fresh water harbor will afford not only
in building up Seattle but in reducing
freight rates so that the Sound trade will
be sought by ocean vessels. A ship can
make just one-fourth better time be-
tween Puget sound and Great Britain by
having a clean bottom. Sailing ships
coming from Europe are often becalmed,
and this gives the worms"-this is the
nautical term for the teredo Ia fine
chance TO eat their way in. Now, If on
its arrival ship could lie in fresh water.
they would all be killed and drop Off On
the next journey they would see new
places, but would not touch the old ones.
"Besides this. take the large number of
stern wheelers and other Sound boats. In
stead OF having to be constantly recovered
and often having their hulls entirely de-
stroyed in few wars. they would last as
long as the timbers would hold together.
Ships lying in fresh water lose all their
barnacles and other parasites. 1t is true
fresh water grass grows On them, but that
dies of in salt water.
Then look at the saving in freight
rates. dockage and handling. I believe .
ship of 2,oOo tons, coming from Europe or
other long voyage. by going into fresh
water would save $50 on the journey. II
is not only the cleaning. but the rise and
fall Of the tide makes it very expensive 10
dock. Now, in fresh water harbor the
ship is towed IN and there she remains IS
at first tied TO the dock. As it is now, the
ship on the Sound is chafed and strained
by every tide; in loading frequent changes
have to be made so as 10 get the freight in
and ont. In winter this is especially bad.
There would be no fear of violent tides, OF
storms such as that of 1890. All these
risks and damages go to make freight rates
higher.
Then the immense dock room in the lake
would save delays in discharging or TAX
ing on cargo. The wharf owners, having
to pay less for the wharves. as they would
live almost for a hundred years instead of,
as now, having to be renewed every three
years, could afford TO handle freight and
store goods at considerably lower cost.
All this, too. would help to make better
rates for wheat and every other bulky
cargo.
when ships load coal at the Sound
bunkers. either for export or for use, if the
tide is low the fall of the coal from the
chutes is much greater than il should be.
1t seems small thing, but the breakage in
loading a cargo OF coal cuts quite
a figure. The same is true in the loading
Of wheat. There would be in the lake
harbor perceptible saving in every item
that goes TO make up the cost Of dockage,
wharfage. wear and tear, risk and bottom
cleaning.
1T is in all these many small savings
that the gain would be felt, aDd they
mount up in the course Of year"