The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-12-25
Strong Support for the Fresh
Water Harbor Project.
KooTENAY RIVER IMPROVEMENT
Pacific Northwest Not the Only See
tion 0verrun by Georgians.
kekeis Dfsg 1stsd By the warherses'
Hunger for ons-e-ressmastersU Under
ClsveIsnd's Former Administrasion

! PosT-ISTELLIGENcES BUREsu, 5ii FerR-
TENTH STREET. MASKING GoS CrTy. Dec.
"a Special. Capt Thomas W. Symons,
I United STATES engineer in charge OF river
and Earbos work in Washington. who IA.
been here for few weeks, is in very poor
health and viii not return to the North
west for some time. In long conversation
between himself and Senator Squire Capt.
/ symons spoke freely about the many i'm
/ provements now needed in Washington
/ and expressed his views strongly in favor
/ of every important work. The Lake
/ Washington canal, he declared, was one
/ OF the most important works on the whole
Coast. Its completion, to use his own
| words, "wouid make harhor that would
| be peeriess-second to none in the world. "
| He hoped the bill would be put through
| by congress, as the improvement would
make Puget sound known all over the
| commercial world.
| Senator Squire states that the canal bill,
which was introduced simultaneously by
| himself in the senate and by Representa-
| tive Wilson in the house, is now before
| the committee on commerce of the senate
| and the committee on railways and canals
of the house. The senator is personally
| urging the merits of the measure before
! both committees, and will continue to do
| so until a decision is reached
| Another important work which Capt.
| Symons SAYS could be done at a very small
| expense is the improvement of the
| kootenav river from the international
boundary line TO Bonner's Ferry. Idaho.
| Capt Symons made q preliminary exam
| ination of this river last fall. and found
| that all it needed was TO have the snsgs
| that now block up tho channel removed.
| The whole stretch of river examined by
him he considers well worthy OF improve
ment. 1t is n distance of about sixty
miles from Bonner's Ferry down stream
10 tho British Columbia boundary. Just
beyond which the river empties into
| kootenay lake, a magnificent body OF
water about seventy miles long and four
miles wide. and of very great depth.
| From Bonner's Ferry northwardiy to the
i lake the river Is q stream exceptionally
| suited for the purposes of navigation, the
water being deep and the current very
| slight. In this portion of its course the
river runs through a valley averaging
about four miles in width. the bottom
| lands on each side being OF a very
| fertile character.
At the town of Bonner's Ferry, n hich is
practically the head OF navigation on the
l-I.axsE- -Koot2nAy.~i -AiSsat- Northern rail
road IN its course from east to west first
reaches the river; here connection is mads
with steamboats, for the fertile country
/ along the river. both on the American and
Canadian sides, and for the rich mining
| districts of the Kootenav aud SLOGAN coun-
tries. Ii is now practically certain that
the SLOGAN and Kootenay mining districts
embrace SOME of the richest and most ex-
tensive deposits of minerals In the world.
and their development will add to the i'm
rorsan ce of the watsry highways of the
kootenay river and lake.
Besides Bonner's Ferry the principal
towns on the river and lake are Nelson.
which is the shipping point for the Food
| Mountain mines. and from which q rail-
road is built TO the westward, connecting
the navigabIe waters of the Kootenay lake
with the navigabie waters OF tho Columbia
river; Kaslo. which is the shipping point
on the lake for the SLOGAN mines; Aims
worth. which is the shipping point for the
Hot Springs mines. and Pilot Bay. at
which point a large smeter has been
erected for the reduction of ores tributary
TO the lake All these towns except Bon
ner's Ferry are in British Columbia.
The Kootenay now freezes each winter
about the first Of January, aud remains
closed until the middle OF March. The
lake itself never freezes. Capt. Symons
says he found seven steamers plying on
the lake and river. the Nelson. Spokane,
Galena, AlnswoTth. Idaho, Surprise and
Alton. The two first named were of 3i2
and $50 tons burden respectively, the
others ofsmsller capacity. The banks OF
this portion of the kootenay in Idaho are
lined with large cottonwo ood trees, and the
wash of the steamers and general river
current undermine the banks al different
points and permit these large trees 10 slip
into the river. whore they in many in
stances form troublesome snags. Nothing
ever having been done toward improving
the river, the number of these snags is
now very great. Their removal would 10
a great benefit to navigation in the opin-
ion of Capt Symons and Senator Squire
has interested himself in the matter. and
will endeavor to secure the needed appro-
prirtion to do the work. II will greatly
increase the commerce of the Great North
ern railroad, and in that way prove di-
rect benefit to Spokane. and even TO the
wholesale merchants of Seattle.
The bill Of Representative Hermann, Of
Oregon. prescribing limitations of time for
completion of title TO lands disposed Of
under the old donation act o. 1850 10 Of
special interest TO a very large number Of
people in the state of Washington a. we'll
as in his own state. IL provides that, in
ali cases where persons under the provi-
sions OF the donation act have made proof
Of settlement on tracts OF land in what is
now the states Of Washington and Oregon,
and claimed such lands as donations. and
have since failed 20 execute and nis in the
proper land offices proof Of their continued
residence On and cultivation Of the lands
50 settled upon and claimed, such claim
ants shall nave until January /. isss5. TO
make and tie their hnzl proofs and fully
establish their rights, and no longer. II
they have not before that day per
fected their claims TO the lands Upon
which they originally seit.ed. they
will be held - have abandoned al
claims 70 saeh lands, and no evidence IN
support thereof siI there's fter be allowed
Ia al cases where saeh claims 30 lands
shall no. be perfected By that time, tho
tracts involved ali bc declared subject 20
houses,ead entry and other forms Of dis
rosal under the iaRs governing the sAle Of
fnbl3c lands Tbs lAg wi!i serve 10 give
more auxoiate title In some cases as 2eii
a. 10 restore 20 tie public domain many
abandoned donation lard e!Hsnas or com
y.el those wbo claim these lands 70 psrfecs
taslr title. IL also secures . title 10 honest